In our last post, we discussed the first technique Daisy Dowling recommended to tackle the BIG challenge of working parenthood. In this post, we will move on to her second technique: Managing the Time Challenge.
The Second Technique: Manage The Time Challenge
Working parents have a lot on their plate, and it seems like there is not enough time throughout the day to comfortably cover and manage your endless list of things to do. In response to this never-ending list, you might have found yourself burning the midnight oil, color coding calendars, or any other technique to make everything fit in. While these techniques may have worked for you, it is not uncommon to say that they can make daily tasks feel too overwhelming to overcome. Thus, Daisy Dowling suggests taking a step back, pulling the time challenge up by the root, and leaning into the fact that you do not have enough time.
Here is how you can do this. Set aside 15 minutes at the beginning of your week. Grab last week’s calendar and to-do list and a red pen. Read over everything on your tasks list and your calendar, then when you see an item (meeting, obligation, etc.) that can be removed, delayed, revised, or addressed in another way (such as getting help from others), circle it. Realistically, there will not be a large number of things circled, but there will be some small bites of time that could be removed or delegated.
With these circled items, you should identify some themes of how you use or overuse your time. Consider patterns that reveal that you may be using your time ineffectively because you are driven to be perfect, please others, or unwilling to say ‘no’ to a task. With these insights in mind, pivot to your next week’s calendar and look for small bites of time that can be re-assigned.
If you did not find huge empty spots of time missing, that is okay! According to Daisy, this technique is used to help working parents find small bites of time that can win themselves back a small percentage of the time. For example, deferring a task that might have taken up 3% of your time could lead to two hours next week spent starting a new project, snuggling with your toddler, sleeping for an extra hour, or allowing more time to connect with your family.
If you are feeling overwhelmed or simply want to free up some more time for tasks you want to complete, refer back to this method and give yourself a chance to take back chunks of time!
Want To Learn More?
Click here to be redirected to Daisy Dowling’s Mothers Lead the Way video and follow along for the next series of techniques presented by Daisy Dowling.
Also, check out Daisy’s book, Workparent: The Complete Guide to Succeeding on the Job, Staying True to Yourself, and Raising Happy Kids.
References and Further Reading
Dowling, D. (2021). Workparent: The Complete Guide to Succeeding on the Job, Staying True to Yourself, and Raising Happy Kids. Harvard Business Review Press.