Time management is hard enough when it’s just us. Throw a kid or two into the mix? Your schedule just got a whole lot harder! Many of you know we had our first child this year. Here’s what we’ve learned about time management in the past 9 months.

1. Start the day ready

My husband and I both work full time, and we would both be in a perpetual state of “trying to get to work” if we didn’t do EVERYTHING the night before. Bottles made, lunches made, clothes picked out, computer packed up, etc…I hate doing this the night before, but when I wake up and don’t have to worry about it, my stress level instantly decreases. It sets the tone for the rest of the day.

2. Understand when it’s OK to be flexible

I hate being late. I love having a plan. When we had our daughter, I had to quickly realize that plans are great but not EVERY plan is a life or death situation if it doesn’t happen perfectly. Whenever I sense that a plan is about to derail, I think, “Am I mad about what’s happening right now? Or am I just mad that my plan didn’t work.”

3. Allow more time

After a few months of being upset that “unexpected” things kept making us late, I realized I needed to start expecting the unexpected. A sudden screaming fest, or outfit change isn’t a surprise anymore. Instead, it’s a welcomed surprise when it doesn’t happen and I have a few extra minutes of breathing room. It’s all about adjusting expectations.

4. Change your mindset

Finally, “busy” and “rushing” are a mindset. I don’t want my daughter to think we just rush around all the time. I want her to know that you can get a lot done and still smile about it and stay calm.

Now, lest you think my home is always perfectly organized, we’re always on time, and we never get upset…let me assure you that is NOT the case. However, I’ve found that the days we’re able to achieve the four things listed above are FAR more organized than the days we let them slide.

Check out other publications by Emily Schwartz The Time Diet: Time Management for College Survival on Amazon.com

Time Management Book for Students

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