Time: Take Control

Time_ Take Control

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Do you feel like your always running behind?

Like you don’t have enough hours in your day?

And what about daylight savings time? Did that completely mess you up? I can’t get used to it.

We ADDers have trouble with time and with managing it.

We think we have more of it than we do.

We think things will take less time than they actually do.

We don’t allow for any kind of delay or interruption.

And we completely lose track of it sometimes.

It’s time to take back our control. It’s time to take back our time and learn to use it wisely.

Time_ Take Control

So how do we take back control of our time?

The first step is to be aware of it.

You need to know how long things take, especially ones that you tend to put off.

I always hated cleaning up the kitchen after a big meal and mopping the floor.

Then I found out I can get my kitchen clean in 20 minutes and mop the floor in 8. Completely changed my attitude.

Here are some things that you need to time to see how long they really take:

  • Showering
  • Getting dressed, etc
  • Making a meal
  • TV time
  • Computer time
  • Your commute
  • Basic cleaning chores

You should probably time yourself more than once on these, just to be sure you weren’t playing beat the clock. You need an accurate idea of how long tasks take.

You should also get into the habit of setting alarms or reminders for things you need to do or remember. For instance, an alarm that goes off 15 minutes before you need to leave for work, or one that signals the end of computer time and the beginning of productive time.

Hint: when I was working in the real world, I would set a reminder on my phone to go off 10 – 15 minutes after a meeting ended. It was my excuse to get out of there and avoid idle chit chat. No one needed to know I didn’t have another appointment! You can do the same when you have calls with chatty people.

Get yourself one or more analog clocks. They are the kind with numbers and hands, like the one pictured above. They are much more effective at showing the passing of time than digital clocks because they are more of a visual aid.

Don’t schedule too many things into one day. I would say 3 is about right, unless they are long.

Make an estimate of how long you think they will take and then add 50% more. So if you think it will take an hour, allow an hour and a half.

Take advantage of small amounts of time. I had my first two kids when I was in college full time, so I learned to use every second.

Answer an email while you’re on hold. Use the drive through at the bank; while you’re waiting you can make a quick call, start your shopping list, or pay a bill.

Get things ready the night before to make mornings easier. And make sure your car has gas before you park it for the night.

Don’t try and implement all of these changes at once, but start small, find one that sounds good, and begin there.

Lacy Estelle

Lacy Estelle

Lacy Estelle is the writer of Lacyestelle.com and the Podcast host for An ADD Woman.

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