Comments on: Time Management Tips for Parents

By: Joy

Joy — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 16:47:19 +0000

Wonderful article, as usual! Check out the Britax boulevard review.

By: Ellen C. Braun

Ellen C. Braun — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 16:03:11 +0000

Carla, I can totally relate. That's why the subtitle of Creating Hours is "Creating an Abundance of Time for the People and Things we Value Most" - it's so easy to keep procrastinating the important things in life when we're busy! Good luck with your new normal, and do come back and post tips work for you!

By: Carla

Carla — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 19:15:00 +0000

This is terrible, but I printed this article on February 11. It’s now April 21, and I finally carved out 20 minutes to sit in the sun on my (now shortened, after clearling off my desk!) lunch break. Like an ealier poster, I’ll need to read this article on a weekly basis, to make sure I get out of the unhealthy “grove” I’ve created for myself. I keep thinking “it’ll be calmer when…” and “just as soon as we accomplish this….” THEN things will be more organized, more tidy, there will be more opportunities to relax and ENJOY life (“being”, not “doing”) and, of course, tomorrow never comes. It’s past time to create a new “normal” for myself, one that makes *enjoying* life the priority! Thanks so much, Ellen.

By: Summer

Summer — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 04:07:03 +0000

This is great! I love the image of the woman chatting happily while pie bakes in the oven! I do have days like that- sometimes! We carefully have structured our lives so that there are few classes/deadlines/meetings (for different reasons…) and I’m so glad for that but I can see so much room for growth still.

I love the cockroach question and will be using that often!

By: connie

connie — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 01:03:46 +0000

Thanks, any help with time is great, looking forward to hearing about book. Nice to keep priorities!

By: Joyce

Joyce — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 04:02:42 +0000

This puts the power where it should be, in our home court. I tend to get out of breath when I feel the overwhelming need to strive for a clean and organized house, care for aging parent, volunteer, cook and eat healthy, exercise regularly, shop thrifty and green, make sure homework gets done, taxi kids to sports and school and on and on. Everyone wants to do things well, but in order do a few things well, you need to feel in control and to do that is to realize I am Only one mom, I can’t and shouldn’t have to do it all.

By: mara

mara — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 07:50:53 +0000

would love to be notified when your book is out!

By: Maria

Maria — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 03:21:41 +0000

Interested in the new book!

By: Heather

Heather — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 03:21:22 +0000

Adriane,
You are so on the mark about doing things to have fun but it gets so crazy you can’t enjoy it! I realized that this past summer when I had the kids scheduled for everything but it just made the summer go by all that more quickly…do we even remember what we did?

Definitely stop & breathe at every moment possible!

Here’s to living life in the present! Thanks Ellen for this reminder!

Heather, MD

By: tammy laughner

tammy laughner — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 02:23:43 +0000

I am sad to say, but THANK GOD I am not alone. So often I feel like I have so many good intentions of things I WANT to do but can’t because time gets away so easily. I work full-time; have 2 beautiful kids, 11 and 8. I have an amazing husband– and yet sometimes I feel like I can’t keep up. looking forward to the book!

By: Ellen C. Braun

Ellen C. Braun — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 19:33:15 +0000

Thanks for sharing, Nancy. All commitments and relationships require some level of risk and sacrifice. The trick is to figure out in advance if it’s something in line with your game plan and to choose consciously rather than automatically.

By: Tami

Tami — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 18:56:46 +0000

Thank you for this wonderful article. We all need this reminder.

By: Nancy

Nancy — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 16:25:49 +0000

Thank you for this great article. I work full-time and have two children in middle school and realized at some point that I need to say no to many of the commitments I once considered “musts,” and life is so much better. In addition to following the suggestion about asking yourself, “What will happen if I don’t do this?” I suggest also asking yourself, “What will I have to sacrifice if I DO?” In other words, if your days are already full, realize that saying yes and adding something new means carving that time out of something else. Will you have to spend less time with your children, clean less, sleep less, give up another activity, etc. to fit this in? If so, is this new thing worth it?

By: vy

vy — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 14:56:46 +0000

I am looking forward to your book. It is just my junior high daughter and I but we both suffer from depression and anxiety. I work 2 jobs and she is in 3 after school activities. Time management is probably the most pressing thing for us right now aside from money managment. My parents help with picking up and dropping off during the week so I can work but once we are home, we always feel the to-do-list never gets done as we, more often than not, DO take time to relax and decompress from our days. Then we are back at square one with things not getting done which for me brings more feelings of depression. If there is a way to accomplish taking care of home and family and work and self with limited time in the evenings and weekends, I am SO ready to try it!

By: Ellen C. Braun

Ellen C. Braun — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 14:41:26 +0000

Welcome to RSS, Abms:) I agree with you- it’s the fear of missing out that keeps so many of us stressed and harried. Until we choose to let go of some of the myriad of options that constantly confront us, it’s challenging to change our patterns of time.

By: Ellen C. Braun

Ellen C. Braun — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 14:39:46 +0000

Thanks, Laura, I remember the beautiful cover of my 4th grade book report on one of those Little House books!

There are many lessons to be learned from the past.

By: Ellen C. Braun

Ellen C. Braun — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 14:38:43 +0000

Saima, I’m so sorry about your stress. I do hope that working from 9am-6am was a typo, though!

Have you worked with a therapist recently? I’m wondering, just based on a quick read of your comment, if a few sessions of professional evaluations and therapy could transform your frame of mind.

In the meantime, breathe. And let go. As long as the laundry is clean, it need not be folded during busy times. Prepare simple and quick dinners in a crock-pot. Use disposable plates. I have more shortcuts in my upcoming book- however it’s important not to pressure yourself to be Martha Stewart during a busy phase of life!!

By: Ellen C. Braun

Ellen C. Braun — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 14:18:54 +0000

Laura, I seriously got chocked up reading your words.

I’ve made serious changes in my life recently, yet I can clearly recall being in the same boat- please post back here and let us know how the hot cocoa on the porch goes for y’all!

By: Julie

Julie — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 13:52:00 +0000

Great article! You always have such good advice.

By: Laura

Laura — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 13:18:21 +0000

When we bought the house we live in with the giant front porch, I imagined myself and
my four boys sitting on the porch in the summer drinking lemonade & playing games. In five years I’ve
done this once. There ALWAYS seems to be something else that should be done first.
Tomorrow we are going to bundle up and drink hot chocolate on my porch. Thank you
so much for this reminder. It’s more important than any cleaning…

By: jude

jude — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 12:40:01 +0000

brilliant article!! very timely for me. a lightbulb moment! thank you thank you thank you!

By: Ellen C. Braun

Ellen C. Braun — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 10:41:54 +0000

With so much to manage on your plate, it can be hard to feel like you have control, and perhaps even harder to believe that you really have a choice. Making the mental shift to seeing what you’re doing as your choice which you have chosen because it is important and valuable to you, can be empowering. It can lead you to make choices and changes that you may not have otherwise made (like doing something for yourself!).

By: Abms

Abms — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 06:55:12 +0000

I was forwarded this link by my good friend. I could relate to the article – I have a live-in helper and yet most days I feel stressed and harried. Too much choices and being fearful of missing out and trying to be the best mom and spouse is the problem with me. This article reminds me to re think my life and family goals and re align the activities we do with the goals. Thank you and looking forward to the new book.

By: Willis

Willis — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 05:51:38 +0000

The only time we have is to be exhausted. Three of our children are challenged. 1 with ADD, 2 are ADHD, one is also OD. We also have a healthy and active 5 year old. Finding windows of opportunity are nonexistant. We have to plan for behavoir issues with the kids anywhere we go. We still find postive moments, but they are few and far between. Appreciate your article, and we look forward to more from your book.

By: Saima

Saima — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 05:11:36 +0000

Thanks Ellen for such a nice article but it I feel more depressed after reading this. I am full time working Mom work from 9 am to 6 am and reaches at 7 pm. I have 3 kidz of ages 8, 4 and 13 months. I always try to spend some time with them, which I really do with my 13 month old, but haven’t got enough time for them even on weekends. On weekends i feel more depressed to finish all house chores including laundry of the whole week and preparing dinner for weekend guests (in laws) but it makes me too tired and cannot share sweet, loving and soft moments with my kidz. My kidz have become stubborn and and do not respect me and my hubby most of the times. Some times I wish I could be out of this home forever.