Posted in Organization

Simple Journey Ministries Presents

Keep It Together, Girl!

How to Use Timers for the best Efficiency

I have it on good authority that there are household management helps out there that recommend using a timer for cleaning. (SeeFlylady for more info) This is an excellent method of keeping yourself focused on the task at hand without becoming overwhelmed. Truly I believe that if this method were to be used in keeping the home on a habitual basis, home would always be in check. Why? Well, if you spent 15 minutes per day on any project, likely you would be moving along at a pace that would not have you burned out and the project would be done before you know it. For example, if I wanted to re-organize my school room, I could take 15 minutes per day for 7-10 days and it would be done. That would be a total of 4 1/2 hrs of organization time. Without allowing myself to become overwhlemed and asking my children to play independently for 15 minutes, the task is easily accomplished.

But the timer is useful for so much more in organizing your life! Right now, many families are scrambling to get their paperwork together to prepare their taxes. Where did I put those Social Security cards? Hey, and while I am thinking on it, I can't exactly remember what I did with my 1099 form either. Imagine if you devoted just 15 minutes per month to organizing your receipts for taxes? The result would be having all your information in one location, ready to go! This works for all types of paperwork. If you have school papers to correct. Don't let them pile up. Use the timer for 15 minutes per day to get it done. In th is way, you will always be on top of it! Now start branching out...sports forms, weekly schedule, bank records, recipes, research material, employment records, etc. ALL paperwork contained and managed in only 15 minutes per day!

The usefulness of a timer doesn't stop there! Try using a timer to curtail your time  with certain activities in which time seems to escape you...the TV, computer, telephone, games, scrapbooking, planning...whatever it is that you may get invovled in and lose track of time. Pick the amount of time you want to spend on t hat activity and set the timer. Once the bell rings, that activity is over. You have to become discipline to not go over that time and abruptly stop the activity. In order to keep your rudeness level down, if you are speaking on the phone or have a friend visiting, explain upfront that you can only spend X amount of time. Continue by stating that in order to keep on schedule you are setting a timer. This way, when the timer goes off, you can just say, "Oh, my time's up," and without guilt.

So get your timer out and foster that relationship. Before you know it you and your timer will become best buds, and your life will be flowing ever more smoothly!

These are my thoughts.