Planning Ahead

Sometimes I feel like I have my hand in so many different things that surely I will miss something. If you are involved in a lot then you may feel the same way. One way that I manage to keep it all together is by planning out my week.

Each Sunday night I sit down with my calendar for the week and look at what everyone has going on. The first thing I plug in to open spots is "me" time. Things like going to a spinning or yoga class, having coffee with a friend or reading. Yes, I schedule time to read!

After that, I coordinate carpools, errands and night time activities with my husband. If he is going to be traveling then I make sure that I get help from friends for anything that I can't manage.

Meal planning is a big part of my weekly schedule. First I look for evenings when everyone will be home together and I plan a sit down meal for those nights. If everyone will be coming and going then I will plan a crock pot meal that each person can dip in to when they have time. This part of the process is very easy since I use my "What's for Dinner" binder to help out. In it I have a revolving list of meals that my family enjoys along with recipes and ideas for side items. I also have a pre-printed shopping list for each week that makes shopping quick and easy.

If you would like to put together a binder for yourself then come to my "What's for Dinner" workshop on Thursday, March 5th. Details are listed to the right. You will find planning for your week runs much more smoothly when you have this wonderful resource!

Another area that is a constant struggle for me is juggling my family responsibilities with my work. Because I work at home it is sometimes difficult to work when I know there is a load of laundry that needs to be done or a bathroom that needs to be cleaned. Planning ahead helps me here as well. Using my calendar I designate times of the day to work on certain projects. For example first thing in the morning before anyone is up is my best time to write without interruption. Then while the kids are getting ready for school I will make my bed, and start a load of laundry. I schedule the rest of my day by alternating between work and household responsibilities. Often I find it easier to get some writing or research done if I know I have a set time. So I will set my phone alarm for two hours and then I'll get up and spend an hour running an errand or working on something around the house. After that hour I will head back to the office and so on.

If you are looking for more ideas about how to manage your day then please join me on Tuesday night March 3rd for my "Simply Organized" workshop. I will share with you many tips on how to manage all that life throws your way and show you some of my favorite organizing products. Details for this workshop are also listed to the right.

After I have plugged in all the information I need to get me through the week then I refer back to my calendar each morning. If I forget to look at it one day I may miss something important. It's happened before! Even when I think I'll never forget, if I am very busy things can slip my mind. Take my advice and don't trust your memory. Write it down and then the only thing you have to remember is to look at your calendar!

Planning ahead for the week to come will certainly make your life much more "Simply Organized"!

Happy Organizing!
Valerie