Time Management & Being Organised - Part 2

With the chaos behind her, Jen goes to the local shopping centre where she will buy some groceries for dinner. She browses the shops for any sales or new products that she may like.

It's past mid-day and Jen needs lunch before she can even contemplate grocery shopping, so she stops at a cafe and has a leisurely lunch. After all, no nagging kids to put up with and she still has plenty of time before collecting them from school.

As Jen is walking through the supermarket, she is trying to remember what is in her pantry, what she needs to replenish, what she will prepare for dinner & therefore what she needs to buy. She plays it safe and buys cold meats & dairy products, fruit, treats & snacks, cleaning & bathroom products (just in case) and roast beef & potatoes for dinner.

Queuing at the checkout, panic sets in as Jen notices she has only 5 minutes to get to school to pick up the kids and take the girls to dance classes & her son to soccer training!

Risking life & limb, she maneuvers the shopping trolley that seems to want to go in the opposite direction of her car, quickly dumps all the grocery shopping in the boot of the car & heads off to school to pick up the kids.

Running 10 minutes late, the girls arrive at dance class & do their warm up amidst disapproving looks from their teacher whilst her son is getting dressed in the car for his soccer training.

No time for that roast tonight Jen says to herself. Take away will have to do.

Time Management & Being Organised - Part 1

This may come as a shock to some of you, but being organised isn't about having all your "stuff" in containers, stacked coloured boxes or labeled shelves!

Paper work & clutter can reproduce and manifest just as easily in the strongest containers & most colourful boxes as well as on any counter tops & floors.

Whilst the reason for the initial clutter and its treatment may vary, the success to being organised is based on Decision Making and Effective Management of your Space & Time.

Sounds simple doesn't it?

So why do we struggle with clutter and constantly complain that we don't have enough time in our days?
Why are we always running late or stressing when we can't find our keys, mobile phone, tickets, books, permission slips.....???

Why can't we manage to finish our project, housework, reading, shopping, errands and have time left over for leisure and to do the things that we really like to do?

Case In Point:
My friend Jen has three kids - two girls and a boy (9, 10 & 13 years old respectively). She is a SAHM (stay at home mum) and her kindergarten duties are well and truly behind her so her days are totally hers to do whatever she likes with them.

Every morning Jen has her coffee before the the kids get up & the morning madness kicks in.

There is no time for breakfast amidst the usual arguments as to who is wearing who's clothes, how long each is spending in the bathroom, questions of 'where is my soccer socks, dance tights, locker key, permission slip, school bag, THE favorite jeans......'

Jen ignores their battles as she's got a battle of her own - 'where is my mobile, house keys, make-up bag, purse....?

Eventually, the kids are rounded up into the car, the bickering is halted as Jen chastises them for not being ready in time & blurts a brief lecture on responsibility and preparedness. The kids are eventually dropped off at school 15 minutes late.