As a new parent, time management can feel like a losing battle. You do your best to plan and structure your days but there are just too many interruptions. You decide to get an early start but your baby keeps you up till midnight. You plan to complete that work assignment in the evening but find yourself dealing with extra laundry instead. How does a new parent cope with all those additional demands? Fortunately, there are solutions that can help you reclaim your time.
Work With Your Baby’s Schedule
Is the newest addition to your family an early riser? Plan around that morning wake-up call by scheduling your own activities in the afternoon and evening when your baby tends to be asleep. If you have a little night owl, take advantage of the quieter early morning to take care of things that will be harder when your baby wakes up. You’ll find life easier if you understand your baby’s natural sleep cycle and work with it.
Don’t Be Afraid to Delegate
Accept that nobody can be in two places at once or cope with a dozen tasks simultaneously. Recruit family members to share the load or hire outside help. Bring in someone to assist with the things you find most difficult: caring for the garden, heavy chores, and more physically demanding jobs around the home. Even if you’re a stay-at-home parent, arranging child care at least once or twice a week can give you a reliable time-slot where you can catch up on any tasks that you might not be able to complete with an infant in tow.
Get Online
The internet is a great source of time-saving solutions. Instead of dragging a fussy baby to the store, you can order your groceries online and have them delivered right to your door. Don’t forget to explore the power of your smartphone. As well as letting you jump online wherever you are, it’s also the ideal personal assistant. To-do lists and reminder applications are a great help to harried new parents who need to squeeze the most out of every hour. Keep your phone close by so you don’t miss any alerts or notifications.
Go Smart: Automate Your Life
A smart home can be really helpful to the time-pressed parent. Instead of dashing around setting light levels and thermostat temperatures, the installation of internet-enabled devices makes it simple to operate household appliances using a central control system. Smart devices use voice commands, smartphone apps, or virtual assistants to control everything from your HVAC system to the kitchen stove.
Internet-enabled robot vacuums can clean your house while you’re at work, while a smart refrigerator can track your purchases and remind you to buy groceries (or even order for you online). Some, like a smart thermostat, can even tell you when it’s time to repair or service your HVAC unit. This saves time and ensures that your to-do list isn’t cluttered with unexpected or unnecessary chores.
Finally, don’t forget to enjoy this special time with your new baby. Things may be hectic, but your baby’s first months are also very precious. By streamlining your life and being smart with your planning, you can make the most of every day.
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