Make a Time Budget
The first step in successful financial budgeting is to spend time figuring out where your money is going. Money and time are more alike than we care to realize - unless you're a bazillionaire, there is probably a limit on your finance, and we all know even the most leisurely of people only have 24 hours in a day. Time is a limited resource: Spend some of it figuring out where you're spending the rest of it.
To make a time budget, for the next week write down everything you do and how long you spend doing it. Keep track of it in your phone or a notebook in your purse or something. Take a good look at how you are using your time - does it reflect your priorities? Do you even know what your priorities are - as a wife/husband/partner/parent/family? When you have kids, your priorities cease to be exclusively your own. Maybe you could sit down with your spouse, or call a family meeting to come up with a list of what is truly important and how you can all use your time to reflect where you're going as a family.
Carve out time for yourself
As a parent, you probably feel guilty taking time for yourself. With a time budget you can factor in time every day for some solitude - think outside the box! If you are a stay-at-home parent, learn to put down the laundry basket for 15 minutes and grab a cup of coffee while the kids are at school. Maybe you could schedule in a walk every day - with a dual purpose of getting exercise and clearing your head. If you are a working parent, take advantage of the commute to and from work. Whether you are in the car or public transit, learn to "switch off" and enjoy the solitude rather than complain about the traffic. There are little windows in every day, if you just look for them! Sometimes they may be as simple as going to the bathroom without a toddler following behind you. Whatever they are, own them!
Learn to say, "No"
Have you guys seen that movie Yes Man? The concept behind it is a club of people who have to say YES to every opportunity that comes their way. At first, it is terrifying. Then it becomes really liberating, and the characters realize that they are introduced to a whole world of possibilities when they step out of their comfort zone. Until finally (spoiler alert!) the characters realize that when they are bound to saying YES, they become worn out. Moral of the story? Everything in moderation. You may find happiness in saying YES to some things, but saying YES to everything is not likely to be beneficial to yourself - and especially your role as a parent. What is more important? Pleasing "people" or raising your kids with your full attention? Take inventory of your commitments - are you over committed? Are you under committed? Are you spending your time on things that reflect your family's priorities?
Schedule in down time
Is your life one activity to the next? Do you find yourself ferrying kids all over town every day after school? No wonder you're stressed out! Chances are, your kids are probably pretty stressed out too. Take a look at your time budget, and have a think about your kids' time budgets. Are you all doing too much? Do you ever have time to come home, kick off your shoes and relax? Maybe you should try it sometime! Do you have time to spend with your kids making dinner, going for a walk, gardening or baking? Constant scheduled activity is a danger of modern urban life. Try and develop a home-life. You might just find it helps you to slow down and simplify.
Think about where your time is going. Manage it. And stress less.
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