Time Management Tips for Busy Parents
posted on Jul 30, 2024
Gurukul The School, one of the best schools in Ghaziabad, firmly believe that balancing parenting and a busy schedule can be challenging, but with the right time management hacks, it becomes much more manageable.
The National Library of Medicine recently disclosed some disturbing statistics. It said 47% of employed parents regret having "too little time" for their children. This is one of the most common concerns that many parents approach us with. As per research, it has been found that there are two reasons responsible for this unease. First, it is the parents' deep desire to spend maximum time in the company of their children. Second, parents fear children experiencing a loss of connection with them because of poor collective time and corresponding away time.
In this regard, we at Gurukul The School, one of the best schools in Ghaziabad, firmly believe that the problem isn't actually with being "busy" to the point where you don't have time. The real issue is your inability to prioritize and manage your time. So, to help our parent readers, we have brought forth in this blog post today some easy time management hacks. Read on.
Well, not literally, but we are talking here about that childhood habit of drafting timetables. Just make sure that this timetable focuses on your daily routine.
From the time you wake up in the morning to the point you go to bed at night, list all the activities in the timetable with dedicated time slots. Don't forget to add an hour or 30 minutes (in case of tight schedules) as "kids time" to your timetable. This shall work as an outcome-oriented hack to spend time with your children while boosting your productivity metrics.
We all know that the hustle culture of today is gradually taking life and happiness out of people. Parents are no exception. The reason that makes most parents think they are busy and always running around the clock is that they do not have a life independent of the hustle.
This is where detachment becomes crucial. Tiny changes like keeping weekends exclusively as family time can help overcome the time-constraint hurdle.
Busy parents and overworked parents are often the ones moving towards burnout, finding it difficult to balance their parenting duties. One of the reasons is their inability to focus on themselves. They are aloof to the concept of "Me Time." This prevents them from being fully available not just to themselves but also to their children.
This gap then blames reasons like "no time in hand" or "busy schedules." We believe this is where parents need to introspect and take time out to be in the present moment.
Through this blog post today, we at Gurukul The School would like to recommend all the parents to take out some “me-time” from your schedule. Engage in outdoor walks and meditation practices as these are great ways to help your mind be at peace. It has been seen that people who engage in these practices and take out time for self every day, are able to manage time better and comparatively have better relationships with their children.
There is a reason why we at Gurukul The School have used the word "invest" here. That’s because most Indian households take communication for granted. A lot also shapes up as a result of assumptions. While parents assume children will understand; children feel parents are putting up a cold demeanor.
This leads to unseen barriers forming between the parent-child relationships in question. This is where investing in thoughtful communication to ensure that time doesn't become responsible for a permanent disconnect with your child becomes crucial.
We understand there will be times when you are genuinely busy and do not know how time is running out. However, this is where you need to remind yourself and revisit your purpose. You need to understand that one of the key reasons you are working yourself up is to make your children happy. As such, if your children feel sad and go into a shell, your purpose will not see its logical conclusion. Would you like that to happen?
Sometimes revisiting the purpose works as a hack enough to get back on time, make on-point use of your time, and be available to your children and family.
Summing Up:
We at Gurukul The School, one of the best schools in Ghaziabad, firmly believe that balancing parenting and a busy schedule can be challenging, but with the right time management hacks, it becomes much more manageable. Start by prioritizing your tasks. Identify what needs to be done immediately and what can wait. This helps you focus on what truly matters. Delegate tasks whenever possible, whether it's sharing responsibilities with your partner or involving your kids in simple chores.
Setting realistic goals is crucial; avoid overloading your day with too many tasks. Instead, break larger tasks into smaller, achievable steps. Use tools like calendars and to-do lists to keep track of your commitments and deadlines. Most importantly, be flexible and kind to yourself. It's okay if things don't always go as planned. These strategies are not about being perfect but about finding what works best for your family. By incorporating these time management tips, you can create a more organized, less stressful, and more enjoyable family life.