Time Management - Sunday Planning

I have a lot of different time consuming areas in my life. I teach, am on various committees at school, blog, write lessons that I sell, and actually try to have a personal life. For awhile I was feeling overwhelmed with everything. I was exhausted and my to do list seemed never ending. I was honestly having trouble getting it all done.  Then I started planning out my weeks on Sundays. 

Why This Helps:

I heard the statistic that 15 minutes of planning can save hours of work. I thought this was ridiculous. How could this be possible? I already had everything mentally thought about while this just involved writing everything down. 

One Sunday I began thinking about all the things I needed to get done in the week. I placed these items in the different days along with places I needed to be that day (usually no more than 5 activities in a day, all depending on the time needed for each one). These became my must complete activities for the day, anything I else I get down is now a bonus. 

A while earlier, I had established a Morning Routine and now had a set time I could check off some daily to do list items. Checking off the items on my to do list in my calendar has become a ritual that makes me so happy. I am able to get so much more done because I now plan time to complete longer items when I actually have more time to do them. I don't have to cram everything in on the weekend anymore!

Here's How to Create Your Own:

1. I recommend finding a planner that works for you. This was my most difficult job and I ended up going through 5 different calendars before finding my favorite one. (The one listed below is an Amazon Affiliate link. The cover on my calendar is pink but I couldn't find that one. The inside looks exactly the same.)

This one was my favorite one because I was able to leave it open to the page I needed. It was also roomy enough to write all my to do list items. 

2. Set aside time once a month to fill out all the important events for the month and write them in your calendar. This is a lot easier to do this once a month rather than try to remember them all on Sundays.

3. Pick a time on Sundays, and start filling in your planner strategically. This means think about the time each item will take you. For example, I had a huge event on Wednesday this week. Therefore, I only had one to do list item that I was able to get done in the morning. Being realistic about things will definitely make sure you are able to stick to this routine.

4. Make adjustments as needed. I keep this calendar for my personal to do list. I have a separate calendar/to do list for work which I leave at work. This keeps my to do list from feeling overwhelming.

That's it. It seems like a lot of steps for something that is simple to maintain. The important thing is to reference this calendar each day so you know what you need to get done.

How do you manage your time?

Time Management - Creating a Morning Routine

I have a busy schedule. Some days feel like they never end. Once I shifted my morning routine, however, I felt such a shift in my mood that my days have been much smoother ever since. With this in mind, I highly recommend creating a morning routine.

Here's Mine...
5:20 - Wake up, drink water (in my water bottle next to my bed), and stretch.

5:20-5:30 - Listen to a relaxing podcast while cleaning some clutter. This may mean throwing away papers, putting items back where they belong, etc. (I get overwhelmed with large cleaning projects but can handle a few minutes a day. I add to a donate pile during this time and each time I finish filling a bag, I bring it to a donation center.)

5:30-6:00 - Workout on the elliptical. As long as I don't EVER miss a day, I am good. I find that missing even one day then gives me permission to miss working out all the time. During my workout I like to watch a movie on Netflix or read a book with my Kindle. (FYI - I didn't always workout for 30 minutes straight. I started with 5 minutes and gradually increased my time by 1 minute each week until I got to 30 minutes.)

6:00-6:30 - Breakfast while working on my teacher business. I create reading units that I sell online. I honestly hate making them but they are popular products. I find that I can create 5-10 pages each morning without the dread of working on them after work. This has greatly increased my productivity and gives me a HUGE sense of accomplishment. (This is much better than using my time for Facebook or Instagram like I used to do.)

6:30-7:05 - Shower and get ready for the day. I will also platy music or listen to other podcasts during this time. (I really love podcasts! Click HERE to see my blog post on my favorite podcasts!)

Yes, I do have to wake up early, but I gradually added new things to my routine. I find that I am happier and healthier with this area of my life. To me, creating a morning routine has been vital to my well-being!

What kind of Morning Routine do you have?