Managing Family Life

Are you an everyday parent and have problems creating that schedule that works for you? Have you ever ask your children or yourself what you want to accomplish that following week? That may sound funny when it comes to your children but think about it. YOUR children are what control your schedule. You may have a 9-5 or 9-9 job, Monday-Friday or 6 days per week but who are you leaving work early for or taking that extra day off of work to run errands for, most likely your children. Try to ask your kids every Friday what they want to accomplish next week and put those things on your crazy schedule. Clearly, things like doctors appointments will already be on your schedule or soccer games. But what about that book report they have due or that birthday party they forgot to tell you about.

There will always be times in life that are just ridiculously crazy and you feel as if you can't control the situation. But you could control it if you have a written schedule for the week or even for the month. It has been proven that when everything is written on a schedule you will be more likely to accomplish those things, then if you just had it in your head. I was one of those moms that just went day by day and the only thing ever written down was my kid's doctors appointments. But once I sat down 1-2 times per week and wrote down on a schedule what I needed to accomplish that week, I became a lot more productive. I always have said, “oh there isn't enough time in the day to accomplish what needs to be done.” That was so far from the truth, I can accomplish everything if I put it on my daily schedule. Now, what happens when there is a scheduling conflict or emergency?

I have a perfect example of how an emergency can make you or break you. Recently, I was having a great scheduled week until I decided to give my daughter a bath. The bath was great and then I drained the water, quickly I realized I was standing in dirty water. The kid's bathroom and master bathroom were both flooded and smelled like sewer water. This was after BTW, I completely redid my sewer lines only a month prior to this. Well, I quickly reacted and new to clean up the water and not use any water in the back of the house until it was fixed. Instead of panicking, I did what I needed to do. I then opened the cleanout to the drainpipe on the side of my house and realized I had a couple of problems. I had a clog in one pipe, a leak in another pipe but it was 4:30 PM and what was I going to do about it. I kept the cleanout pipe uncapped so that we can at least use the bathrooms that evening and so I can quickly rinse off. After cleaning up the inside of my house, cooking dinner and finally putting my kids to bed, I had then decided what my next steps were.

Most women are probably saying “why isn't your husband fixing it or calling a plumber.” Well, we couldn't a plumbing company to fix it at the time. And my husband works 2 hours from our house, only is home on the weekends and sometimes only home on Sundays. So, most times I fix everything wrong in the house. That evening I sat down and determined it will take me about 4-6 hours to fix the plumbing issues if everything goes as I planned. I looked at my schedule and determined that 12PM the next day would be best to start that project. Anything I didn't complete on my schedule that day, I would just divide it up in sections to the following days on my schedule. Long story short, I finished not only the plumbing problems but everything planned on my schedule that week. I even had some time to spare and was able workout Friday afternoon for an additional 30 mins.

Now, there are some weeks I don't accomplish everything because I miss judged how long a project would take me. But because I have everything on my schedule, including; clean my house, laundry, cutting the lawns, and giving the kids baths, I am able to accomplish what I set out for. If you simply start a weekly calendar and list everything, you will get most things done and not feel as if your running around without a head. Your life will be so much more organized and you will feel a sense of relief at the end of your week because you finished 90-100% of your weekly jobs. Wouldn’t it be great to start that following Monday knowing you have successfully accomplished everything that prior week! After using a scheduling method, I don't understand how I went so long not using a schedule.

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