Every day has 24 hours, yet many people feel that they never have enough time. Juggling business, school and family commitments leaves many people “stressed out,” said Donna Donald, Iowa State University Extension family life field specialist.
“Families tend to over commit their time and energy and end up having too much to do and too little time in which to do it,” Mrs. Donald said. “We cannot manufacture more time, but we can make better use of the time we have.”
Managing time does not mean working harder, it means working smarter — that is, using the time available to accomplish what is truly important.
“Start by concentrating on what you are doing,” Mrs. Donald continued. “The greater your ability to concentrate, the more successful you can be at anything. Practice staying focused on the task at hand.”
Mrs. Donald suggests families keep track of how they spend their time for a week. There are 168 hours in a week. Families often are surprised when they discover how they are spending their time. Then try these ideas to help conquer time traps.
Set priorities, Mrs. Donald said. “Look at your goals, values and commitments. Decide what you want to accomplish. Then decide what needs to be done, what doesn’t need to be done and what can be delegated to others.”
Use “prime time.” Each person has “prime time,” that time of the day when he or she is the most energetic. Make good use of that time, Mrs. Donald said.
Make room for family time and personal time. Block out time for priority activities, like doing a family project together or taking personal time to read a book. Do not let anything interfere with this time, Mrs. Donald said.
“Tell yourself, ‘Great job!’” Mrs. Donald continued. “Often it is a struggle to get out of time traps, and it may take a while for others to see your success. Congratulate yourself when you eliminate a time trap.”