Get a grip on your spare time!

Are you frustrated by the constant lack of time? These tips might help you with your planning.

What do you do and when do you do it? Create a daily or weekly "To-Do" list.

Prioritize. Write the most important things on your calendar. Invest in a day or a family planner.

Set clear, honest and realistic goals for yourself and write them down.

Have a weekly meeting with your partner (and/or kids). Talk about current affairs and new activities.

Enjoy the things you do, live in the here and now

Are there thing you don’t like to do or just don’t get around to…..delegate, supervise and let go! Say "no". You're one person, and you cannot do it all! Exercise your stress management techniques by saying "no" occasionally when asked to do things that are of least priority to you.

Stop pleasing others. Prioritize. Try this exercise: First contemplate the to-do list you're carrying in your head or your planner this very day. Now imagine that you're reading the list many years from now, moments before your own (peaceful) death. Which of the items on the list will you be glad you did? Which will mean nothing? If nothing on today's schedule offers soulful nourishment, write in some “me time”.

At the end of the day, stop for a minute and see what you did that day

Be kind to yourself. Pencil yourself in ... to YOUR schedule! Take some time out for yourself. In our obsessively busy society, you may be hard-pressed to convince family and acquaintances you need “me time”. Don't bother. Just excuse yourself, firmly, unapologetically, with minimum information. Say, "I'm sorry, I have an appointment at that time" or "Nope, I'm booked" or "I need 15 minutes alone."

Enjoy yourself. What makes you happy? Spending time in the garden? Seeing movies? Going to the spa? Playing sports? Evaluate yourself and what you like to do. Schedule some "me time" in that spiffy new planner you've got and treat it like an appointment. Although doing something such as gardening may sound like the least priority, it is something that relaxes you so you can keep up with all the other things. Everything has its own time. Make time for yourself.