Time Management: Getting A Decent Work-Life Balance
One of the most important factors in managing your stress is Time Management. Without it life can become chaotic and unmanageable. The best way to get a hold of your life is through a plan of how you spend your time on a day-to-day basis. This doesn't mean that you have to write down everything minute by minute onto a schedule, but it is a great way to take the chaos out of your day, especially if you have kids. Buy yourself a schedule book or open up calendar online and start writing down your day-to-day activities. Once you have listed everything, you should write down times in which you have to them.
For example, if you work and have a family to take care, then on your schedule you should have the hours that you work blocked. Next, if you are the one to make dinner allot a time that you want to do this everyday. Say from 6 to 7: 30 is dinnertime and this includes making dinner, eating dinner and doing dishes. Take an hour a day to spend with the kids before they go to bed, help with homework or read them a bedtime story. Getting kids ready for bed can be stressful but if they know it is going to be a part of their night they will make it easy for you because they will want to spend more time with you.
If you plan on taking up exercise, before your day starts may be the best time. Exercising in the morning is the best way to start off your day. You will start the day relaxed and full of energy. If you exercise at night, it can create more energy and you may not be able to get to sleep right away. If you have time before dinner and when you get home from work that may be a great time to exercise too. Do only the exercises you are comfortable with, do not over do it because it can cause you to get some aches and pains and that will defeat the purpose of exercising.
Add some time for yourself to your schedule. If you are married, you may want to take some time with your significant other, watch a movie, have a glass of wine and just relax. During the week, is definitely more hectic than the weekend so plan your time management on the weekends more liberally. You may have more time on weekends if you get everything done during the week.
Your time management schedule should include cleaning the house, shopping and errands. You may be able to enlist help from the family to help get things done, leaving more time for yourself and for your family. Time management is a great way to plan your day as well as manage the stress in your life. It is very important to follow your schedule, you will soon see that your live is less stressful and more manageable.