Our recent Contest “The Hour Glass” evoked an enthusiastic response! There were so many entries that were really good, and deserved prizes! Arlette, Rita, Revathy, Rehana, Vijaya Lakshmi, Ankita and others sent in some very useful tips But unfortunately, we could only pick two prize winners! However the bonus is, that all entries will be showcased online under your name. Of course we also had 5 early bird prizes winners…

First Prize- Rs. 1000 – Ms.Chandrima Pal

Second Prize- Rs. 500 – Ms. Maithreyi Mohan

Early Bird Prize Winners…

Vijaylakshmi
Arlette
Rita
Ayesha
Rehana

First Prize: Chandrima Pal
I was always a very spontaneous person with not much intention for pre-planning or time management. Although I could overcome school and university pressure with my non planned nature due to lots of family support but living far away from parents and relatives in a distant foreign land for years with a child to look after, a demanding job to work upon and lots of house chores and social events to be attended I have unknowingly started depending on some effective time management skills. While juggling through the busy days these tips provide me some silent and secure moments of my own.
1. Dairy: Keeping a small diary containing all important phone numbers from, work colleagues, close friends, Doctors, School, Baby sitter, nearby takeaways and restaurants, and taxi depot and so on. This helps to contact with the baby sitter on getting late at work or to make an appointment with the doctor during emergency, saves a lot time on searching and reduces stress.

2. Strategic Scheduling: Having a wall calendar with day to day spacing where the important activities like conferences, appointment with doctors, examinations, invitations, and birthdays are filled out for the whole family in the beginning of the month. Detailed time scheduling for each day are then done on weekly basis. This allows everybody to know about each other schedules and helps all the members of the family to effectively coordinate with each other. Additionally personal dairy/Online calendar (e.g. Google Calendar) can also be used by each family member to enter all the activities.

2. ‘To do’ list: Hanging a shopping list on the wall of the kitchen and filling it up over the week saves a lot of time thinking about what grocery and other essential items we need to buy during weekend shopping. Similarly a ‘To do’ list on the office table for the whole day or before the beginning of a new project prevents lots of stress and confusion at work. Same approach can be taken for children’s daily activities chart containing small symbols (for small children) of their activities so that they can understand.

3. Selectively Procrastinate or Prioritize: Follow the rule of 80:20 (or Pareto’s principle) i.e. if thought carefully over our daily work schedule we will find that 20% of our daily work schedule is most important and can give us 80% of value , satisfaction or earnings. Over the weekdays it is not necessary to go for shopping or vacuum cleaning every day or clean the closet or to chat with the neighbor or friends on phone for long hours.

4. Separate office and home: During working hours trying to concentrate on office duties and keeping a fixed time of 30 minutes for personal mails, social networking, telephoning home or to husband provides a sense of responsibility fulfillment and same approach at home helps to wipe of the guilty of not being there for long hours.

5. Delegate: It is most difficult task but very effective for time management. At work try to delegate some works to your subordinates or colleagues instead of looking after about all the details of a given project. Ignore being perfectionist and avoid being critical for small mistakes. At home also cooking, cleaning, and dusting, when done together allows a lot of family time for sharing thoughts, jokes and laughter.

6. Cooking two meals at a time: Always try to cook little extra to use it twice or two prepare some thing else form the leftover. For example while cutting various vegetables to cook mixed vegetable curry keeping some sliced vegetable in deep freeze can be useful to make vegetable Chow mein for next days evening snacks. While preparing boneless chili chicken, a portion of marinated chicken can be kept and can be baked later as chicken nuggets by sprinkling some flour, crushed cornflakes and peanuts on them. Left over mutton kebabs can be sliced into small pieces and mixed with cucumber, tomato, onions and olives as a filling for pita bread or mutton roll.

7. Using waiting time: Keeping a magazine or interesting book of short stories in hand bag can provide real good time while sitting in the waiting room of the dentist or other doctor or while traveling in train.

8. Using weekends: Few hours of a weekend can be used for arranging the clothes needed for the whole week by all the family members. This saves a lot of time in the morning rush hours. Children above 4 will have fun in choosing their own clothes, socks and other accessories. Some extra meals can be prepared and frozen for weekly dinners. Dry snacks like nuts, biscuits or crackers can be arranged in small boxes to be used as snacks for children/parents at school/office.

9. Proper organization: Using properly named and labeled file management system for office cupboards and computer saves lots of searching time. It is necessary to take back ups of computer data in regular intervals to avoid harassment from any accident or data loss. At home also organizing and keeping specific place for all items saves lots of time in hurry. Like shoes always in shoe rack, mobile phones, keys, cards in special place. Library books/ CDs or DVDs once read, heard or seen should be kept in a special bag or place. Medicines should always be in the medicine cabinet and out of reach from children. Craft and art material needed by children can be kept in particular container and should be used only at writing/craft table. Tea and breakfast arrangements in a separate place can save a lot of time searching things in the morning.

10.Non perfectionism: Sometimes (especially after finishing a deadline or a big task or during holidays) it is essential to let go all the pressure, stress and time management strategies just to attain relaxation. It is essential to regain energy for the next schedule by spending sometime in utter laziness. It is alright if amidst of our 24/7 work schedule we don’t feel like cooking sometimes or once in a while if we don’t run after our children if they don’t brush their teeth after dinner.

Second Prize: Maithreyi Mohan
As a working woman I've often wished I had ten hands instead of two and even that would not suffice. However, with experience and tips that I gleaned from successful women I saw around me , I have arrived at my own secret 'mantra' for time management , which have made me the object of both admiration and envy . 'How is it you can pack so much into one day, I've often been asked. Here are my ten secret tips:

1. GROUP JOBS TOGETHER This is popularly known as 'multi-tasking'. A lot of time gets wasted in doing one chore at a time. By this I do not mean that you should cook with one hand and feed the baby with the other and carry on a conversation on the phone with the phone tucked into the crook of your neck. For instance, I generally chop my vegetables for the next day while supervising my children at play in the backyard. I've often listened to my favourite Carnatic music songs and slokas while cooking. This gives me a chance to find time for my slokas and music on a busy workday and also ensures that good vibrations go into the food I am preparing--- for it is said that the mood of the person cooking finds its way into the food. Again to multitask you could wash the wash basin immediately after you brush your teeth so that the basin remains spic and clean even if anybody were to walk in suddenly. I've often done my ironing for the week while I talk to my friends on the phone and kept up my busy social network, without sitting for hours on end by the phone at the cost of pressing housework which in the process remains unfinished.

2. ALLOT CHORES TO YOUR CHILDREN 'Real caring is sharing', in my opinion. Even your small kids can help. Everyday, my eight year old ties up the mouth of the garbage bag with a rubber band and takes it to the rubbish bin provided at the back of the house. He then puts a fresh bag for the rubbish bin My older child makes his own bed and also the bed of the youngest one, everyday. The toys and books that they take out have to be put back by them before they go to bed. This ensures you are not wasting time doing the same chores and picking up after the kids or an untidy spouse again and again.

3. I NEVER TRY TO BE 'SUPERMOM'. Many women make the mistake of thing they are superwomen. I chalk out out my day with what I can 'really' accomplish. Don't bite off more than you can chew. I space out my work for the day , also give myself breaks in between for a nice hot cup of coffee and try not to do too much in one go.

4. I DRAW UP A SCHEDULE AND STICK TO IT. This is one point I observe even at office. This way I do not have any work pending even at my workplace. Time management is very important when it comes to housework. A routine helps you to stay with your nose to the grindstone. I chalk out the next day's menu the previous day itself and even chop veggies overnight if required. I divide the work for the day into bit sized chores so the work is not over whelming.

5. I NEVER LEAVE TASKS PENDING OR HALF DONE Sometimes it is very easy to postpone a chore or leave it undone. 'I'LL finish it later', you think. That is a 'no-no'. This may end up taking up more of your time to complete it. For instance, if you do not wipe the table immediately after dinner, the food particles on it like rice, dry out and become even harder to remove the next day.

6. REDUCE ERRANDS WHEREVER POSSIBLE. I try to pay most of my bills online. Nowadays many supermarkets advertise home delivery at no extra charge. So I call up my local supermarket ( where I shop regularly) and give them my shopping list on phone. I buy my veggies for the week from the local bazaar taking my children with me. This way I kill four birds with one stone-- my veggies work out cheaper than a supermarket,the kids get a fun outing, I get help carrying the veggies and the children learn shopping in the process.

7. USE MODERN TECHNOLOGY WHEREVER POSSIBLE. Instead of spending half the day sweeping with your broom and still finding your floor dirty, it makes sense to use your vacuum (if you have one ) and get the job done better and in minutes. Similarly washing clothes in a machine saves a lot of time and effort especially for working women. Gadgets are there to add comfort to our lives----use them.

8. DO NOT BE TOO FASTIDIOUS I remember my mother would ask us to wash dishes and would never be satisfied however well we washed them. Instead of correcting us telling us where we had gone wrong, she would end up rewashing all the dishes again because they we not as clean as 'she wanted them'. What a waste of time and energy! Some people are too fastidious about the jobs they do and want their jobs to be just perfect that they will never let anybody do anything for them because they think it will not be as good as their job. They will spend hours polishing silver which already looks well polished or washing off that invisible stain on the floor. Most of the time the extra polishing, cleaning or re-doing jobs , just robs one of the time meant for other jobs.

9. NEVER BE ASHAMED TO GET HELP Sometimes work piles up ---like when you are sick, some other unexpected work crops up or you have guests at home. During such times instead of postponing jobs to later to do them yourself , get help and get the job done, even if it means hiring help. This way you don't get too stressed out and the house remains spic and span.

10. TAKE TIME OUT FOR YOURSELF By this I do not mean taking a break for a cup of coffee or putting up your feet in- between chores, but real time to yourself, when you can pursue your hobby, pamper yourself at a beauty saloon, spend quality time with your children or have that long- due lunch with your old schoolfriend. These are the tips I swear by and with them have balanced beautifully a job in a Bank and raising two children one of whom is a 'special' child. I feel young and fresh and am 'raring to go' even at 53.