Strengthening
Families
Prioritize Your Time
Many people seem to be running a
constant race against time-- working,
going to school, raising children and
trying to please everyone. People who take
on many roles, such as parent, employee,
spouse, student, and taking care of aging
parents find that the roles are not always
compatible and stress results. A balanced and fulfilling life becomes
the goal for many adults as they struggle to manage career, family and
personal needs.
Researchers have developed the following tips to help families
achieve a balanced life:
Keep track of time: For one week, record how you spend your
time. This log will help you to identify time wasters and tune into
your prime time. Some individuals reach their peak of alertness
around noon, but others work best early in the morning or later in the
day. Develop a system for keeping track of family and work
appointments, events, and messages. Using a planner with moveable,
color coded stickers can be helpful. Talk over your plans with your
family every day.
Set priorities: Using your time log, decide which activities are most
important to you and which you can live without. Eliminate roles that
are not satisfying to you. Set priorities for each day, as well as long
term goals. Delegate some of these tasks each day.
Have realistic expectations: Are your standards too high? Do
you think you are the only one who can do a job? Accept the reality
that all people make mistakes. Be willing to accept less than
perfection. Don’t spend time wishing and complaining. Know what
you can control and don’t spend time worrying about what you can’t.
Take Care of Yourself: Give health a high priority. Exercise, eat
right, control stress and keep a positive attitude. Choosing your
lifestyle is a decision you alone can make – you get what you decide.
If you are a negative thinker, change your thinking patterns. Focus on
what is going right. How you react to a potentially stressful situation
makes a big difference in what happens to your body.
Be flexible: The ability to respond and adapt to change with ease
and resilience is a prized asset. Flexibility is both a habit and an
attitude. It is a way of thinking and acting. Do what you can to make
changes, yet recognize what you don’t have control over.
Develop support networks: Social networks are valuable in
providing help in balancing multiple tasks. Family members can help
with household chores. Divide projects into several tasks and recruit
help.
Schedule time for fun: Don’t leave it to chance that you’ll spend a
leisurely weekend with your kids, or go on a date with your spouse.
Mark fun dates on your calendar so you’ll have enough time to enjoy
life.
Written by: Amy Griswold, Family Life Educator, Macomb Center
For more information contact:
Margaret Larson, Director
University of Illinois Extension
Stephenson County
2998 W. Pearl City Road
Freeport, IL 61032
Ph: 815/235-4125
Amy Griswold, Family Life Educator
University of Illinois Extension
Macomb Center
480 S. Deer Road
Macomb, IL 61455
Ph: 309/836-2176
United States Department of Agriculture  Local Extension Councils Cooperating
University of Illinois Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment .