PLAN
Plan your day every morning or night. Check out your master list of all your to do's and pick a couple. Check out your calendar for upcoming events and appointments. Plan some time for fun, too. On Tuesday and Thursday at 8:30 I have written "reading time" on the schedule. Try to follow some kind of schedule, so you can feel the rythym of your day and week. Once you write down everything you need to do, prioritize them. I like the A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, C1 method. The next day start with A1, that way even if you get nothing else done, you'll have the satisfaction of knowing you got the most important thing done.

BUY OR MAKE A PLANNER
My lifeline contains a master to do list to write down everything that will ever need to get done, monthly calendar pages, daily to do/appointment pages, and address pages . I also have a section to list all my goals and action plans to accomplish them. My information section has doctor's #'s, social security #'s, medical record, family's clothing sizes, gift list , packing list, and financial information. I also have six individual sections for whatever I want like books to read, outing ideas, date ideas, notes on books I read, and kids activities. I highly recommend the Franklin Planner.

MAKE A HOUSEHOLD NOTEBOOK
I use an 8x11 1/2 looseleaf binder. I include section for school and work schedules, a chore list so everyone knows what they are supposed to do, for emergencies ehich has emergency numbers, first aid list, babysitter checklist, what to do in case of list, and inventory sheets. The errand section has a to buy list and anything that has to be done on errand day. It also has a list of books checked out from the library. I have a projects section for big projects like party planning and redecorating. A suggestion section is for suggestions and items to put on the agenda at the family meeting. The menu plan section has a month full of menus. I keep it on the kitchen counter so everyone in the family has access to it.

Last month we learned about the different management sectors in running a household. November I thought we would focus on TIME MANAGEMENT.

To get a handle on this, you need to find out where your time in going now, by using a time log. You may be surprised.

Planning is very time saving. At the beginning of the week jot down your goals you want to accomplish, fun things you want to do, work that needs to be done, and appointments to keep. Then write out a loose schedule for the week ahead, balancing it out between work, family, and self daily.

When you plan, it is helpful to schedule things for twice as long as you expect them to take. That gives you extra time for those traffic jams, interupptions, and fun, spontaneous moments. Be flexible with your plan. Remember you are not a slave to your planner, but it is there to help you. Here are some more time management tips:

1. Know what's important to you.

2. Start delegating

3. Learn to say no.

4. Let go of perfectionism, things out of your control.

5. Listen to audio tapes during your commute or household tasks.

6. Use a planner that includes a daily to do list, a weekly calendar and a monthly calender, a listing of projects, telephone numbers and important information.

7. Empty out your planner of the clutter and junk.

8. Keep your planner with you at all times.

9. Do not keep a bunch of calendars around. Use only one so everything is in one place.

10. Keep a master list of all the things you need to do, call, see, write, etc. Don't use post-it notes all over. They seem to get lost.

11. Answer routine letters by answering them on the original. Photocopy your message for your own files then send the origianl off.

12. Cut down TV time. Plan your TV time so you only watch the shows you really wanted to see.

13. Lay out all the things you need for the next day, the night before.

14. Tidy your desk before you leave work so it will be clean for the next session.

15. Try to spend time on planning and important things so you are not always "putting out fires."

16. Spend a half and hour a week planning for the upcoming week. Be sure to add the important, but maybe not urgent things.

17. Relax when you are relaxing and work when you are working.

18. Make goals and rewrite goals every few months, so you have a focus.

19. Clear the clutter from your desk.

20. Go through your files once a year to get rid of paper you know longer need. Saves space and time.

21. Get rid of things that don't work, especially pens. Save yourself some frustration.

22. Start with the worst item on your to do list. Everything else will be a piece of cake. You also won't be thinking and dreading about it, while doing other tasks.

23. Be sure to bring things to do like read, write a letter, pay bills etc, when you know you will have to wait someplace.

24. A couple of times a year, keep a time log. Jot down everything you do for a day or two. Then examine where you are wasting a lot of time.

I'm feeling more organized this month. I have been using a daily routine, however whenever I woke up late (which was often because of my husband's late schedule) my schedule would be off before I even started. So I would say "Why bother" and the rest of the day I would have a rather lost feeling. Now I write my to do list the night before. Then in the morning I write down a flexible time schedule for the rest of the day using the daily routine as a guide.