A Wonderful Life! Coaching Blog

As a busy multi-tasking mom, I’m constantly looking for ways to organize my family life, days, goals, plans, appointments, thoughts…my life in general. Many of my friends who are also parents voice the same concern. The burning question for many, seems to be: “how do I balance parenting with my personal and/or business life?”

Time management for parents is a valuable tool. With all of the resources out there, how does one go about finding the right solution? Is there a solution? I believe there is, unfortunately, it’s not a quick fix. To me, the solution may very well be a hodgepodge of the various resources available. I’ve compiled a list of tips from the information I’ve found on time management in books and around the internet:

1. Balancing work and family life is a conscious decision. Understand that balancing family life with the other areas of our lives is a conscious, daily decision, not a timeless state of bliss that we’d love to exist in.
2. Clarify and prioritize family values. A value is defined as “a principle, standard, or quality considered worthwhile or desired.” This is important because our values drive our goals and actions and some values may be in conflict with one another. For example if you believe it’s important to get to work early, yet you also don’t leave the house until the kitchen is clean, this may cause a conflict. Determining the hierarchy of your values may help determine your actions.
3. Set realistic goals and expectations and learn to say ‘NO’. Understanding that perfection is unattainable, lifts the burden to accomplish everything. With values prioritized, goal setting is easier. Learning to say no is important because we cannot be all things to all people, and our children cannot have everything they want. When we remind ourselves of this, saying no is much easier.
4. Keep a time diary. Before creating a plan of action and a schedule, some suggest keeping a time diary. I would suggest doing so for a week to really give yourself an opportunity to analyze the rhythm of your days and to see where all of the time has gone. You can take this a step further, as this is your ‘pre-planning phase’. You can count the hours in a week and see how many are going towards the different values and goals you have. If you see the imbalance in your time diary, you can plan accordingly. This time diary gives you a visual analysis of your days. This is a task that I have my life coaching clients complete before we begin a program. A very effective tool anyone can use to organize their life.
5. Create a plan of action/schedule or rituals and routines. Determine the amount of time to allocate to different tasks, appointments and so forth and document them in a central calendar for everyone. Have your own personal and/or business calendar that you keep in sync with this central family calendar. (If the family is completely digital-on computers and smart phones-this may be accomplished through a free online shared calendaring system like Google Calendar). Creating rituals and routines in your household is helpful because children respond well to them. This also allows for daily tasks like getting ready for bed or school to be accomplished quicker because the rhythm of a routine has been established.
6. Manage distractions. Distractions like the phone, internet, or TV. When in the midst of completing a task, the phone rings. Do you answer it? Not every call needs to be answered immediately. With caller ID, and voicemail, you’re never out of the loop, so if necessary, instead of answering a call, completing tasks or continuing with family fun time, is a good idea.
7. Build a support team. Teach your children tasks, and delegate throughout the family. There’s nothing like teamwork!
8. Be flexible. Just because you have an amazing plan of action, doesn’t mean it will happen. Life happens!
9. Keep work at work and home at home. By separating the two, you are able to focus on each one within the allotted time.
10. Schedule down-time for yourself. Everyone needs a recharge. And just as children benefit from routines, so do we, especially if we know it’s sit back and relax time!

Do you have any time management tips you’d like to share?

Via Super Parenting Social Network

Are you analytical? Do you dissect a problem until you believe you have found a solution? Do you often find yourself unable to sleep because you are constantly weighing your options, thinking of solutions or what have you? Do those thoughts pervade even when you don’t want them to?

Do you attribute these behaviors to your intelligence, diligence, or ability to see things through? This may very well be the case…and at the same time, you may also be a ‘worry wort’ without even realizing it. Maybe you are contributing to the solution of your problems or issues. On the other hand, you may be adding stress to your own life by ruminating problems that haven’t an immediate solution. (more…)

Click your heels! Enjoy yourself and let it show! There’s nothing like enjoying this gift we call life. Too often we find ourselves focusing on the trials and tribulations life has to offer instead of the blessings and gifts. In a way, our focus, may be the very thing that negates our own happiness, not our circumstances themselves. Many aspects of our lives do not fall within the realm of that which we can control. So why worry about those things? We do so because we have come to think that worrying, planning, discussing, and analyzing will actually change these aspects of life that we haven’t any control over. The reality is that those things don’t change a thing. Instead, it puts your focus in the negative and often your emotions or mood follow along. Instead, try being solution-oriented. If you are in a situation where you can actually solve the problem through your positive actions and efforts, then use your energy towards those efforts. If not, let go and let God.

The next time you feel like you need a happiness boost, make a list of all the things that you are happy about. Then smile about them. You’ll be surprised, but this little exercise in REMEMBERING YOUR JOY goes a long way toward living A Wonderful Life.

Technorati Tags: Happiness,Joy,life coaching,Self-empowerment,Self improvement,stress management,motivation

Are you feeling down or blue? I’m not talking about major depression, just slightly down in the dumps. Maybe you are fed-up with your current life conditions. Stressed-out, sick of your job, or you’re not making enough money. Maybe you are tired of meeting or dating Mr. or Miss WRONG. Is your apartment a dump? Are your self-image or self-esteem lacking as a result of these feelings. Maybe you are you suffering from I’m sick of all of this *#%*! If so, you aren’t alone. Many of us get tired of being stuck in the everyday rut our lives have become. How do you find your way out? I have a prescription that seems to work for me every time…community service. I offer community service as a sure fire means of gaining the proper perspective in your life. Often times we get so caught up in ‘coveting thy neighbor’, we forget the blessings that have already been bestowed upon us in our own lives. If you are sick of your job, maybe remembering the thousands of unemployed will help you to be more thankful that you have a job at all. If you are wishing you could buy a home instead of living in the small apartment you can barely afford, perhaps volunteering to feed the homeless at a shelter or church will have you counting your blessings.

This past holiday season I had the honor of participating in several community service events with my WNBA team the Phoenix Mercury that really lifted my spirits. In this photo, I am chaperoning underprivileged children in the Phoenix, Arizona community along with other current or retired professional athletes on a Christmas shopping spree provided by Dick’s Sporting Goods and Bob Lanier and friends. The children were so excited to have the opportunity to shop for clothes, sports equipment and shoes that they couldn’t stop talking about all of their options. In fact, it was partly a math assignment, as they had to figure the best way to spend their gift cards. They had a wonderful time, as did I, because it always feels good to give back to the community. (more…)