Time-Management for Homemakers

Do you find that there aren't enough hours in the day? After trying to spend quality time with your children while chauffering them to school and activities, keeping the house clean, making nutritious meals, giving baths and doing homework, the day is done and you've run out of time. Perhaps you feel that you don't have any time left over for yourself. When do you work, study, read, exercise or just take a shower?

One thing to remember is that children grow up fast. Spend quality time with them every day. Sometimes the housework can wait. Read with your kids. Teach them songs. Play blocks and Barbie dolls with them. You will have happier kids that are not as clingy and more willing to help.

That being said, here are some little tricks that might give you a few extra minutes each day:

• Make a cleaning schedule. Perform one or more tasks each day to keep on top of things. For example, you could vaccum on Mondays and Thursdays, dust on Tuesdays and Fridays, wash the kitchen floor and pick things up every evening, etc.
• Clean the kitchen while you're cooking. Once you have everything simmering or baking, wash dishes, wipe the counter and wash the floor while you wait.
• Start a production line. Have one child shower while the other is doing homework then switch.
• Think ahead. Make lunches the night before and do evening meal prep in the afternoon.
• Use nap time wisely. If you have a napper, use that time to take your shower or get in a little reading.
• Get the kids to help. Make cleaning a game and get your children to help pick up the toys before bedtime. Make a sticker chart and reward them for making their beds. Let one vaccum and the other dust. It might not get done to your standards, but they will feel helpful and the house will look a little better.

Most of my personal work gets done either at night or on the fly. If I can't get it done in a few minutes here and there, I do it after the kids are in bed. Trips to the gym and work on my novel have to be scheduled in after 8 pm and yes, there are times I don't get enough sleep.

Choose your priorities. What is most important? What can't wait? What will cause your life to completely fall apart? Make sure these essential things get done and do the rest as time permits. Remember, all mothers go through the same thing and most have made it to the grandmother finish line!