3 minute read
Organized Living
Winter is upon us and With that comes time management
Hellen Buttigieg
Back-to-school and back-towork season is upon us, and even though this year is different for most of us and we may be at home, it likely means more time in the kitchen preparing lunches, snacks and dinners, and less time for you to put your feet up or get other errands done.
Here are some helpful tips to handle the stress of autumn.
What’s for dinner?
Avoid the stress and expense of last-minute dinner decisions with a little advanced planning.
Ask your family to list their favourite meals and create a revolving two-week dinner menu (with a grocery list to match). Post it on the fridge so whoever is available or comes home first can start preparing it.
Double the amount you make and freeze it for quick meals on the busiest nights.
Make school lunches easy.
Designate one shelf in the pantry for school snacks only. Transfer foods to airtight containers – you’ll save space because they stack well, and the food will keep longer. Pack lunches the night before and refrigerate.
Assign an area in the fridge for school lunches and drinks.
With smaller children, encourage independence by storing their foods low enough for the little ones to reach.
inVolVe the kids.
You don’t have to do everything yourself. Teach your kids how to do age-appropriate tasks and give them a weekly chore list. You will be helping them to develop important life skills.
After you show them how to do each task, post a step-bystep checklist for them to follow when they do it on their own (use pictures for kids who are too young to read). This will allow them to work independently and gain confidence in their newly acquired skills.
clean as you go.
Handle small messes as they happen to save time and effort in the long run. Rinse dirty dishes and put them in the dishwasher immediately after use, before the food hardens and sticks.
If something spills in the fridge, clean it as soon as you notice. If you stain an article of clothing, pre-treat it right away.
Keep wipes handy for quick bathroom and kitchen spot-cleaning.
hoW’s your “to do” list Working out for you?
If you find your “to do” list overwhelming and ineffective, consider approaching it differently. Rather than one long list, create several short ones based on the category of the task, i.e. errands, home, calls, computer, etc.
Keep your lists together in a small notebook that’s portable and always easily accessible.
noW, Where Was i?
If you get interrupted while working on something important, use a notebook or a sticky note to jot down where you left off.
When you return to the task, you won’t waste as much time figuring out where to resume.
Multi-tasking reduces productiVity.
Contrary to popular belief, multitasking may actually lower productivity.
Switching back and forth from one task to another costs time and leads to frustration and feelings of being overwhelmed.
As a result, stress increases and there is a greater chance of errors. Although simple tasks can be done at the same time, like watching TV and folding laundry, important, complex activities require our undivided attention.
tWo-tiMing tasks.
Double up your simple activities and you’ll be able to do more in less time. Rather than chatting with a friend at the coffee shop, meet at the gym and work out together instead.
Read the morning paper while running on the treadmill.
Hellen Buttigieg is a certified professional organizer, life coach, TV host, owner of We Organize U and author of the best-seller, Organizing Outside The Box. For tips on getting organized, visit WeOrganizeU.com and sign up for the free newsletter.
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