There are only so many hours in the day to do all you need to get done. This can be especially true for family carers. It doesn’t matter what age you are, or what responsibilities you have: time-management is a key resource in helping reduce stress and anxiety, and meeting all your goals.

Here are some tips and tricks that you can use to better manage your time, and help reduce time-induced stress:

Make yourself a list

It can make even the most overwhelming tasks seem doable! When you feel swallowed up by all your responsibilities and goals, making a to-do or goals list can help solidify what needs to get done, and can help you sort out your priorities (as in, it’ll separate what needs to get done right now from the things that can get done later on). Plus it feels good to cross stuff off your list!

Set reasonable goals little by little

That list of things you need to do may seem daunting, but if you can tackle it little by little, you’ll end up managing your time and responsibilities in a more efficient and less stress-inducing way. Scrambling to get everything done at once can just lead to frustration and incomplete work, so try not to do everything in one go.

Get organized

Putting some time into organizing the environment around you can help you out a ton. If your office is too cluttered, or your room is too messy, the lack of order can make you feel like everything is too difficult to tackle. So, clean up and organize your environment: it’ll make you feel like it’s a fresh, new start and that you are now ready to face all you need to face head on. (Also, congratulate yourself after having organized everything with a nice candle or plant –a little gift from you to you is always appreciated!)

Know when you need help

Even with all the organizational tools in the world, sometimes your plate is too full to be finished alone. Not getting everything done alone may feel like a defeat, but it’s absolutely not! Recognizing that others may have resources that you don’t have and employing them in your life to make your tasks more manageable is a responsible and brave thing to do. Helping you from time to time won’t feel like a burden to your friends and family, even though you may feel like it is.

Consider your own work-life balance

Sometimes, there’s a lot that needs to get done in the same day. Between work, home life, relationships, and other responsibilities, it can feel like you’re spreading yourself too thin. Maybe, in this case, you need to reconsider and adjust your priorities. If that means reducing some hours at work for your own health, or speaking to your loved ones to explain that you may not be able to hang out or see them as much as they want, do it. Put your own needs first, sometimes!

– Nazila Tolooei

From Share & Care Spring 2024

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