Time Management: Black Holes

I do good thinking at breakfast, so while the kids and I dined on cereal (dry Cheerios only for Charlie) the other day I wrote up a list of things I could do to help me my days in order:

And since Photobooth took this mirror style for some reason, here is what it says:

• eliminate black holes (metaphorical, not literal)
• have a (flexible) schedule
• make a list
• say no when you need to
• stay on task (or don't multi-task)
• plan ahead
• finish what you've started

After I wrote up that list, I left it sitting on the table because I really didn't want to deal with step number one very much because it is just so fun to click around on Pinterest all the time! But today I'm ready to get started. (Well tomorrow I guess, since today is already part-way over?)

Eliminating Black Holes


Design Mom has been posting about having a good Work-Life Balance, and the tip that hit me was to get rid of what she calls the "internet black hole." The internet is definitely a black hole for me--it sucks me in and before I know it all the time I'd mentally allotted to doing the dishes has been spent perusing blogs and window shopping for new bedding for our room (still haven't found the one for our room anyway...).

So my goal for this week (and part of next, I guess) is to really limit my internet time. I'm going to pick a few times a day that I can surf, and other than that, no dice. Here is how I'm planning to accomplish that:

1. Keep my computer closed except during the appointed times.
2. Keep a pen + paper list of things I want to look up/email/etc. so I don't feel pressured to do it right away.
3. Replace some of my "fun" or "bored" time on the internet with other fun things like working on my stash of crafts, taking the kids out, or reading something fun.
4. Get off when I find myself searching for things to look at (no need to check facebook more than once!)