Juggling work life and family life can be challenging to say the least. I'm not going to pretend I'm perfect. I do my best to attempt to keep up on everything. What may work for me may not work for someone else. Here are my tricks...
1. Sticky notes!!!
Write down everything. I have sticky note pads everywhere. For example, I have them in my desk at work and by my bed so that if a thought comes to my mind I write it down really quick so that I can then follow up later when I have time. It allows me to be more efficient and focus on other tasks because I don't have to concentrate on that since I've written it down and I'm not afraid of forgetting it.
2. Screen shots!!
Thank goodness for smart phones. I take screenshots of everything. If I schedule or book something, I immediately screenshot the confirmation for reference later. If I get an email or a text that I want to be sure to not forget, I just snap a screen shot. I love that my Doctor and Dentist send text messages to remind of upcoming appointments. Once I receive them then I screenshot them too. Thankfully many of the places we have appointments for have started to send texts.
3. Text yourself:
I love the talk text function. In addition to texting, using this function I also talk-text grocery lists, to do lists or if there is simply something that I want to be sure to talk to one of my family members about I use it then too. There often comes times where I am thinking about something and I may not have something to write it down and in those cases, the phone comes in handy.
4. Utilize the note app on your phone:
For thoughts and ideas that are for further out, I use the note app. This enables me to throw ideas down and re-address them later. I use this on anything from work ideas to birthday gift ideas. My notes are filled with this as well as stuff I commonly buy but frequently forget like info on our furnace filter.
5. Plan a month ahead:
Towards the end of the month, I begin compiling all of the above and add them into my calendar to plan for the next month. I make sure my calendar is up to date for the next month. For me this also includes importing any teacher work days or no school days from the school calendar. This also include adding any game or activity schedule for my kids.
I basically have a calendar with everything we have going on for the month so each day I know what we have going and that way we can make sure we get everything done.
6. Fine tune your week every Sunday:
I always look at the individual week and break things down by the day looking at what the required driving schedule looks like for kids practices, doctor's visits or any other obligation our family has. The next step is coordinating with my available drivers in the household and figuring our our needs and rearranging schedules or utilizing carpools if needed.
7. Do one last glance at the next day before you go to bed:
Make sure everything is set and everyone knows their tasks and role. I sometimes feel like a drill sergeant but sometimes that's just what's called for. I also set alarms on my phone to help make sure your days don't slip away without you forgetting something important.
**Please take note, my views are my own and are not associated or representative of my employer(s). This website and its associated platforms are for education purposes only and not medical advice.
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