Time management question: If you map out your days in advance, how do you do it?

[melissel]

Do you sit down on Sunday night and look at your week? Do you start each morning by just planning that individual day carefully? Do you write things down? Do you use a MOTH-type schedule? Something else? :bigear:

 

I'd love to hear others' experiences if something like this is working for you. TIA!

[2squared]

I'll bite since you haven't had a response yet. :D

 

My plan is the same every day, but I have a lot of variables which range in age from 14 months - 5 years. :001_smile: My day is set up in time blocks and it looks like this:

 

8:30 - read aloud picture books

9:00 - together time for whatever I want to cover with everyone

9:30 - one-on-one with 7yo, independent work for 9yo

11:00 - break for lunch

1:00 - one-on-one with 5yo

1:30 - one-on-one with 9yo

3:00 - done with schoolwork, time for after school activities or housework

4:45 - kids pick-up and dinner prep

6:00 - eat

8:00 - get kids ready for bed and read aloud

8:45 - kids in bed

 

If we miss part of the schedule, I either abbreviate the pieces we missed to catch-up the day or just jump into the schedule. Many days get off course, but I like having a general course for each day.

 

The times listed above are flexible since we try to do most of our work while he is napping in the morning and afternoon.

[MamaT]

I have three very busy kids at home (and a busy 18yo who takes care of his own schedule). I write everything down at the weekend that I have to remember to do this week that is not in our regular schedule. This week it was something like this:

 

Call back a restaurant owner about his donation to our home gymnastics meet.

Buy my 14yo a dress for the winter formal.

Pay coaches fees for our meet in SC this weekend.

Take 2 kids to the dentist on Monday.

Call our insurance company about my 18yo's wisdom teeth surgery.

And lots of other things . . .

 

In the morning before my kids get up, I plan my day and add in whatever is on my list that needs to be done that day. If I don't make myself a list, I'm lost. I live by my lists.

 

ETA: this is for non-school stuff. I plan my school stuff in the summer. School is from 8:00 to lunch with me, and then they do independent work after lunch.

Edited January 10, 2012 by MamaT

[Canadianmumof5]

I recently posted about our schedules. You can check out my blog for all the details. It has each of their schedules posted. Last year, I even had a schedule for myself but I don't use it anymore. It is too hard now with Chunky running all over and taking up so much more of my time/energy :tongue_smilie:

 

I spend a couple of hours every Sunday afternoon pre-planning for the week, getting their schedules updated/printed and then planning the meals for the week (just lunch & dinner). The daily schedules themselves don't change week to week...just the work for each subject.

 

On days when we have other things going on, then I juggle the work. So you will see that this week, Friday is a lot lighter since we are out at mass/enrichment for the morning.

 

The time investment on Sunday afternoons is well worth it.

[Murphy101]

Do you sit down on Sunday night and look at your week? Do you start each morning by just planning that individual day carefully? Do you write things down?

 

Yes.:D

[KidsHappen]

I sit down every night or the next morning if I didn't do it the night before and update my "To-Do This Week List". I put things in order of priority and if they are equally important, the one I am most likely to complete first. Then when I go over the list again I remove items already done and add items that need to be done. I do this in Word. Some days I don't actually get anything on the list done but at least I know what needs to be done. Next up on my list is pay bills, sort laundry and package returns.

[Tohru]

Yes.:D

 

:iagree:

[Audrey]

Sunday is laundry and window washing day and planning day. :) I use Outlook to plan everything including any errands and of course all of my work obligations for the week. Then I sync everything to my Blackberry and sync my calendar to dh's BB, too. I also email him the lesson plans for the week because there are days when he is teacher. That gets us all in order for the week. I usually work on it between loads of laundry and sections of window. If I sat down to do it all in one shot, it would probably be about an hour or so.

[KungFuPanda]

Sunday is laundry and window washing day and planning day. :) I use Outlook to plan everything including any errands and of course all of my work obligations for the week. Then I sync everything to my Blackberry and sync my calendar to dh's BB, too. I also email him the lesson plans for the week because there are days when he is teacher. That gets us all in order for the week. I usually work on it between loads of laundry and sections of window. If I sat down to do it all in one shot, it would probably be about an hour or so.

 

You wash windows EVERY week!?!?

 

I wash them every year . . . so there.

 

I make up a general list for the week on the weekend and do a more specific list for each day the night before. Some days I don't need a list and some days i'd be spinning without one.

[Murphy101]

You wash windows?

 

I thought that was what rain is for?

[Audrey]

You wash windows EVERY week!?!?

 

I wash them every year . . . so there.

 

I make up a general list for the week on the weekend and do a more specific list for each day the night before. Some days I don't need a list and some days i'd be spinning without one.

 

You wash windows?

 

I thought that was what rain is for?

 

 

Yes. I explained this in another thread a while back. I really like the view from the South side of the house. It has the most windows. Trucks and equipment and stuff go by and get my windows dusty. I don't like dusty windows. I like cleaning windows except when it's super cold.

 

I know it's weird. :o

[Liz CA]

When I did homeschooling and was not working, I tried to write out the week's main points leaving room for editing. Now, I write things on my dayminder when it comes to mind. Certain things are routing - walk in the morning, feed dog, pack lunch, cook ahead, etc. I have it open on my desk. I keep one for home and one for work related items.

[Murphy101]

Yes. I explained this in another thread a while back. I really like the view from the South side of the house. It has the most windows. Trucks and equipment and stuff go by and get my windows dusty. I don't like dusty windows. I like cleaning windows except when it's super cold.

 

I know it's weird. :o

 

Not weird. That sounds rather pleasant. My south view is a private fence with 4 of the neighbors dogs poking there heads through any boards they can break. My north view is the street and the neighbor's home nurse across the street perpetually pacing the sidewalk on her phone and chain smoking. I have no idea what she does in the house bc I constantly see her outside smoking!

[angela in ohio]

Google calendar.

 

I have multiple calendars that I toggle off and on. One is for events in our life, another is for my daily plans.

 

Because my dc are older, our day is more loosely scheduled. They have larger amounts of work and they manage those on their own in between due dates I set. So our schedule doesn't look like it did when they were young (9:15 history, 10:00 math, etc.) We have a pattern of what I teach each day, but not at an exact time. Our calendar now is more about outside events and obligations, so we all share the Google calendar and add things to it. I try to always look at the next week when I have down time to run errands (need paper plates for Scout event, need to drop off check for whatever, etc.)

 

Dh and I talk about our week every Sunday evening, planning who will get whom where. :D And I enter events as they come up. I look at my next day each evening so that I can start to prepare.

[regentrude]

I use a paper engagement calendar with one page for the week.

I put in the important stuff: my work hours, DD's outside classes, lessons, appointments, choir rehearsals, playgroup etc. - things where we have to be at a specific time in a specific place.

Daily errands (post office, library, things that do not have to happen at a specific time): if there's a lot, I write a list; for a few, I remember and fit them in between scheduled stuff.

My work schedule is different every day of the week, so our family schedule will be different as well. I finally had it sorted out; now DD started dual enrollment, so schedule will be different again.

[BMW]

I've used MOTH in years past when I homeschooled them all... I found lots of little bits of wisdom in Terry's book... but, it served me for a period of time.

 

Nowdays I keep track of life's events and my schedule by using a calendar at my desk (all appointments, classes, and my work schedule written on it). That helps me by looking at a glance, but it's not enough for me... I also have a planner that sits at the table with a notebook and every evening I open it up (it also has all appointments, classes and my work schedule in it... I really do need the repetition... also, I have been known to have two appointments scheduled at the same time... now that does not happen!). Anyway, each evening I open up the planner, give it a good, long look, then open up my notebook and jot down what needs to happen the next day. In the morning, I check my notebook to see what I have to do... I include things like "get 3 bags from garage to donate" "laundry" "call dentist" "schedule dd's Dr. appt."

 

That might seem like overkill, but it's something that I started because I have missed appointments, overbooked, and completely forgot important things that I need to do... I have learned that I must write things down!! In addition, I keep a very small notebook near me with a small pen and I take them in my purse and I jot things down that I suddenly remember that I have to do... because there are a lot of times I am randomly driving on an errand and it occurs to me that I have been forgetting to make an important call or handle something and I WILL forget it again if I don't stop and write it down. I call out, "Hey, get my notebook out and write down "call Heidi" and "purchase textbook"!

 

(As usual, I am long-winded... LOL)

[m0mmaBuck]

My days are crazy and DH and I share the teaching so here's what I do... I have a monthly/weekly paper planner that we share.

 

In the month-at-a-glance section, I put recurring things that require interaction outside of the house (dance class, Venture scouts, Cub Scouts, American Heritage Girls, AWANAS, my work schedule) as well as appointments, meetings, trips/outings, DH's scheduled client appointments, and special occasions. That way we know at a glance if there is anything time-sensitive that day. This information also goes into Outlook so it pops up on our IPhones if we are away from the planner.

 

In the daily/weekly section, I write out the lesson plans. Since we all know how plans can change, I typically don't write out more than about 2 days in advance. Usually I only go one day based on what we got through that day... So... Since DH teaches on Monday mornings, I make sure he has lists for what to work on with each child. Usually I do this on Friday afternoon but sometimes I put it off until Sunday night... Anyway, when I get home from work Monday afternoon and take over, I make sure to write out Tuesday's list for myself... On Tuesday, I write out Wednesday's list based on where we finished on Tuesday. And so on...

 

I make sure that by the end of the week, each child has finished 5 lessons of Math, 5 lessons of LA, 5 lessons of spelling, 5 sessions of reading, 5 sessions of piano practice, a chapter each of SOTW, science, Latin, and Social Studies, and at least one art project.

 

I also write out a To Do list for myself at the beginning of the week and check things off or add them as they arise.