3 Simple Tools For Time Management

There are no hard and fast rules about what tools you
must own, if you are going to embark on a journey to
increase your time management skills. The following
simple tools, however, are inexpensive, and can help
make the process of tracking, planning and organizing
your time easier and less burdensome.

3 Tools For Time Management

Time Monitor Journal- This resource comes in both the
digital and traditional varieties. It is useful in
helping you to monitor and record your own use of
time, in order to identify key areas for change.

While a special journal is not needed, you may find
that a ready made one saves you time in the long run,
by doing the majority of the work for you prior to the
actual recording of your activities.

Planner- Available in digital and traditional formats,
planners are wonderful for recording goals, making
notes, keeping track of appointments and more. A
planner is a must have to help you stay organized and
on target, when working toward your goals.

Select a planner that allows you enough room to keep
track of a number of appointments and daily goals, but
that is small enough so that you are able to carry it
with you at all times.

Organizer- These can be useful for planning a specific
project, or managing a number of projects all at the
same time. Digital and traditional versions of project
organizers are available that can help you stay on top
of the job.

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Golden Rules For Moms Working Online

Whether you have given up your corporate job to spend more time with the kids or want to augment the household income, work-from-home online jobs can be one of your best options to bring in steady profit. Setting up a home office sends the idea that you are committed to the family and your career. But as good as it is to make you both professionally and domestically functional, working online—and at home—can present some problems. What are you supposed to choose between a wailing kid and a project nearing deadline? How are the kids expected to behave when mommy’s working? And who’s going to wash the dishes? Moms working online are sometimes torn between work and household duties. So, how do you draw the line?

Families are as diverse as the individuals that make them; therefore, parenting and running the household greatly vary in style. But though that’s the case, online working moms should follow specific rules to allow productivity. Here are some of them:

1. Discuss the setup with the family. It should be agreed upon by the husband and, in case they are all grown up, the kids. If the kids are still toddlers or need close attention, decide if you are going to hire a caregiver, and if you are, identify if it’s going to be a fulltime or a part-time caregiver. In most cases, part-time sitters are more practical since mommies won’t work the entire day anyway.

2. Define your work schedule. It, of course, depends on your preference, family, and other duties. But whatever your schedule is, make sure everyone knows it to lessen distractions and interruptions. Setting definite working hours also gives your kids the impression that they have a space in your schedule and that they can wait for their time rather than barge in your home office any time they want. Stick to your schedule at all times, unless of course urgent events merit your attention.

3. Decide whether you will have a closed door or open door policy. A closed door policy works better if you have a hired sitter. This allows you to work with little or no distractions and your sitter to comfortably assume responsibility without your constant inquiry and checking. The open door, on the hand, is advised if you don’t have a hired caregiver. With this policy, you can instantly check how the things are going with your kids and the house. But since this can invite noise and distraction, you can close the door whenever you need extra concentration and are talking over the phone.

4. Orient yourself, the kids, and the caregiver about the possible interruptions that you can and cannot respond. Be as specific as possible and show sturdiness. Don’t go out of your home office at the sound of a whimper; instead let your caregiver do her job. If the kids are grown up, tell them the kind of environment you need and how they can help you achieve it. Children just need to be talked to and constantly reminded.

5. Lay out your expectations—how the kids are supposed to behave, the amount of household chores you can assume, the level of noise you can tolerate, among other things. Then, set out a plan. If, for instance, your kids are older, you can ask them to tidy their rooms on their own. Or you can work far from the living or TV room. Moms working online and their families, at the start, need to make certain adjustments.

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Increasing Productivity In Your Home Office

Self-employed individuals who had to utilize their homes as office space face a different kind of challenge that does not directly involve work. It is their ability to focus on work and free themselves of any idea that they can slack off because of the lack of pressure. However, if you do intend to make a living out of your home based business, then you need to be professional in your use of home office as well. 

Designing Your Home Office 

Trivial as it may seem, focusing on proper home office design can contribute to your productivity at home. You must begin by deciding on which part of the house you need to setup your office. An important consideration to make is that this space must provide you with enough privacy to concentrate on your work. This is also important in warding off any form of interruption that may arise while you are working.

Then, come up with a design that enables you to maximize the space available within your office. It should be able to provide organization and elicit productivity. You need to provide areas where you can keep important documents or files, to prevent your children from destroying them in case they manage to sneak into your office.

Develop a Working Schedule

Creating schedule will help provide the organization you need to become productive with work at home. As opposed to working your regular 9 to 5 job, it is easy to find yourself working until the wee hours at home. There are added pressure when it comes to your schedule as you also have to allot enough time to spend with your family and there's the rest to dedicate to your work.

By creating a proper schedule of your activities, it will help ensure that all tasks are done and accomplished on time. It also allows you to prioritize tasks so you can have a more focused set of activity for a given day.

Balance Work and Family

One of the biggest misconception about working from home is that it is not as demanding as any regular office job. Truth is, it requires more attention and work on your part. Therefore, you cannot afford to have interruptions from your family or friends while doing work. The best way to deal with this situation is to let your family know what your schedule is so that they can refrain from disturbing you during working hours. Let them understand when you need to work and when you are available to them for recreational activities.

Know Your Priorities

Recognizing priority tasks and accomplishing them first will help you move on easily to other tasks. Doing so will help reduce the amount of pressure and stress that is entailed with trying to beat a deadline. This is a very likely occurrence for people working at home since they tend to relax and exert less effort with work, especially with lack of proper motivation.

The best way to prioritize your activities is to identify billable and non-billable hours while working at your home office. With billable hours, it refer to the amount of time you dedicate for tasks that are directed to your clients. Thus, it helps you generate the income you need. On the other end, non-billable hours are those that you waste on doing activities that offer no income.

Give Yourself a Break 

Whether you are working or doing some other productive activities, it is important to give yourself a break from time to time. When you overwork yourself, you tend to wear out and you consequently reduce your performance and productivity. Therefore, it is advisable to allow yourself enough rest and regain the energy you need to tackle on whatever tasks you need to do.

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