When it comes to being a woman who has to look after both office and home, the need is to strike the perfect balance. Being a woman means you are gifted with an inherent ability to multi task, whether it is natural or acquired. Since you are a mother and a wife too, it means that all you must do should be as close to perfection as it can be. Whether you live in a joint family system or independently, you will be relied upon to carry out main tasks of your household and if you are a working woman, that gives you no relief as well.

In all your roles as a successful woman, the primary skill that will help you is time management. Time management goes hand in hand with “prioritizing” your tasks. Follow these simple steps to improve your time management skills.

Start your day early

The number one step to having a positively constructive day is to wake up a little earlier than you normally would. Start it on a positive note, making a mental to-do list for the day. You will be surprised to see how much this simple addition to your routine will declutter your mind as well as your day. Try to decide which tasks should be done sooner than later.

Try to think of some positive, health oriented activities to do to start your day, like, for example, going for a refreshing morning walk. A positive morning sets the tone for a positive day ahead.

Be chore-smart!

By being “chore-smart”, we mean try to look for optimized way of doing your daily household chores. For example, try easy to cook, quick recipes while not compromising on the health factors of that meal a well. If you can multitask certain tasks at home, do so. If you can replicate this idea of multi tasking at work place also without compromising the quality of your work, then by all means, do so.

One more such example is, if you have dishes in the sink or any other chore that seems like a drag in the evenings, do it in the morning, provided you wake up early enough before you go to work. You will be amazed at how much free time you will have with your family in the evenings that way.

Plan your to-do’s

So many small tasks keep coming up during the week. If these tasks can wait till the weekend then do so. Do not make the weeknights hectic by burdening yourself with small, less important to-do’s every other day. For example, plan out your groceries in such a way that frequent trips to the store can be avoided till the weekend. Stock up properly on stuff that can last you for a week or two, except, of course, for the perishables.

Be mindful at work

When at work, leave your home aside. Your mind should be completely focused on your work so that you earn the respect of your colleagues and those around you. Be dedicated and responsive at all times and commit to all your timelines. While being professionally focused, always try to build healthy working relationships with your peers and colleagues and offer help where you can.

Start saying no

While maintaining good work relations with your colleagues, also practice saying no when you unable to offer help. This is not saying don’t go the extra mile for others, but with so much on your plate, be practical where you can pitch in for someone or not. Your own professional commitments and timelines should come first as you are the one responsible for them!

Don’t forget your personal time!

Being a woman is hard (but rewarding!) job. With so many responsibilities on your shoulders, do not forget your own well being. Once a week at least, take out time for your own self. Keep some hobbies and do not let the daily grind make you forget your own health and happiness. If you are healthy, you will be able to deal with your duties nicely; if you are happy, you will be able to keep those around you happy also.

Ask for help

Don’t hesitate to ask your family members to help you where they can. Not only will it keep you from being overworked, but it will also help in family bonding. Your spouse and children will understand and appreciate the things you do for them when they get to try it with their own hands once in a while.

By prioritizing your daily tasks both professionally and personally, enjoy everything from work to being a homemaker. With these small steps you will be well on your way to leading a more organized and constructive lifestyle. Continue to improve and polish on time management and keep taking your skill of optimizing your life with baby steps and this will take you far.