by Colleen Langenfeld
Copyright (c) 2003


Would you be interested in finding two extra hours each
day in your schedule? Here are some ways to do just that.

First - DECIDE what is most important to you. Then decide
to spend most of your time pursuing it! If you fail to do
this, frustration will be your constant companion.

After you commit to your main time focus, look for
possible time leaks such as the following:

- Did you spend time waiting somewhere today? In traffic
or at the doctor's office, for example? In traffic, plug
an educational audiotape in and learn, learn, learn. It's
been estimated that many people could get a whole college
degree's worth of education in just a couple of years in
their car. In the doctor's office do strategic planning,
brainstorm problem areas, catch up on mail, write that
letter you've been putting off. The key here is to always
keep simple, convenient-to-carry tasks with you in order
to take advantage of unavoidable wait times.

** Possible Daily Time Savings: 15 minutes - 2 hours.


- Plan your meals for the week. It's unbelievable how
much weekly time I save when I spend only ten minutes
planning out a weekly menu and shopping list. It means I
go to the grocery store once, not five times, and I
spend NO time during the week fussing over what's for
dinner. If something comes up and we change our plans,
fine, tonight's menu simply rolls forward to tomorrow
night.

** Possible Daily Time Savings: 30 minutes - 1 hour.


- Do fifteen minutes more when it is time to quit. After
the kids go to bed, get into some cozy clothes and do one
fifteen-minute task. The key here is to make it a simple
job that doesn't require much physical or mental energy.
For example, enter the day's receipts into your budget
ledger, answer one or two pieces of mail, pick up the
clutter and dust one room in your house. How does this
save time? These are now tasks that WON'T have to be done
on the weekend or some other time.

** Possible Daily Time Savings: 15 minutes.


- Consolidate tasks. Bake two casseroles and freeze one.
Save laundry to iron once a week. Run errands all on one
day. Put a shopping list on the fridge and train family
members to write down needed items when they open the last
one. Buy bread for a month and freeze it so you don't need
to make unexpected trips to the grocery store.

** Possible Daily Time Savings: 15 - 30 minutes.


- Arrange a play date co-op. If you have small children,
arranging a weekly play date with one to three other moms
can be a real timesaver and put smiles on your little ones'
faces, as well. Choose one time per week and take turns
hosting the play date. When it's your turn, you watch the
kids have a great time and the other parents take off for
a couple of hours. Then on the alternate weeks, you have
time off! Really make your day hosting the group special
and everyone will enjoy themselves.

** Possible Daily Time Savings: 24 minutes (based on 2
hours per work week).


- Train everyone to help with laundry. Your children can
do their own if they're old enough, or help you, if they're
too young to do it on their own (then they will be ready to
do their own laundry when they ARE old enough!). Even
toddlers can help fold and put away...and they love
helping!

** Possible Daily Time Savings: 15 - 30 minutes.


- Family time. Do you have a daily family time? If not,
you are underestimating the power of this tool in binding
your family together as well as in saving time. Dedicated
time each evening spent going over homework, discussing
the day, reading together, playing games, etc. The whole
family starts to FEEL like a team and that leads to ACTING
like one. You can avert problems (that eat up time),
answer questions (instead of being tracked down later),
and encourage mutual interdependence on each other
(instead of primarily on you).

** Possible Daily Time Savings: 30 -60 minutes.


- Gather all supplies for tomorrow, tonight. Make sure
everyone has a space (like a bin) to plop his or her stuff
in for the coming day. Spend part of that family time
(above) signing permission slips, doling out necessary
cash and marking important upcoming school/extra-
curricular dates on your schedule. After all, fifteen
minutes tonight getting ready for tomorrow isn't a big
deal, but fifteen minutes racing around tomorrow morning
trying to accomplish the same stuff could be a disaster.


There you have it. Using conservative time measurements,
another two or more hours in your day. Once you get
started with these ideas, you are sure to find more.

Now your time truly belongs to you!

Colleen Langenfeld delivers useful tips and creative
resources to working moms who want the best for their
families and careers at http://www.paintedgold.com .
Sign up for her free newsletter and receive an online
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