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Time Management
Eight Ways to Get More Done in Your Day
Time management is crucial to successful homesteading. Self-sufficient folk have a lot on their plates: caring for critters, tending the garden, canning, mending and either working at a job or running a small business from home. With everything that needs to get done, it can be easy to get overwhelmed.
That’s why it is so crucial to budget your time as well as your money. Few people realize how valuable their time truly is. According to one website, a stay at home mom does work at a value of $18 an hour. In her book, How to get organized When You Don't Have the Time, Stephanie Culp says that realizing the value of your time is the first step to using time more efficiently. When you realize how valuable it, is you are less likely to waste it.
To make the most of your twenty four hours, here are eight more ways to add time to your day.
Say No
You are a people pleaser, so when that nice lady from church calls asking you to volunteer yet again, you can’t say no. It’s just one little project, right? How could that hurt?
But then you get roped into another thing, and yet another, and before you know it, you are overloaded and resentful, watching precious time you should be using on your own projects slip away, never to be seen again. It is okay to volunteer some of your time, but like money, you cannot afford to give it all away. Become proficient at time management and learn to graciously refuse.
Get a Calendar
And check it before you say yes. Double book, and you will spend time and stress getting out of obligations you should not have gotten into in the first place. Also, with a calendar, one glance can tell you if you are over committing. It also protects you from impulsive commitments.
Get Help
Figure out your hourly worth and weigh it against tasks you don’t like. If your time is worth $18 an hour, is it really worth it to mow the lawn when you can pay the kid next door to do it for ten? Hire out, or better yet, delegate. Recruit the kids and offer them more on their allowance. You'll teach them responsibility and you'll have better time management.
Wear a Watch
First thing in the morning, make a loose schedule of your day with realistic tasks you need to get done. Give an estimate of the time you think you can accomplish them. Do this especially on weekends, when you are more likely to waste time.
For example, if you think you can get the garage organized in an hour, schedule it for between ten and eleven in the morning. Consult your watch frequently, and make certain you finish in your scheduled time. Use this time management tip and your weekends will be more satisfying.
Consolidate Tasks
You need to go to the other side of town to get supplies. Is there anything else you need to get done while you’re there? Combine tasks, and you've got a time management tip that will save both time and money.
Rise Early
You will be amazed at the amount you can get done when you are not being constantly interrupted. Get to the office early and spend that extra time organizing your day or writing that report you have been fretting over.
Shop Online
Why drive all over town when you can find whatever you want with a click of the mouse? With three small children, I find this an especially useful time management technique. Use your laptop and buy everything online, including food.
Use Your Answering Machine
The telephone can be one of the greatest sources of stress in our lives. For effective time management, go on strike against the cell phone for at least two hours each day and let your answering machine take messages. There are truly few urgent calls that have to be answered immediately.
Take the time to budget your hours as well as your dollars, and you will be amazed at the amount of projects you will get done. Here’s to a successful day!
Other Links
Why raising chickens are a valuable way of practicing low-cost, non-wasteful living.
How to get more done in less time.
How frugal living is a crucial part of successful homesteading.
The importance of living on a budget.
Why you should avoid fast food and cook at home instead.
Tips on cutting down on utility costs in the summer.
Ten ways to cut costs at the grocery store.
Get rid of the clutter in your life for a safer, saner and more efficient homestead.
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