Hi Rebecca,
My answer: LISTS!
I have four kids, two in school, one in preschool, and one at home, so I know what you mean!
I had to actually sit down and schedule out my day. There are so many things that have to get done that I just wasn't fitting them all in. Here's what I did:
On a piece of paper, write down all the things you do EVERY day. For example, drive kids to school, make breakfast, make beds, dinner, etc, etc.
Next write out a list of things you do on a weekly basis, such as bethroom cleaning, changing sheets, menu planning, etc.
Now write down anything you do on a monthly basis (make batches of master mix, make up meatballs, grocery shop, etc)
Then pencil out your day by times. If you get up at 6 am and have a cup of coffee and read your email, then that's the first thing that goes on your list. Here's how mine looks:
6:00 - 7:00 Coffee, email, feed pets
7:00 - 8:00 make breakfast, get kids off to school
8:00 - 9:00 make beds, clear up bedrooms, start laundry
9:00 - 11:30 workout, pick up T.J. from preschool, run errands
11:30 - 12:00 make lunch, make sack lunches for next day
12:00 - 12:30 work with puppy on training
12:30 - 2:30 do a "weekly" and a "monthly"
2:30 - 3:30 check email and message boards
3:30 - 4:30 help kids with homework
4:30 - 5:00 pick up and vacuum
5:00 - 6:00 dinner
6:00 - 7:00 eat and clean up
7:00 - 8:00 spend time with kids
8:00 - 8:30 read with kids
8:30 - 12:00 work on computer
I stay pretty true to this list on a Monday-Friday basis. The weekends are not structured at all. LOL But at least my week is under control and noone is walking over a laundry pile. ;-)
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