Time Management, Finding the Perfect Balance
For years I have been in search of the perfect schedule, the perfect plan to help my home run well. But I have come to realize that I can plan for most things but there will always be the unexpected things that come up. That’s what makes life fun and exciting, the unexpected.
I didn’t always embrace the thought of the unexpected being fun or exciting. I saw it as an inconvenience, a burden to throw me off my schedule or plan for the day. If I had these inconvenient interruptions how would I get my stuff done, the stuff I had planned.
But now I try to make sure my day has a balance. A balance of scheduled things I need or want to get done, along with some down time, if I need it.
Having this balance really has helped when my little boy wants to explore something he has seen or learned. I have the time to help him learn, what he wants to learn. It gives me time to help my daughter with a project she suddenly wants to try.
So how does one find balance in their schedule? Here’s some tips that might help you find balance for yourself.
Keep your to do list short
I try to keep my to do list to 3-5 things for the day. Then if the day goes great and I have time I can always do more. If the day doesn’t go as planned, I still feel like I made some progress if I get my 3 tasks done.
Plan for the Unexpected
Now you might be thinking,  just how do I do that? What I mean by a plan is to leave time for unexpected things that come up. If your schedule is already jam packed with errands, calls, and chores, then  when something unexpected come up, it can really add to your stress. Having a little wiggle room to push tasks off into, is a good thing to have.
Go with the Flow
This is probably the hardest for me to do. When things aren’t going my way, I usually push harder to get things done. This only leads to more stress and frustration on my part. When I relinquish the day and just do what I can, I always feel so much better. Some days are just going to be hard, there is no use making them harder than they need to be, with pressure from yourself.
Take Some Time for Fun
Make sure to add a little fun in your day, each day. Even if it’s just a few minutes. I like to read a story to my son. Or take some time to draw with my kids. Some days it may be taking time to play with them. When you add a little fun to your day, even a bad day can be made better.
It’s your turn, how do you keep your day balanced? Do you run your day or does it run you? Let me know how you keep balance in your day below in the comments.
Ha, I pretty much don’t, Shelly. 🙂 Thanks for the reminder – especially the fudge-time for unexpected!
I think my day pretty much runs me most of the time. I’ve tried cutting back on commitments, but they just sneak back in there and then I’m overextended. Hopefully some of these tips will help me stay a little more balanced. Thanks, Shell!
I think we all have a hard time keeping our days balanced. It’s just so easy to get overcommitted.
It’s so hard to have balance right now. With five kids, I try, but I feel like something will “work” for 2 or 3 days and then all my plans go out the window when my kids decide to wake up early with mommy or take a late nap and then stay up late with mommy.
I’ve decided that this is sort of okay, though. My kids only get one childhood and one mom, so we’re going to live life, follow Jesus, and have fun while it lasts.
It is a struggle to have balance in each day. You have to do what works for your best for your family. I think having fun and following Jesus is a great way to plan your days.