Nothing can put things into perspective than a book that really knows how to tick the boxes and tell you what to do when you or your life really isn’t ticking the boxes you need it to.
That’s why we love Time Management for Manic Mums, by Allison Mitchell (grab yourself a copy from Amazon, or WHSmiths). The chapter, ‘The Seven deadly Sins of Time Management’ resounds with many people, not just working mums – here they are:
No. 1: Impatience
You’d be forgiven for thinking that this is about not giving enough time to loved ones, or always being in a rush, but this is about not allowing yourself to enjoy what you’re actually doing. Your mind wonders from one thing to another, and you just can’t seem to relax.
No. 2: Guilt
You know you have to work, or you have to prioritise one task over another, but while you’re busy working, you’re always thinking about something else you should be doing…what’s the point?
No. 3: Knowing no Boundaries
Do you find it hard to switch from ‘mummy’ to ‘businesswoman’ or ’employee’? If so, you need to define the boundaries – especially if you work from home. Learn to switch off from one mode to the other and make life much easier for yourself and those around you.
No. 4: Bad language
No it’s not the F-word, or other variants. This is when you tell yourself that you’re really busy, or that you have no time, or any other negatives. what this does is make you feel like you don’t have enough time to do anything, and because you’ve said it, to becomes a reality (self-fulfilling prophecy).
No. 5: Gluttony (Always saying ‘yes’ to more)
We all need to learn to say ‘No’ – some more than others. If you’re constantly being dumped on. you really should read our guide: Stop being dumped on: saying “No!” and being assertive, as it will help you get just the right balance you need in your life.
No. 6: Treadmilling
No – this isn’t about going to the gym…it’s about growing bored of the mundane things in your life that you just can’t get the motivation to work on, until it all piles so high up that they become a real chore.
No. 7: Lust
No, it’s not about having a crush on the new IT guy. This is about about constant distractions and not concentrating on the task at hand.
Solutions
So just how do you overcome all these sins and cleanse yourself for a better you? Mitchell has many remedies, but the main are:
- Meditation and relaxation
- Exercise
- Having a presence
We obviously can’t reproduce the entire book here on Mother Who Work, but you can find some useful articles we have on the site to help you.
