5 Practical Time Management Tips for Your Family
Even though we’ve been at home for a majority of 2020, some might say our schedules have become even more complex than before! Instead of running between appointments, we’re running between Zoom calls while keeping an eye on the kids, the house, the dog…
Who said working from home was any less busy?
That’s why we have a few tips for you to get your family’s schedules in sync so you can all be more productive, whether that’s in school, on a work call or even with your leisure time!
- Schedule Big Items First. Revisit your family’s schedule each week to make sure the priorities are in there first. These are non-negotiable tasks like important meetings, school sessions and anything else that cannot be worked around. After these are in the schedule, then you can add in time to address less pressing activities.
- Focus on One Thing at a Time. For some reason, when working from home, we feel like it is totally possible to finish that report for work, clean the bathroom, reorganize the closet, help the kids with homework and squeeze in a workout — all before noon. However, this multitasking mindset is relaly distracting, and can leave you with an even fuller plate! Avoid drifting to other tasks by focusing on one thing at a time in your schedule.
- Communicate Boundaries. With the entire family home, boundaries in the schedule tend to disappear. Instead of co-workers popping into your office with distracting questions throughout the day, it’s now your kids, spouse or roommate. Have each person in the household create clear boundaries in their schedule to avoid this. For example, you might lock into work from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. each morning, at which time your kids know not to interrupt. This will help each person stay on task!
- Make a Master Schedule. Keeping your schedule in one place where everyone can access it is a great way to stay organized! If you’re more digitally-inclined, try using Google Calendar or iCal to color code your schedule. Organize it by family member or by the type of commitment — work, school, personal, etc. This way the whole family can add to it on the go. You can also do this the old fashioned way by hanging a large calendar in the kitchen for everyone to contribute to.
- Plan Time to Recharge. Surprisingly, it is all too easy to forget to relax when working from home.Build time into your schedule for self-care! Perhaps you’ve been taking an online workout class you love, or you’ve been enjoying walks around the neighborhood. Make time for those things to refresh and recharge. After all, you have to fill up your own tank first before you can help others!
Start incorporating these time management tips in your household to keep everybody on task. Don’t forget to make time for a little family fun too!
We are here for you! For more tips, inspiration and advice on how to navigate the real estate industry during these unprecedented times, visit the Buffini Bonus Resources for ideas.
