Miley Cyrus, Multi-Tasking & Time Tips

I am so excited to embrace time saving tips and secrets.  Today was a jammed packed day, which was not super productive, and I realized why AFTER the fact.  But just to illustrate the faults with my day, I’ll explain Romeo’s guitar practice. 

I’m "suppose" to facilitate a practice with him 5 days a week, his teacher comes once a week and he gets a “day-o-rest”.  I’m “suppose” to be fully present during practice, no matter how many minutes it does or doesn’t take.  I’d say right now we are lucky to hit 4 days a week of practice, and I’m lucky if I’m genuinely engaged twice.  Terrible to admit, but he goes into the studio, and while he’s setting up his guitar and turning on the amp, I’m checking my work emails, and then he starts in on this practice and I sometimes do NOT put my phone down…mostly because I’ve been inefficient some or most of the day so I am trying to multi-task at the wrong time.

Anyway, today, I’m looking at my emails, totally engrossed in that, when all of sudden I realize that Romeo is playing Star Spangled Banner, but SINGING Miley Cyrus’s Wrecking Ball song (insert major 6 year old rock out emotion).  See what I almost missed? FYI, the wrecking ball song does NOT pair well with the notes from Star Spangled Banner, It literally hurt my brain to listen to that combo.  Miley Cyrus....really?
 
So that is illustrative of bad multi-tasking (and bad parenting). 
 
BUT…here’s just a handful of great time tips passed on from you smart people.......

1. Double recipes : So simple, but I forget this one. Every weekend John cooks something labor intensive at least once. Bolognese, or his famous meatballs (which somehow take ½ a day to make). Why we aren’t doubling and freezing I have no idea. Easy time saver.
2. Create a gift box. I use to do this when the kids were younger and always going to birthday parties and somehow got out of the habit but It’s SO nice to need a little “something” and just be able to grab it. Hostess gift, quick thank you gift…makes it awfully easy to be thoughtful and saves you from running out to find something (and inevitably it’s at the worst possible time, like 5 p.m. on a Friday).
3. Plan your outfit. Simple, but definitely makes the mornings way easier.
4. Delegate:  Again, simple, but there are a lot of things that you can delegate that sometimes you just don’t even think about. They say good delegation is the key to good management. Since women are usually managing many areas at once, it would seem to follow that we can apply delegation to all of them and save ourselves some time.
5. Laundry help:  Sort laundry in large mesh bags, one for lights one for darks (and give them to each kid). Throw entire bag in the wash, and dryer, and they are responsible for folding.  It would work great for older kids! I didn’t even realize they made super big mesh bags for wash, but they do.
6. Amazon Prime, Amazon Fresh or Amazon Pantry: So many options. All allow you to order basic household or food items, get them delivered, quickly, and foAmazon Prime, Amazon Fresh or Amazon Pantrr free if you subscribe to Amazon Prime. I actually am pretty good at using the subscription program at Amazon, although you have to pay attention because if you don’t you end up with no toothpaste, but 10 jars of dandruff shampoo. Amazon will remind me to double check my order in early in the month, I just tend to ignore it which turns out, is not smart.

I think I am going to add, “double duty clothing” as a time saving tip. It’s really great to find pieces that can go from day, to cocktail hour seamlessly. I’m sort of crazy about the new Curator pieces. The top, in it’s rich turmeric (super striking color), can be worn with jeans, but if you wore it tucked into high waisted black pants, or black jeans at night, with great heels…you’ve got a fantastic outfit. In fact, I’d wear that blouse with black jeans and flat black boots to pick up the kids, and go out that night in the same outfit, but kick off the boots and throw on heeled ankle boots and my beaded cross body mini-purse.  Easy.

Keep the great little tips coming, they are fantastic!  (just click here to send us yours)!

Signed, ME {lv}