Make the Most of Every Minute

Written by Judy Woodward Bates

Imagine a bank account has been opened in your name. Each day $1,440 is miraculously deposited in your account. Each day you are required to either spend the entire amount or forfeit any unused balance. The only other stipulation is that you are not allowed to borrow from the next day’s funds. What would you do?
 

 Of course you wouldn’t let a penny go to waste! And yet something far more valuable than money has been deposited in your personal account — 1,440 precious minutes to expend each and every day. No more, no less.

We each receive the same amount of time. So how is it that some people seem to accomplish so much more in that time than others do? The answer is found in planning.

Develop a Plan
Imagine a contractor without a blueprint. With no specific set of plans he would be uncertain where to begin, in what direction to proceed, or what to expect as an end result. Too often we approach our busy lives without a plan.

So what exactly is involved in structuring our lives? It is simply a matter of arranging one’s life into manageable increments. In other words, planning involves not only looking at the big picture, but also breaking it down into smaller, easier-to-handle segments.

Where do you begin? Start at the beginning. A popular cross-stitch pattern reminds us: “A day hemmed in prayer is less likely to unravel.” If you’re not already committed to a daily time of prayer and Bible reading, now is the time to get started. Spending time in the Word and with the Father each morning will help you go through your day with a brighter spirit.

You should develop a structure that’s right for you. No two homes are alike, so there’s no one-size-fits-all formula for structuring your life. But the following suggestions can help you on the road to better time management.

Plan and Delegate
The minutes you spend putting together a schedule for your daily life can save you hours in the long run. Make separate lists for daily, weekly, and less frequent tasks. Review the tasks on each list and write your name beside those you prefer to handle yourself.

Beside the other chores on your list, write the names of the family member best suited for each. Then post the lists in a prominent location. Everyone in your home who is physically able should have some responsibilities. For toddlers, jobs such as picking up toys and helping put away clean laundry are good starters. First graders can help set the table for dinner, keep their rooms clean, and make their own beds.

Responsibilities should increase with the child’s age, and parents should always offer praise for jobs well done and clearly defined consequences for neglected tasks. By outlining what you expect of your child and what will occur if he or she does not meet those expectations, you leave no room for argument or misunderstanding.

Develop a message center in your home. This is the place to post your chore lists and messages. It’s also a good spot for incoming and outgoing mail and hooks for keys. Write each family member’s name on a separate envelope and use these to hold individual messages, money, checks for school fees, and so forth.

Prepare Meals at Home
You stand at your refrigerator, freezer, or pantry hoping a meal idea will jump out and inspire you. In the end you sigh, give up in disgust, and order a pizza. Sound familiar? Planning a weekly menu will help you jump-start your mealtimes by keeping on hand a variety of healthy, delicious, and easy-to-prepare foods. And by knowing exactly what you need, you eliminate unnecessary purchases and reduce your shopping expense and time.

But can’t we eat out? Family time at home is at a minimum — and a premium. Any opportunity to come together for a shared meal should not be missed. And eating at home will pay off in present and future benefits.

Mealtime allows everyone a chance to find out what’s gone on in each other’s day, and it helps to establish open communication among family members. This is not the time to discuss grades, finances, or any other heavy topics. Family meals should be relaxed, lighthearted occasions.

If your family eats out two or more times per week, eat at home one of those times and tuck $20 in an envelope labeled “Vacation Fund.” By giving up one fast-food meal a week, in only one year’s time, you’ll have accumulated over $1,000 for a family vacation!

A crock pot is still one of the easiest ways to whip up a home-cooked dinner. Double the quantity and freeze half for a second delicious meal. If you prepare double quantities every time you cook, you’ll have almost halved your time in the kitchen.

Pack your children’s lunches. Don’t take a chance on running late and having to scramble for lunches or lunch money. Pack lunch boxes at night. If they contain perishables, store them in the refrigerator. If your children are old enough, they can pack their own lunches.

Do Laundry the Smart Way
Make it a family rule that each person is responsible for placing dirty clothes in a designated place. Before going to bed at night, toss a load of laundry into your washer. As long as the load has no items that are likely to bleed onto each other, it will be perfectly fine until morning. When the alarm clock sounds, throw the clothes into the dryer, and you’ll have one load done before you ever head for work. Folding and hanging are a breeze. The average load can be folded, hung, and put away in minutes.

Don’t let hand-washables pile up. Instead, wash these as you take your shower. Regular shampoo works well as a gentle, inexpensive cleanser.

When buying clothes for your family, choose easy-care fabrics that require little or no ironing. When possible, use spray wrinkle remover. Limit dry clean items and, when cleaning these, opt for home cleaning with one of the newer products made to work in your dryer.

Make Shopping a Breeze
Instead of running in different directions every day, establish a designated errand day and take care of as many things as possible. Look for shopping centers where one stop allows you to make a clean sweep of all or most of your business.

Multiply the value of your shopping time by keeping an “occasions list” with you at all times. Down the left column of a sheet of paper, write the name of every person you plan to buy a gift for throughout the year. Beside each name, note birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, and so forth. You may even want to include a couple of extra spaces for an unexpected invitation to a bridal tea, wedding, baby tea, or graduation.

As you shop, watch for suitable items for the people and occasions on your list. If you do this consistently, you’ll never again find yourself frantically searching for a last-minute gift.

Online and catalog shopping can save you hours of driving and shopping time. But just as when shopping anywhere else, it’s important to set reasonable limits on your time and spending.

Save Time with These Tips
Save time by making your bed with a comforter rather than a bedspread. A bedskirt is always in place, giving you a neat finished look. Even younger family members will have little trouble straightening a comforter into place. This simple task can be accomplished in under two minutes, so why leave your home with unmade beds?

All too often we find ourselves spending time in a waiting room. By planning ahead and taking along the necessary items, you can use this time to plan menus, write notes or cards, pay bills, balance your checkbook, or read a book.

Maybe you have a little downtime in front of the television. Use the commercials for straightening up, loading and unloading the dishwasher, paying bills, doing your nails, folding laundry, writing cards or notes, or returning phone calls.

End the Day Right
Nighttime is the right time. Everyone’s clothes for the next day should be laid out and ready to go before bedtime. Lunches should be made. Homework should be checked and backpacks should be ready to go.

Your youngsters should have a designated bedtime earlier than your own. They need their rest, and you need a few minutes of solitude. Teens may be up later, but a specific time should be established when noise levels from stereo, television, and even voices are to be kept to a minimum.

Before you put the kids to bed, gather the entire family for a time of prayer and Bible reading. There’s no better way for your family to end a productive day than coming together before the Lord. 

Judy Woodward Bates is a freelance writer and speaker from Dora, Alabama. Check out her Web site at www.bargainomics.com.

 

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