Time-saving Tips (Not Recommended)

by Julie Chen Allen

In keeping with the theme of getting more time out of the day, here are a few ideas not guaranteed to work very well - or at all:

1. Don’t punish the kids or you’ll end up punishing yourself. If you tried putting your kids to bed at 5PM, you probably experienced an evening of peace and quiet that was largely undone when you’re forced to wake up at 3AM to the sound of your kids trying to make their own breakfast, watching Sponge Bob Squarepants re-runs, and turning out their toy box. And that’s if you got lucky not having them bouncing on your bed or poking you in your face.

If you want to unwind from the day with some alone time, it’s probably better to ask the kids to play quietly in their rooms the hour before bedtime in exchange for an extra bedtime story or a special treat in the morning. Just because you want them to sleep for 16 hours straight doesn’t mean they will.

2. Don’t try a shortcut when you are already late. I remember my father used to always try shortcuts when we were already late for school. Once he got a speeding ticket because he wasn’t familiar with the speed limit in a neighborhood. Another time he ended up taking a street with multiple school zones, prolonging my tardy. And yet another time he literally drove us right back to the intersection where we first started.

If you are running late, it’s better to stick with a route or routine that you already know. Even if you have a GPS unit or a crystal ball, sometimes it’s best to speed up a routine you already know than to try something unfamiliar.

3. Don’t multi-task randomly. Medical experts have presented findings that multitasking is actually less efficient because your brain has to take time to switch its focus from one task to another. This not only adds time to a single task but also tires your concentration faster. Moreover, this increases the likelihood of errors and reduce the quality of your work – even if you did more of it.

Since it’s hard to imagine any mom - working or not - who would never ever need to multi-task, consider task-pairing your to-do list. That means pairing brainy tasks that require judgment or concentration with less-cerebral physical tasks requiring basic repetition. For example, fold laundry while watching TV, or knit while talking to friends on the phone. I also like to wash dishes or laundry while calling credit card companies on my speakerphone, or listen to books on tape while cleaning the house.

Dyeing your hair while preparing for your Powerpoint presentation? Better not unless you have a timer.