Where has the day gone? Managing my time better

As a mum, a wife, an employee and an entrepreneur you can imagine, I'm always trying to manage my time better. Prior to the mum part I wasn't very good at it. I was good enough at keeping things a float, but that was more of a continuous fluke than an actual skill. My husband can reel off story after story of me being late for work when I lived in London for the most foolish of reasons *face palm*

With all the balls I'm juggling, I'm trying to add back in blogger and YouTuber, so it's imperative for me to make a conscious effort to stop winging it and get better at time management. I'm very good at being busy, I need to be excellent at being productive.

Bear in mind time management and organisation are not the same thing. I am a pen and paper planner girl, even though i've gone digital for some things (mainly being able to share lists with my husband a.k.a honey-do lists), few things bring me more joy than writing out all that needs to be accomplished in a certain time frame and planning out when they need to be done, and in which order. I could give you a critical path analysis on how to clean my house, so organisation isn't my issue. My issue is with the verb part of the equation. I'm sure i'm not alone in being lulled into the false sense of security busyness brings, you start doing something, you don't finish, and you tell yourself that you didn't finish because you were so busy. Just me? Well shoot, at least i'm being honest *eyes emoji*

I've now realised that a key element of time management is focus. I could curate the world's most awesome to-do list and glaze over it with pride, but ain't shit getting done if I'm not able to focus my attention on each task, one at a time and move through them methodically. I've read countless articles, think pieces and blog posts that suggest, putting all the easy, not-so-important tasks first to give yourself a boost that you're achieving something. I'm going to go out on a limb and say IT DOESN'T WORK. If my overall goal is to write three blog posts by the end of tomorrow, making up three tasks and checking them off; say changing the bedsheets, putting the laundry in the machine, and getting the car washed, though they are things i've done - DO ZILTCH for me writing my blog posts. I'll feel a whole lot more satisfaction and achievement when I sit my ass down somewhere, block everyone out and focus on getting those posts written.

Actually there is one trick that I utilise and it does work; put the task you're dreading at the top of your to do list and do it first, before 10am. When I put that tip into practise i feel amazing, and that amazing productive feeling carries on throughout the day and I get even more done than I bargained for! This is what works for me, and I learnt it from someone else, so i'm always open to learning more. What productivity tips help you to manage your time better?

Rose
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