How To Better Manage Your Time & Calendar Printables

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Here it is the end of July – this summer went so fast, but I’m pretty sure I say that every summer. Now that my son is entering high school, it’s gotten even crazier since he has practice for marching band every single day, 9 hours a day a solid two weeks before school even starts. It’s very demanding but I think a very rewarding experience as well. Of course that’s not the only thing we’ve got going on. There’s still karate, and there will be homework since it is high school. I’ve got my “day” job and this blog to run. Hubby has work, our daughter (almost 5) has her activities and of course we’ve still got to fit in family time, fun and friends right? Some weeks I feel like there’s no way I can keep it all together and I am very reliant on planners, calendars, and to-do lists. I swear I’d be lost without them.

Something else I’d be lost without… A versatile computer that solves the problems of the world…errr…I mean meets the needs of my crazy busy family. Obviously we all have very different needs and we all need different functionality so I have actually been considering getting a computer for each person, but I also kind of felt like that was overkill so I’ve sought other solutions and HP has got this figured out.

On my most recent weekly trip to Walmart I decided to check out their computer selection and I never really realized it before, but they have a pretty amazing selection of HP computers. I’m a big HP fan because I’ve always gotten great results with their computer and printer products so it’s a brand I tend to gravitate toward. While I wanted something that the entire family could benefit from, I also love it when there’s something fun, funky or unique about a product and this all new HP Camo Special Edition laptop really fits my family perfectly. With the latest Intel® processor and plenty of storage it gets work done for mom, homework for the high schooler, and the crisp HD screen makes that game play ability for my husband, and video streaming for my pre-schooler is no problem. We’re super outdoorsy and a camping, hunting, fishing family so the fun theme combined with portability and affordability, basically sealed the deal on this.

Having a single device that’s also portable will help my family do two things, 1) it will be a huge help in eliminating the waste of precious time that could be spent doing something more productive and 2) once the works done, it gives the family a device that will also promote creativity and fun. That sounds like a win-win to me. In addition to having a very functional computer that works for the whole family though, there are a few other things I try to do, especially once we get back to school, that help me manage my time better.

BTS Time Management Tips

• Two minute tasks. This is a rule I apply at the office and one I also try to apply at home. Basically, if a task can be completed in two minutes or less, you just do it and get it out of the way. At home this would mean tasks like wiping down the kitchen counters, taking out the garbage, feeding the dog or throwing a load of towels in the wash.  You get these small, less complex things out of the way so that they don’t pile up and become huge burdens later on.

 

• Whether you work from home or from somewhere outside the home, or maybe like me you do both, start your actual work right away, or at least within five minutes of sitting down and switching on your computer and getting yourself organized.  Half an hour or an hour wasted here on procrastination or distractions adds up quickly…no Facebook, I can’t…I’m trying to work.

 

• If you use social media as part of your business, try a scheduler to schedule some of your posts, tweets, etc. in advance. You can take an hour of time and schedule an entire week’s worth of posts with will save you several hours in the long run…because let’s be honest, once we jump on to send out one tweet or a status update, we’re going to get up in the time suck that is social media. It’s a blessing and a curse and for those of us using it for professional reasons, we have to learn how to use it in a productive manner so that it remains beneficial as a business tool.

 

 

 

• Calendars and/or lists. As I mentioned before I live by them, but even if you’re not quite as reliant as I am on them, it’s not a bad idea to jot down your family’s weekly obligations each Sunday and post it somewhere central in the home. That makes it easy for everyone to know where the others are and if cars, parent’s or computers must be shared, it makes it easier coordinate when everyone knows what’s going on. Print your own weekly calendar to keep track of your family’s comings and goings here.

 

If you like your HP computer like my family does, be sure to visit Walmart to share your thoughts! Encourage other families to shop smart this back to school season with your online review and then tell me, what’s your biggest time waster? What do you need more time for in your day? How would HP computers help you meet some of your families time management goals? Let me know in the comments below and thanks for reading!