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Time management for parents
MIkael Lindberg | Oct 10 2007
The excellent news that Merlin is joining the parent flock prompted me to write this post. I became a parent about a year ago and I've been battling the "loss" of about 8-16 hours of every day to parenting and the unpredictability element that babies bring to your schedule. I'm interested in hearing what other parents have done in order to keep a grip on their schedule and their lives. For me, the most extreme effect was that I decided to change jobs in order to do something I really like, despite having to take a 50% pay cut. I just can't afford to waste hours doing things that doesn't make me happy. I've also taken a few hints from Merlin and now carry a small note pad (sort of a hipster PDA) in my pocket at all times for capture purposes. I think my previous attempts at GTD has failed just because I havn't needed it enough. Now, I can't survive without it. As for handling the unpredictability element of children, my wife and I have a system where we try to never replan the current day schedule but instead handle exceptions as far into the future as possible. This keeps our schedules reasonably stable. What are your experiences? 58 Comments
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 Keeping to schedules really does helpSubmitted by daniel-san on October 10, 2007 - 9:03pm.
Huge congratulations to Merlin. I literally cheered for him upon hearing the news while listening to MacBreak this morning.
My helpful tips are to enjoy it cause it goes sooo fast, always keep your sense of humor, and try to keep to schedules. Keeping schedules helps both the parents and the baby. Ours is the way in which we end our evenings before she goes to bed. It's dinnertime together. A little more playtime, a bath with both Mom and Dad there to help and have fun and then reading books together for a few minutes before bed. For us, that works. It helps two working parents feel very connected to our beautiful little girl and it keeps us feeling like we have very special family times. Everybody is going to have their "thing" that works for them. For us, it helps our child settle in and be ready for a good night's sleep.
Please don't mistake my recommendation of keeping to schedules for not being flexible. Life is completely flipped from now on and your time is no longer your own. ;-) » POSTED IN:
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