7 Creative Time Management Tips for Mom

I am so excited about sharing my time management tips and learning some new ones from you. We plan vacations and are intentional about watching certain shows nightly but as moms we sometimes forget the importance of time management in every area of our lives (spiritual, mental, physical).

The Bible states in Ephesians 5:15-17

“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil…..

 

Here are 7 things I do weekly to make the best use of my time.

    1 .   Schedule alone time with my husband (includes sex and having conversations)

A friend told me that she schedules sex time with her husband weekly and I thought she was crazy. I finally give in and started doing the same thing and wow! It has made a big difference in our lives. The days may change weekly but that time is important.  We know how important it is for men to have sex.

 

2.     Prepare a food schedule for each week and prep (including breakfast and snacks)

I use to spend so much time thinking about what to eat for snacks and breakfast times and having a schedule makes a difference. I also prep my breakfast foods and  prepare lunch boxes nightly.

3.     Cleaning daily

The house (especially the bathroom) is challenging to maintain so I always do a quick bathroom cleaning when my son is having bath time. I allow him to play in the bath for 10-15 minutes, while I clean the sink, toilet and wipe down the floors.

4.     Homework

My four year old is enrolled in an ambitious pre-school program so we have homework daily. To save time on his homework (writing his name 4 times, coloring etc.) we usually do this while I am cooking dinner. His little desk is placed in the kitchen area and he enjoys being close to me while completing his homework.

5.     Family Times:

Life can always get so busy but family time should be one of our top priorities. Each week, as a family we do something that excludes sitting around at home. We go to Chucky Cheese, walking or play outside together.

 

6.     Rest time and alone time

 

The importance of resting and being alone is underrated. After experiencing some health issues the importance of rest is more real than ever before. Alone time is challenging but even 30 minutes of alone time can make a difference.

 

Spending time alone with God helps us prepare for the unseen and stay focused on what he wants us to do for him and our family on a daily basis.

 

7.     Physical fitness

Most of us do not have time to exercise for 1 hour daily but we do have time to stretch and do some time of physical activity. If nothing else try to stretch try to stretch daily. According to Yahoo.com, “If you could use some more energy, stretching can definitely help you in that department as well. When you stretch the different muscle groups in the body, you benefit by getting increased blood circulation and increased blood circulation means more energy for you.”

 

 

Please share some of your time management secrets with us! I look forward to linking up with you this week.

 

 

 

 

What Marriage Counseling Taught Me

It is no secret that married couples including Christian couples face some challenging times. My husband and I was not except from these challenges. Coping with job loss, a toddler and two different personalities left our family living in an intense and at times unhappy setting which led to questions of separation and divorce. Before making a final decision to leave my husband, I met with two older, wiser and more experienced women.  What each woman said, changed my outlook on marriage and what is needed to maintain a successful marriage.

One of the women said, “I wish we sought counseling years ago, it would have made our lives easier.” The other woman stated, “Counseling helped me be honest.”  

Since I have read studies that show over and over again that couples who seek counseling usually end up getting a divorce (“MarriageGuardian,” 2014) I was still unsure. After praying and fasting, counseling was the best option. I must admit that my husband was not too happy about going to counseling but it made our marriage stronger and we appreciate each other more than ever before.

During those grueling 1 hour sessions, I learned many things but three (3) main things were revealed about myself and our marriage that may help your marriage.

 

1.      I was selfish: Everything I did was about me (my dreams, my feelings, my money).  I was not living a biblical life but allowed the worldly view to change my Christian perception on marriage.

In Philippians 2:3-4, it states, “Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests but also to the interests of others.  

What I do to combat Selfishness:

Now, I try to do something daily to make my husband feel special. If it means spending extra time cooking his favorite dinner or just calling to say hello during the day

 

2.      I did not really know my husband: I spent so much time focusing on myself that I failed to learn more about my husband. During counseling, I realized that he really thinks highly of me, loves me unconditionally, and loves having sex to show how much he cares for me.

 

What I do to remind myself my husband cares:

I read between the lines. If my husband says, “I really liked when we watched NCIS together the other day.” This means, he wants me to start watching it with him weekly. I have started taking the time to watch the series with him, and I can tell that he loves that time with me.

3.      Things are NOT that bad:

I never thought I would ever say that things are NOT that bad but they are NOT. The counselor discussed that we all have “deal breakers” in a marriage. Meaning cheating, lying, fathering another child while married, physical or mental abuse.  My husband does annoy me, but he did not do anything that we could not work out.

 

How I remind myself things are NOT that bad:

 If my husband forgets to take out the trash but cleans the bathroom, at least he completed one task for the day (do you agree ladies)?

 

Conclusion

If you are having a challenging time in your marriage, reflect on your reasons for falling in love and pray about what to do next. Is counseling an option? If it is, I don’t think you will regret having the opinion of an objective source.

 

Martin Luther King Jr Day

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. I wanted to post a picture of his speech, "I Have A Dream." May we never forget where we came from, and where we must go! We must always remember that our dreams can live on for generations.