Life management is time management, therefore, you might learn a new tip about almost anything from your clutter, closet, car, career, cat, kids...you name it, I'll probably discuss it!
Nothing
is more important than planning! Time management experts agree: If you
fail to plan, you plan to fail. Plan in advance how a job is to be
done, and
it is half done.
Planning is crucial to good time management, but what many
experts forget to remind us is that we need to schedule time to make
plans. Put a date on your calendar to
set goals, both short term-what you want to do this week and long term
goals-what you want to accomplish this year.
Ted Engstrom, Time Management seminar leader advises that we
spend at least 20-30 minutes a day, or two and a half hours a week, in
planning. It may sound like a lot of
time, but careful planning will save lots of wasted time later! And planning helps us focus our time on what
we really want to accomplish so we don't end up wasting time on trivial
pursuits. Without plans we end up
spending all our time dealing with things as they come up. Careful planning puts us in control of the
day.
Engstrom has a solution for those unexpected surprises that
happen each day. He says-schedule two
hours a day for the unexpected! For the
phone call from a friend; for the neighbor who knocks on your door; for the
child who needs some extra hugs; for the letter that arrives in the mail-for
all those daily surprise, both the good and the unpleasant. If you plan for them to happen, they won't
catch you unprepared. And, if the
unexpected doesn't happen, you've gained extra time for things you want/need to
accomplish!
Engstrom has one more rule about planning-stay
flexible! Plan, but also have a back up
plan. And be willing to revise your
plans if you think of a better way as you are working.
...
We use our time, our gifts, and our energy in all kinds of
activities that benefit our families, our churches, and our place of work. But when do we schedule time for ourselves?...
Do you ever get to the end of the week and feel frustrated
because you never get time to do the things you should do or really want to
do? Ted Engstrom, past President of
World Vision, spent years leading seminars on Christian Time Management. He advises that you set goals in six
important areas that are often get neglected.
When all the daily tasks seems to consume so much of your time, Engstrom
says that writing down goals in six major areas can help balance your
time. You might want to write down his
six categories: ...
Some of you asked for more information about Bonnie
McCullough's Five Minute Maintenance Plan, or what Bonnie calls M & M. Bonnie's theory is that we have five minute
segments of time. If you take five
minutes per room each day you can maintain a sense of order and neatness. Even a parent with lots of interruptions from
little children can accomplish the M & M in five minute bites.
Bonne says the ideal time to take care of M & M is in
the morning. But if you're not a morning
person, I advise you to adapt it to your timing. The important thing is to give each room some
daily attention. Even if your house is
in chaos, if you start with five minutes a day per room, you'll be able to
overcome the chaos, or at least keep it from getting worse.
If there are children in your home, they can also be taught
the basic principles of M & M in their bedrooms and playroom: Five minutes for daily pick-up, starting with
the biggest things, and working their way to the smallest.
What are the advantages of the M & M Plan?...
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