A simple “secret” to good time management is not to bite off more than you can chew… right? Keep reading for more on how “assigning a time” to your tasks could help you actually finish your to-do list!
Time management and productivity are topics I revisit often on the blog… and that’s because they are important to me, but not just so I can “do more”.
In fact, as the years go by, I’ve realized that simply “doing more” is rarely the reason I strive to manage my time well.
Of course, it’s always nice to accomplish more in less time… but my favorite benefit of good time management is the peace of mind I have, knowing everything that truly needs to get done each week has a designated time in which I will do it.
I call this: “Assign a Time”
Just like our physical spaces become cluttered and disorganized if we don’t assign specific spaces for individual items; our calendars, schedules, and mental spaces become cluttered and disorganized if we don’t assign specific times for everything that needs to get done.
Have you ever thought of it that way before?
If it seems strange to assign a specific time for your daily and weekly tasks and to-dos… stop and think about these examples from the real world.
- Most restaurants have set hours for certain meals so they don’t need to make all the foods all day long.
- Most businesses have set hours of operation so their employees have a clean break from work mode.
- Schools are only in session certain hours, weeks, and months of the year so we can plan our vacations and holidays around those dates.
- Church services are held at the same time each weekend so we’re never left guessing if we’ll arrive at the correct time or not.
- Even parks or other community spaces are only open to the public for set hours.
It’s very normal and socially acceptable to set time boundaries and limits… we can transfer this concept into our homes and likely notice positive changes!
How “Assign a Time” simplifies my life.
Here are a few of the dozens of examples I could share from my own home and life… I don’t expect them to all apply to your situation, but they should get you thinking of ways you might implement this concept in your home and life.
Laundry – I do it all on Mondays and Thursdays from start to finish — the hampers are empty, the closets are full and I don’t need to think about it any other time. The kids also know what to plan on and when their clothes will be clean. (–> My laundry routine.)
Cleaning – the house get’s a full top-to-bottom clean every Monday so I don’t need to wonder, remember, or worry about the last time I cleaned ______, or if I should clean _________ again soon. (–> My cleaning routine.)
Meal Planning – I honestly hate meal planning, but I do it faithfully week after week (usually on Saturday nights) because I know how much simpler it makes my life. Plus, my kids love knowing “what’s for dinner” all week! (–> How I meal plan.)
Dishes – we run the dishwasher EVERY night after dinner, even if it’s not completely full. The kids clean it out before they go to bed and we start the next day with a clean kitchen and empty dishwasher. (–> Our dishwasher routine.)
Bedtime – the kids shower every night, put on their clothing for the next day, brush their teeth, use the bathroom, and then we put them to bed. No matter how early or late this routine happens, it happens the same way every night which makes bedtime SO must easier! (–> Our bedtime routine with younger kids.)
Home Business – I do almost 100% of my online work on Tuesdays. If I can’t do it on Tuesday, I likely won’t do it that week. This creates a healthy boundary for me and makes it easy for scheduling things (I almost never schedule appointments or outside commitments on Tuesdays).
Exercise – Ok, I don’t really “exercise”, but I do take the dog for a long walk every morning after the kids get on the bus. I listen to a favorite podcast or audiobook and really look forward to this time each morning (it doesn’t happen as much in the summer though!)
Upcoming Events – Whenever we have a birthday, wedding, or holiday party, I write the specific information on the calendar, but then I also “assign a time” to prepare for the event. I mark the RSVP deadline, I assign a date to buy a gift, I plan a time to make food or buy appropriate clothing. Then I can toss the invitation and not think or worry about it until it’s time to buy a gift or make the food.
How to “Assign a Time” in your life.
This concept is very simple — figure out what needs to be done and decide when you will do it.
However, for the purpose of this post, I’ll try to break it down a bit more. ☺️
STEP 1: Decide on a planner or calendar or system of some sort (digital or paper) that you will use to assign your times. NOTE: Some of these will become mental notes, but it’s often helpful to write things down to start.
STEP 2: Make a list of things you must do each day or each week (many of these might be tasks you don’t necessarily enjoy or naturally find time to finish).
STEP 3: Assign a time to each of those tasks and to-dos. (Be realistic!)
STEP 4: Evaluate anything you don’t have time for and consider if it’s truly necessary or if it’s something you can drop (for now or forever).
STEP 5: Revisit your list regularly and consider if the times you’ve assigned for certain tasks are working well or if you need to try something else.
Here are a few examples of how this process might play out in your home and life:
Do you hate packing lunches on busy mornings? Assign a time the night before (we pack ours when we’re cleaning up dinner dishes) and you’ll never have the stress of last-minute-lunches again!
Do you struggle with planning meals, or resorting to fast-food when everyone is hungry and you don’t have anything prepped? Yup, I feel your pain! Even though I don’t enjoy meal planning, I do it every weekend so my week runs smoother. Consider having a “family meeting” over desserts on Saturday and let everyone throw out a few favorite meals. Make a 2-week meal plan and reuse it over and over again until you get tired of those recipes!
Does laundry easily overwhelm you? Create a laundry routine that assigns specific times each day or each week for the laundry, and enjoy fewer laundry piles and a whole lot less stress!
Do you wish you had more time to _________ (read, exercise, journal, chat with a friend, garden, or work on a hobby)? Assign a time each day or week that you will not schedule anything else and devote that time to your activity of choice.
It will take a little self-motivation, some discipline, and it might feel slightly inconvenient in the beginning… but the benefits of learning to assign a time will reward you and your family for years to come (keep reading if you don’t believe me!)
3 Benefits of Assigning a Time.
BENEFIT #1 = less stress and chaos
I know I have the time to accomplish what I need to accomplish because I’ve set aside that time each week, so I don’t stress or worry about “all the things that need to get done”.
BENEFIT #2 = less decision fatigue
We make A LOT of decisions each day… and I’ll happily give up a few of them by assigning specific times to do specific tasks.
Knowing me, I’d waste so much time trying to decide what to do when, if I have enough time to a certain task now, or if I should put it off until later that I’d end up getting nothing accomplished! .
BENEFIT #3 = more freedom
I realize it might sound restrictive to assign times to specific tasks, but in my opinion, it feels like SO MUCH FREEDOM!
I know that I’m free to do whatever I want when I don’t have a task assigned to that time, because I have enough time to do everything that needs to be done. So I don’t have that nagging feeling of guilt like “I should probably be doing something right now”.
Assigning a time also allows me more freedom when I plan my days. I know not to schedule anything on Tuesdays b/c I do online work on Tuesday. However, if something absolutely must be on a Tuesday, I can plan ahead to do my online work another time so I don’t fall behind.
If you struggle with good time management and constantly feel like you don’t have enough time, I encourage you to make a list of the things you need to do and then simply assign a time to each task.
It sounds simple… because it IS simple!
And it works!
Do you “assign a time” for anything in your life?
Rachael T says
I wish tips for time management for “neuro normals” worked with ADHD and ASD mums! Putting something on my calendar doesn’t mean I’m going to do it then. There are usually a heap of other higher priority things jumping in the way OR I get distracted OR procrastinate, especially if you are a single mum of 3 who is also a full time carer, who gets very little sleep. And now we have to find another rental as well! Reading Kindle books keeps me from depression, so a lot of my down time goes on that too.
I do have a “list of everything” on my phone, so things don’t get lost (I lose paper lists of any sort but for the current day, may have a paper list to give me more space to write things and see what I have to do) and I scroll down it every now and then, deleting done things or putting some things higher on the list. Also a wall calendar, so the big daily things are very visual in front of me (different coloured highlighters for different types of appointments or reminders). Things to do at a certain time every day or week have phone reminders repeating.
Donna says
Happy birthday, Andrea! May God continue to bless you and your family with good health, peace, and joy.
I have followed you pretty much since you first started (first house, no kids!). I have loved watching your sweet family grow and enjoy life!
Thank you for sharing great organizing tips, recipes (that I use often), and ideas for the yard and home. You have been a blessing and I look forward to reading your emails!
Andrea says
Thank you, Donna! Wow — following since my first house! What a loyal reader — I appreciate that so much!
Ana says
I assign times too but I do it slightly differently. Instead of weekly I do lots of things daily. I do laundry every day (if it needs to be done) so I spend 10-15 minutes each morning on it. If I have an appointment one day I don’t worry about it and don’t get backed up too much. I do have one heavy cleaning day (Monday) that I don’t schedule anything on but the rest of the time is daily slots. I agree with you—it makes for such a free feeling!
Andrea says
yes, I know MANY people who do a little laundry each day — that’s so great too. Glad you have a system that works for you in this season!
Judy says
Happy late birthday, Andrea! Fun fact, I share the same birthday, but not the same year. I think I’ve been following you since the beginning, but I’m more of a lurker than a Commenter. I have often referred my children to your blog, especially now that they have children of their own.
Andrea says
oh wow — that’s fun. Happy (late) birthday to you too!
Thanks so much for your long-time readership, and for recommending this blog to others. I really appreciate it!
Chris says
I have a part-time job. I feel like I don’t have much time to do housework, errands, but I know part of it is just being tired. However, lately, I have been keeping track of how much time I spent on the internet and reading books, etc. It has been quite surprising and I want to do better and know I can!
Andrea says
Good for you for looking into ways you can “find” more time, instead of just convincing yourself you don’t have the time. It’s amazing how much time we can find when we are motivated!
Wendy says
I agree wholeheartedly with Lynn. I too am a retired teacher. I taught until I was 65 and am now 70 (yikes!!!!) as of November. I still have to take my daughter places when their car is out of whack. Time management is so important.
Lynn Arnsdorf says
Thanks Wendy, fellow retired teacher. I know parenting is different for every generation, but certainly the basics of family love stay the same. Time management definitely shifts to different priorities due to the culture, but if you unwrap all the layers, it’s still pretty simple. And actually, here’s my sage advice for young moms…keep it simple simple simple, and you don’t have to be everything for everyone.
Andrea says
Thanks Lynn!
Lynn Arnsdorf says
Time management is definitely a secret for success, well known by those who recognize it’s power. Now that I’m 62, and retired from teaching, I can see how time management shifts and changes but still remains important. I definitely worked harder at it in the 80’s when my kids were little..now, I get to manage the time that is all mine! It’s such a gift. Now my schedule is exercise class, volunteering, and a part time job….with priority to family time (grandkids!!!). What I wish I had done more of (at your age…I assume most of you are in childbearing years) is ask older women their secrets to absolutey everything. I feel like I have so much knowledge, but sadly nobody asks the older woman, and we don’t offer up because we are afraid of overstepping. I just wish the older women in my life, when I was younger, had been asked more questions and respected for their knowledge. Don’t let this get past you, young moms! At 62, I’m beginning to see that just having time for anything is a precious gift.
Andrea says
Thanks for sharing Lynn!
I Completely understand what you are saying about over-stepping your bounds. That said, I absolutely LOVE talking with the older ladies from church (they are in their 80’s so much older than you!) They have such great stories to share — maybe not super practical advice for today’s families, but fun to learn how they did things “back then” and to hear their struggles too.
Enjoy having more discretionary time these days — sounds like you deserve it!
Candace Herrod says
I need that cinnamon bun recipe!!
Lynn Arnsdorf says
Candace, it’s easy to find! Just put cinnamon bun recipe in the Search box up at the top of Andrea’s page…scroll down to her recipe.
Andrea says
Thanks Lynn… you beat me to my own answer!
Andrea says
haha — here’s a super simple cinnamon roll recipe that’s really good. Not the one pictured, but super easy and yummy!
Annette Silveira says
I think you posted once about not having time for something versus not making time for it. This post explains how you have time for lots of things because you make time for all the right things.
Andrea says
YES! Exactly!
I do think you’re right — I MAKE time for what is important to me, which means I need to say no to other things that might be fun and enjoyable, but aren’t necessarily my priorities right now.
Ann says
I think your Time Management posts are some of my favorites! Thanks so much! Great points!
Mara says
Great post, thanks so much, Andrea! LOVE your posts, always inspirational! I haven’t commented since before the holidays, so hello from WI! Hope you are all doing well 🙂
Heidi says
I’ve noticed that I just FEEL better when I manage my time. When I push myself to a deadline and procrastinate, I’m tired, grumpy, and just don’t feel well. It’s so much better when I’m in control of it and working ahead.
Ashley says
So well stated! The why behind our motivation for anything is the most important. If our why is off, the how won’t stick. With two small children of my own, your whys totally resonate with me!