Time has a way of getting away from even the most efficient caregiver. But if you’ve been feeling particularly down about your time management there are some things you can do to work through what’s going on.
Keep a Watch or Clock Nearby
If you don’t wear a watch or have a clock that’s readily visible to you, you might want to change that. Being able to quickly and easily see the time gives you a chance to focus on how much time you’ve spent on various activities. Some of the tasks that seem as if they take a long time might not take as much time as you think. Likewise, there are tasks that take far longer than you suspect.
Use Alarms and Timers
Frequent reminders can help, especially if you’re on a tight schedule or you want to get really accurate about how long certain tasks take for you to accomplish them. Both can help you to stay on task, especially if you have a long list you’re working through. Timers can help you to make some boring tasks into a game, which might make them a lot more interesting.
Track How Long Tasks Take
If you’re really having a tough time estimating how long it takes to do certain things, track when you start and when you finish on scrap paper. Some experts even recommend spending a week to see how you spend every minute in your day. This might sound really difficult at first, but it’s an excellent way to get a full picture of where your time is going.
Check Your Mood
Something that you might not take into account is that your mood can affect how long it takes you to do certain things. When you’re feeling down or upset, you might find that it takes you longer than usual to perform routine tasks. On the other hand, when you’re having a great day, it might take far less time than you think to do the same tasks. Tracking your mood along with your time can help you to spot patterns.
Managing your time well can be the biggest key to improving your caregiving experience. You can go quickly from feeling overwhelmed and frustrated to being amazed at what you can accomplish each day. Using your time as well as possible can even free up your time as a caregiver to do more of what you enjoy doing.
If you or an aging loved one are consideringcaregivers in Eagan, MN, and the surrounding areas, please contact the friendly staff at CareBuilders at Home Minnesota. Call today 612-260-2273.
