Monday, September 3, 2012

Time Management Tips for Missionary Moms




Do you feel that you are a good manager of your time? Are you able to do your regular and necessary activities with enough reserves to cope temporarily with an emergency or with a challenging situation?  Or do you find yourself just struggling to do keep your normal schedule




Tips for time management:
Stay grounded in God’s word –read, memorize, review and remember helpful verses that can guide your day.

Pray.  Remember that this day is to be used for the Lord.  Even interruptions and change of plans can be used for the Lord!

Use the talents and gifts that God has given you – appreciate and use those special abilities that God has for your ministry.

Make Lists – The most important is my to-do list. When I make my meal plans for the week, I also make my shopping list for groceries.  I also have lists for packing for travel, future plans, etc.

Prioritize today’s to-do list – what must be done today, what needs to be done today or in the next few days, what can be done in the future

Be productive while waiting – use the usual idle time to complete a task.  File your nails while talking on the phone.  Do the dishes or load the dishwasher while listening to a program. 

Spend 20 minutes daily on a chore.  Doing a little bit every day keeps the chores from becoming overwhelming on a Saturday or a day off.

Menu planning.  Plan what you are going to have for meals each week and plan your grocery shopping at the same time.  After one day’s dinner is served, eaten and cleaned up, get ready for your next day’s meal.  Take out meat or frozen food to thaw and make sure you have all the ingredients for the main course and the sides.

Take care of yourself.  Exercise.  Eat right.  Take your vitamins.  Get enough sleep.  There is nothing like feeling unenergetic, run down and tired to feel that you can’t manage your time!


What is your biggest struggle in managing your time?   What have you found that helps you to be a good manager of your time?

4 comments:

  1. Since something about meals made the list twice, thought I would mention that I have found it very helpful to make my own recipe book. It's a bit of a time investment up front, but it pays rewards in the long term. I compiled all my favorite recipes and used Blurb to make a hard cover book. I now sit down with my recipe book and make my meal plans and grocery list. I have also frequently brought the recipe book to the grocery store with me as my meal plan has to flex with what is available that day day/week at the store.

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    1. Alicia, this is a really good idea. I've thought of doing something, but wasn't sure what. I tend to look through various books to find what I like, or have to search for the recipe I want to make. Having it all in one book would be great. And since I enjoy doing creative things, fun too! NOW JUST TO DO IT. =)

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    2. I had the incentive of carrying on the tradition in my family of giving a recipe book to my siblings when they get married. After I made her book, I just duplicated it for myself, made a few changes and ordered it! It definitely helped to have that motivation and wedding deadline.

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  2. My biggest struggle managing my time is frittering it away on little things while my priorities remain undone!

    I try to make a list of three priorities for the day and get to them before anything else. It might sound kind of obsessive compulsive, but sometime I use a timer set for 25 minutes to keep me ON a task, When the timer goes off, I leave it to finish another day if it's a big task. Sometimes I plan for two 25 minute slots on one task. But the 25 minute period sometimes helps me from spending TOO much time on a task that's not all that significant. It's called Pommodoro Technique. I keep meaning to write a post on it and never do!

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