I don’t have enough time to do that! This is taking me way too long! I didn’t get that done!!! How am I suppose to do that!!! But I have to go now!!!!

Sound familiar? Have you said this? Have your kids said this?  If the answer was yes then listen up (we just talked about listening in a previous post – go look at it)…

So, time management. How do you fit in school, homework, sports, activities, friends, family, and just being? There’s not enough time in the day. Or is there?

So here’s an interesting article from Timeman.com. Take a look. Now here are some ideas to get the most out of that article…

Weekly Reviews: set aside one day each week to review. The best day is Friday. I know, what?????  I say Friday since that is the day of the least amount of homework. Plus, there is still that hour or two after school before anything else happens. Take 15 minutes and answer these questions about time (no, really answer them): What did I do well this week? What didn’t I do well this week (ie. what did I suck at – now is not the time to be politically correct. Be brutally honest with yourself)? What do I still need to do? How can I make next week easier with time management? 

School Year Calendar: Like this one (I am not advertising this in any way, shape, or form – just something along these lines). Make sure it is an academic year (otherwise your time-managed life will have to start in January). Put it up in a place where it won’t get destroyed and you will use it. Bedrooms are good – since they are usually activity-free. Hang it up on the wall.

Weekly Schedule:  Do it. Look at it. Follow it. It really works.  Here’s a weekly hourly planner if you can’t print out the one in the article. But I really like those questions the article presents after the planner. So answer those (or at least put a little thought into them). Be realistic about how much time you need. It would be nice if you could get that math homework done in 15 but if 1/2 hour is more realistic than write that in. Check out this filled in planner as an example to what I’m talking about.

Don’t Stress Out: Breathing is one of the easiest things we can do to relieve stress. Don’t believe me? Try this. Now, when you feel stressed or worried, take a few minutes and do it. It will work. Really.