Achieve Work-life Balance with APIA and Metromom.com
Metromom.com is the definitive online source for working, family-minded mothers. Au Pair Experience is delighted to now feature monthly articles by the site’s creator, Kim DeYoung. This installment is entitled “Get More Done with a Simple Kitchen Timer.” Enjoy!
Get More Done with a Simple Kitchen Timer
When you're a working mom and you have kids, you're constantly conflicted. On one hand, you feel like you're never able to get caught up on the housework. On the other hand, you feel like you’re not spending enough time with the kids. So how do you get it done without stressing out?
Here's one simple tool I use, and the truth is that each time use it, I'm amazed by its brilliance and wonder why I don’t use it more often.
In a world of high tech gadgets, this tool is the wonderfully simple kitchen timer. It has some pretty great benefits:
It provides a sense of urgency. Often I have multiple projects going, and if I'm not careful, I can flit from one to another not accomplishing much. The "kitchen timer days" help me get and stay in a groove. The timer keeps me focused and moving along. When I know the timer is counting down, I work quickly without distraction.
It keeps me accountable. I can’t wander off from getting my work done. If I did and the timer went off, I'd know I didn’t keep my end of the bargain. I find the longer I give myself to complete a project, the longer it takes.
It's tangible. How many times have I said to my kids "just give me 5 more minutes" and then an hour later I'm still working? My kids know to watch the timer and that I’m all theirs when it gets to zero.
It teaches them time management. My kids are learning time management, too. I use the timer for them to clean their rooms, focus on homework, or enjoy playtime before beginning their homework.
Try it and see if it works for you.
Kim DeYoung is the original Metromom - a driven, evolving woman committed to caring for her family, nurturing her career and achieving success on her own terms. Dynamic, creative, and eminently entrepreneurial, Kim is the founder of Metromom.com and The Metromom Entrepreneurs Association. Kim left a career in the fashion industry to design a work/life balance on her own terms and now helps other women do the same.
Visit Kim and MetroMom online at www.metromom.com
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