Caregivers know the struggles of time management al to well. Is your daily caregiver routine slightly chaotic? Whether you are a professional caregiver or a family member who has taken on the caregiver role, there are a few time management hacks you can employ.
Let’s explore 5 tips to get your schedule on track for the rest of 2018 and beyond!
Make Time Management a Priority in 2018
Is it getting harder to accomplish all your tasks? Are you having senior moments like your patient or loved one? Remember, this is all too normal for caregivers. You are definitely not alone! But take action to get tasks done and free up some time for you to distress.
1. Develop an Organizational System
Getting organized is the hallmark of efficiency and productivity. Caregiver tasks can add up quickly, but having a tidy way to organize everything you need to do, and the new things that pop up, is super helpful. This could be calendars (digital or paper), or a handy organization app. Take advantage of the technology you have at your fingertips to stay highly organized! For instance, Awesome Note and Trello are great organizational apps.
2. Write Everything Down (Or Type It)
Writing tasks down, appointments, things to do, ideas, important events, etc. can be extremely beneficial for improving time management. Did you know that some of the most successful people in the world keep notebooks with them and write everything down? For instance, Richard Branson keeps a notebook to this day. Caregivers need to be as successful, or even more successful than the average person, so write down everything!
3. Group Your Tasks Together
Now that you have an awesome organizational system in place, and you are writing everything down, you can begin grouping tasks together. Grouping tasks can save a ton of time and cuts back on switching costs. For example, if you need to schedule doctor appointments via phone, make all your calls together. If you need to do a few tasks in a specific room of the home, do them together. And so on.
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4. Organize Your Surroundings
Another important time management tip for caregivers is to have everything around organized and efficient too. It could be a filing system for your loved one or patient’s medical paperwork. It can also be something as simple as organizing clothing for the week, or meals. This organization can make things simpler as well. For instance, instead of trying to decide what clothes need to be worn that day, or what is for lunch, you have everything organized in advance. This streamlines the day, week, and month for both you and the one you are caring for.
5. Make a Daily Roadmap
Daily roadmaps can be a time management hack, keeping days in order, or at least in as much order as possible. Caregivers know that days do not always go as planned, but they can at least be planned. Schedule days in hour blocks to keep tasks, routines, appointments, and caregiver downtime on track.
Time management might not be in the caregiver conversation all that often. But it most certainly should be. Proper time management can create a great routine for your loved one or patient. It can also allow you to carve out time for yourself, which helps you fight against caregiver stress. How do you manage your time?