Time Management Techniques To Reduce Stress

Does looking at your long seemly never-ending to-do list send cause you to have a panic attack? Working and homeschooling at the same time is no walk in the park. You need time management techniques to reduce stress.

Even if you know all the time management tips for busy moms and use them, there will be times that you feel overwhelmed and stressed out by all that you need to do.

Working moms like you, who homeschool their children, face a unique set of challenges in juggling work, parenting, and education.

When it comes to time management, a planner is an essential tool. However, time management techniques are more than checking off boxes.

Effective time management techniques can reduce stress and increase productivity.

It’s important to see how time management techniques can help reduce stress for you. I’ll also share five time management techniques you can start using today to help reduce stress.

How Can Time Management Techniques Help Reduce Stress?

Time management techniques can help reduce stress by providing structure, reducing the feeling of being overwhelmed, and bringing much-needed peace.

When you don’t have good time management skills, you end up racing the clock to get everything done. If you tend to procrastinate, you end up putting tasks off until the last minute, causing panic.

I don’t know about you, but I hate that feeling of drowning in tasks, not knowing where to start.

A lot of moms come to me for time management help. Most days, I feel like I know what I am doing, but that doesn’t mean I always have it together.

This usually happens when I forget to check my homeschool planner before saying yes to taking on too many tasks or when I forget to plan my week and have no idea what is going on.

When that happens, I must step back and use time management techniques to reduce stress.

5 Time Management Techniques To Reduce Stress

Time management is an important aspect of reducing stress in our daily lives.

Remember, time management is a continuous process, especially when you are homeschooling, and you may need to adjust your techniques as your priorities and schedule change.

Here are some techniques that can help you manage your time more effectively.

1. Remember Your Why

When you first start homeschooling, you start with your why. What is your reason for homeschooling?

You start with that question because understanding why you are doing something makes it easier to make decisions that align with your purpose.

When it comes to the tasks on your to-do list, take the time to ask why that specific thing needs to be done, especially if this is one of those tasks you keep putting off.

• Why are you avoiding this task?
• Does this task need to be done by you?
• Does this task need to be done at all?
• Is it relevant to the overall goal?

Use these questions to figure out why you are doing the task.

You may find a new motivation to get the task done instead of putting it off when you realize how that task fits in with the overall goal.

2. Take Note Of Your Energy Patterns

When it comes to working and homeschooling, it is really important to manage your time and energy.

As you go about your day, take note of when you have the most energy and when it starts to fade.

Then plan your day to take advantage of these patterns. For example, if you are wide awake in the morning and in the zone, plan to tackle tasks that take a lot of energy or concentration.

But if you find yourself slow to wake up, plan to tackle mindless tasks instead. In the free planner pages, I provide a time-blocked daily planner page that will help you plan your day.

This time management technique can help you identify your energy patterns and use them to your advantage if you structure your day accordingly.

Of course, there are times you can not choose when a task happens, but if you are aware of your energy patterns, you can work at improving your concentration and focus.

3. Break Tasks Down

Breaking down large tasks into manageable chunks is one of the best time management techniques to reduce stress.

Large tasks often feel overwhelming. Learning to take a big project and break it down into smaller steps spread out over a few time blocks or days can help you get the task done.

You do this by:

• Identifying the goal.
• Create a list of all the steps needed to get from the starting point to the end goal.
• Estimate how long each step will take.
• Take note of any steps you need to ask for help, gather more information, or delegate to others.
• Set deadlines for each step.

Note: When talking to my daughter, she told me this list of small tasks feels overwhelming too. If that is the case, I recommend starting with one step.

Using an online time management tool like Trello can help reduce the stress of seeing all the steps at once.

4. Set time Limites

When you set time limits on your tasks, it allows you to focus on that one thing and builds momentum and motivation.

For example, if you are avoiding doing a task such as answering emails or emptying the dishwasher, set a timer for 10 minutes and do knock it out.

You might not get it all done, but you will make progress on the task. At the end of 10 minutes, decide to keep going or move on to another task.

This time management technique reduces stress because you know you have 10 solid minutes to dedicate to the task.

Lastly, by assigning time limits, you can decide if you can realistically get the task done in the allotted time or if you need to ask for help.

5. Create Routines

Do you have routines that help you get things done?

Humans are creatures of habit. By creating routines around your own energy patterns, it becomes much easier to focus and be more productive.

The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.

– John C. Maxwell

Routines are flexible while providing a way to organize your day.

For example, I have a morning routine where after I get my cup of coffee, I pick up my planner and look at my to-do list for the day. I grab a lined sticky note and re-work that list, pick my priorities, and create a plan of action for the day.

This is one of my favorite time management techniques to reduce stress because I now have a clear plan of action based on how I feel that day and what needs to be done.

It’s less overwhelming because I know the top priorities and what I need to chip away at to meet the goals for the day and week.

All of this reduces stress for me.

Create a routine that is based on your personal needs. Pick one to start with, and then add another routine once you get that in place.

Time Management & Stress Resources:

Time management techniques to reduce stress include learning how to manage your stress and figuring out how you are using your time.

• A Stress Mastery Super Mini Course For Busy Moms
• Time Management Skills Are Vital For Working Moms
• Tips For Managing Expectations As A Working Mom
• How To Stop Wasting Time
• How To Be More Productive
• Time Management Strategies For Overwhelmed Moms

Which of these time management techniques to reduce stress will you try today?

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