Simplify your life {Week fourteen: Time management – Planning}

Time management…
I love finding new ways to be organised with my time. I am a list maker… I love them… but I hate it when I can’t follow them perfectly.
Anyway, todays post is about how I manage my time, how I plan my tasks and what I have found works for me.
This is part of the simplify your life challenge… which ironically I haven’t had much time to complete.. so.. thought this one was a good one to pick up from.
Some of my time management tools are handy and on my iphone. I have apps with lists of my daily routines on there and can click through them when they are done… easy peasy.
I also have a calendar where I jot down important events and appointments so I can easily see at a glance whats on in any given month or week. This forms my basis for how I plan my week. I can look at what is coming up and tweak any meal plans etc around the things that we have going on.
I will plan my meals on the weekend based on what is coming up and what is in the house already (which is slowly but surely getting easier).
Once I have this weekly plan I jot down in my notebook how I am planning to get through my days. I have given up on writing down specific times because there is always something that happens to throw timing out the window… eg… stopping to feed the baby or get a snack for the toddler!!
I just simply make a list of the “day” that needs to happen and work through it in order… sometimes skipping things if there is a “time sensitive” task… such as doing the school run. This way I feel in control of how Ï spend my time and making best use of it, while still being flexible enough to stop and focus on those people in my life that I need to be organised for.
I have this funny little joke with my hubby… he thinks I am a little ocd on my tasks etc… So I made up the saying “ROUTINES SAVE LIVES!!!” Well that really quite ridiculous… but they do keep my sanity and it does mean we are all clothed, fed and enjoying living in a reasonably well kept house, while making it to our important things on time (mostly!!).
I have found it really crucial to make sure I book in time with myself to do the things I like… so each month I will set myself a little goal of the ‘fun’things I want to get done in the month… and then plan that into my weeks. Things like scrapbooking, knitting and sewing. All of which I feel guilt free for spending time on because for the most part I create things either for other people to meet there needs… or something for others to enjoy.. .and it gives me joy in being creative so why not pencil in time for myself… especially when it blesses others!