Have you thought about spending more time with the people who mean the most to you and less time on trivial or aggravating obligations, people and events? If you really do want more time for yourself and the people and things that mean the most to you, here are a few ideas to help you manage your time:
Time for Family
o Bring back the dinner hour and insist that everyone be there. Do not commit yourself or your children to activities that conflict with that hour. During dinner, do not answer the telephone and turn off the TV set. If you do not have the willpower to do it every night, at least do it Saturday’s or Sunday’s at dinner time.
o Work together. Make Saturday mornings the time for family chores. Everyone can pitch in to do housework, yard work, shopping and errands. Dad can teach kids how to do certain chores, and Mom can do the same with others. The chores will get dine sooner, the children will learn important tasks and responsibility, and you will have spent time together.
o Allocate special time for each child. Give one or two hours of your undivided attention each week to one child. If you have four children, one week Dad can spend time with one child and Mom with another. The net week, the other two get special time. The third week, Mom and Dad switch and start over. The children will soon come to look forward to their “special” time with Mom and Dad.
o Go out once a month with the family. Make plans for the entire family to go on a special outing, and put it on the calendar in advance. Go to a movie, go hiking or play miniature golf. It need not take all day, but this family event can be planned for and looked forward to by the entire family.
