I didn't win.
Which is good, because as soon as I entered, I found myself thinking "When the heck am I going to find time to do this too?"
Really. I am thrilled I didn't win. And, even more thrilled that this fabulous blogger friend o' mine did!
When I told my friend Ty that I had entered the contest, she looked at me and said "Oh. No. You. Did. Not. How the hell are you going to commit to that too... did you forget you're getting married? The kids? This beloved hell-hole of employment bliss? School meetings? Easter? Upcoming Birthdays? Shall I go on?"
No. Not necessary. I think you can stop now.
I love her, I really do. She always has a way of verbally slapping me back to reality. She, like myself, believes that their are just not enough hours in the day. They key, we have both found, is good time management.
And multitasking.
Like a billion times a day.
Some of my better strategies include...
- Buying things when I see them, then tucking the receipt in the bag. As soon as I find that I don't need the item, or I need to exchange it, it goes into the car with the receipt. That way, when I'm out and about, I can return/exchange it without wasting time and gas.
- Keeping an on going list of things we're out of in my purse. Then if I have a spare 15 minutes, I can run in and grab those few items, kid free. Or, even better, when Almost Hubs calls and asks if he can pick up something, I can tell him, avoiding the store all together.
- Having the numbers of the gas/propane company, court house, doctor, school, etc. pre-programmed into my phone, so that when I'm driving around thinking, "Oh! I really need to call them..." I can.
- Combining my work schedule with my own personal errands. Don't tell my boss. For instance: Every Thursday I run the same mail route. I deliver mail into 2 grocery stores, 3 banks, 2 insurance companies, my propane company, 4 gas stations, 2 pharmacies, the Dollar Store, and the boy's elementary school. So, every Thursday, I plan all my banking, bill paying, check-ins at the school, and pick up last minute items at the grocery store. And if I happen to pick up a Red Box movie, I can return that as well.
- Never allowing down time at work. Other carriers stand around, complain, and take a million smoke breaks. Not me. Our office is 1/4 mile from a shopping plaza. You guessed it. Cat food, copies at the office supply store, a return at TJ Maxx? Done.
- Drinking my breakfast on the go. Love my Yopliat smoothies, they get me going without slowing me down. Kind of like Dunkin' Donuts... but without the gluten.
- Delagate. And, let things go. The kids really want to help, I just have to let go of the dishes being put away in the wrong place and the towels not being folded just right.
- I let the kids wash the car in the summer when it rains. They get soaked, can throw soap at each other, make a mess, and Mother Nature cleans it all up. I don't even have to pay for water.
So how about you my imaginary friends?
What fabulous time saving multi tasking tip you you swear by?
I could use some new ideas...
Multi-tasking tips?
ReplyDeleteI'll have to think on that one.
Although, I am feeding old bills and accounting stuff into the paper shredder as I check blogs!
Other than trying to cluster my trips out together there's not much else that I can do to consolidate on time. Now in the kitchen I tend to use up every last bit of what I am making. I take the bones from a rib roast and freeze them, yes, the leftover bones. I also keep the carcass of a whole roasted chicken. These I boil on the stove for several hours making my own broth/stock. At least I KNOW that it is gluten free!
ReplyDeletePortia - Yes. Time management is key for GF eating. I find that when I want meat balls for dinner, I make 3 or 4 lbs of them, then freeze them in small packets for "next time". I also freeze extra brownies, cookies, muffins, etc. for later. I've been known to defrost a GF brownie or bagel (wrapped in a paper towel) on the dash of the car while running the "defrost" heat. Crazy, but it works for a Mom on the go.
ReplyDeleteGina- thought for sure you'd say the crock pot :)
I prefer to drink my breakfast. A protein shake- banana, frozen berries, rice-or-soy milk, and egg white protein powder. I am not literally On the GO-ing somewhere .. but just getting our homeschool morning routine going, kids up, all the morning chores done--- it's a lot easier to just carry my cup around sipping it here and there.
ReplyDeleteI ride my bike to most local errands. doesn't save time really, but saves gas and gets me a little bit of exercise.
is rice GF? i've been curious, but too ADD to Google it.
and you are a mom and you are a blogger... so I'm confused.
AND-- can you make me a SteamPunk outfit for my next convention, in your spare time?
I think you would have made a great mommy blogger. But if you're happy, then I'm happy.
ReplyDeleteKimberly - I'd love to ride my bike to do errands, but currently it's still 23 degrees out, and oh yeah, I still don't have a bike (hint hint Almost Hubs)
ReplyDeleteAlmost all rice is GF. Unless you mix it with other things (like rice pilaf) you're good.
And No. I can't make you a Steam Punk outfit, not because I wouldn't love too, but because I can't afford to fly to CA for fittings. :) Sorry.
Sandra - Thanks. I love blogging, and I love being a Mom (really I do, stop laughing) but it's kind of nice to be able to write about any topic I want. and when ever I feel like it. So yup. I'm good. :)
Awww, thanks for the shout out and even though I am bummed that I don't get to work with you, I am happy that you're happy. I not exactly sure where I am going to find the time, either, lol, but I always find ways to make it happen.
ReplyDeleteAs far as multi-taking goes, I make dinners in advance. Like, if I am making meatballs, I make a triple batch & freeze 2 of them, so the following week, I just defrost & reheat them. I do the same with meatloaf (2 or 3 at a time) and I plan my menus out Sunday nights for the week and I've been known to cook things in advance (like chicken) and/or doing as much prep in advance as possible. I always find that dinner time is rushed unless I plan it out and get things ready ahead of time.
I was dishes with my underwear and socks, it saves laundry time.
ReplyDeleteThere's never enough hours in a day for me either, BUT sure makes one appreciate the times we now live in MORE.
ReplyDeleteWould NOT have wanted to walk in my great great grandparents shoes for one second.
I remember us having a ice chest and carrying large hunks of ice and emptying the pan under it so as not to have a flood on the floor.
No refridegerator. :0(
I remember pumping our daily water up on a hill and carrying it back to the house. :0(
I remember taking a bath in a galvanized tub set down on the kitchen floor.
I remember cold water flats. ( no hot water) :0(
I remember outhouses. ( Used many) :0(
I remember carrying what we called a Slop Bucket to the outhouse to empty it out after a nights use in the winter. :)( :0( :0( P U !
I remember wringer washing machines and getting my maternity top that I was wearing caught in the rollers. Not just ONCE either! :0(
I remember no electric irons and shoveling coal into a furnace for heat and, and, and, and.
Always makes me stop and think....bet those folks said the same thing. Not enough hours in their day either . :0)
Love my memories of then, but love my conveniences now with or without enough time in my day. :0)
Oh....and how about that one ....walked uphill to school, both ways. LMAO
I don't know how time saving this is but it is mind saving for me. My Hubby and I take turns doing the grocery shopping. We shop weekly but I shop on even months and he shops on the odd months.
ReplyDeleteAlso, my two Girls each cook dinner one night a week which includes coming up with the meal on their own and providing the list of ingredients needed.
These are less time savers and more stress savers for me...Oh, and I also pay all of my bills at the office rather than doing it at home.
really? rice can be so sticky I assumed it was a gluten food. but then read mention of rice being eaten somewhere that talked about GF(maybe here) and I wondered. thanks.
ReplyDeleteand I guess I might have to make my own Steam Punk outfit... or at least buy some cool goggles.