Step #61: Schedule Important Things First

Many families’ actions aren’t in sync with their priorities. They say they value their child's education, but Mom spends $50 a month getting manicures and Dad eats his lunches out while contributing nothing to the college fund. Don’t just pay lip service to your own dreams and priorities. By scheduling your top-priority things and expenses first, you’re ensuring that they will be taken care of first.

Now that you’ve created a mission statement, your family’s priorities should be clear. It will help you schedule important things on your priority list first, and then other things will fall into place afterward.

Think of the time in your day as a glass jar. The important activities in your life are golf balls – the lesser important things as sand and pebbles. Your task is to make everything fit. By putting in the golf balls first and then pouring in the sand and pebbles, everything will fit in the jar. If you do it the other way around – by pouring in the sand and pebbles first – the important things (the golf balls) won’t fit.

Keep a Family Calendar
Keep one master family calendar in a central location in your home. Pick a calendar with ample room for writing all events and activities. Schedule birthdays, programs, and everything you know about in advance first. Then, be proactive in scheduling yearly checkups, car maintenance, and other routine appointments.

Keep your family’s mission statement in mind and plan things that reflect your values: donating your time to charity, fitness routines, and family trips. Lastly, fill in things that come up such as parties, school activities and other obligations. Assign each family member a color and highlight the activities that pertain to them.

In what ways do you put first things first? How can you help your family to stay on track?

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This is a sore spot for me. I feel very overwhelmed by all that has to be planned and done for our family. My husband and/or children are not very dependable or diligent about responsibilities or even organized. All of the family's events, priorities, responsibilities etc. need to be scheduled by me and I have to be the one to do all the reminding. It's exhausting, really. I even schedule maintenance on the car, etc. and things that have to do with what is considered "male oriented!" Ugh.

Anyway, regardless, I have a desk calendar in my study which is easily accesible off the kitchen. It stays on my desk for anyone to check at any given time...except I'm the only one who checks it.

I am very on top of all details regarding our lives, including the finances. I have set up our priorities regarding savings for college, car fund, vacation fund, etc. If changes need to occur in our lifestyle, I am normally the one to drum up the conversation and get the plan of action rolling! DH needs to be lead, but I have to say, he is very on-board and helpful when I direct him. I just wish he'd take over sometimes. I guess some might think he takes over enough when he brings home the bacon as the sole breadwinner, huh?

I put first things first by how important they are to our long-term goals; financial and otherwise and sometimes immediate satisfaction wins over if we need to get away or connect as a family. I am very focused about our financial life/future, however, it's just as important to have fun and lay low when extra cash is available. I am usually the one to mention/plan a splurge to include the whole family or just my hubby and me.

Anyway, does my sole involvement sound like anyone else? Is this something I should just suck up as the lady of the house? Do you find that you are the glue that holds the whole ship together?

I guess since God equipped me with the gift of organization and homesteading, it's no wonder I'm on top of it all!

I think a lot of moms can relate to your feelings. I know that I am the one who buys the birthday gifts, signs the permission sheets, remembers to send cards on special occasions, etc. Sometimes I get tired of it.

Can you delegate anything to your husband? Maybe you're feeling overwhelmed, but if he takes direction well maybe you can have him pitch in a little bit more.

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I could definitely relate to your situation. I was the one in charge of everything, making sure everybody and everything made it where it needed to be on time, etc. DH was good about helping, which meant doing what I told him to do when I told him. But, a recent turn of events caused him to have to take over everything. Not only was I surprised, but he was surprised at what a great job he could do! He never had the confidence to take charge before. He always thought that he couldn't do as good a job as I did. He quickly found out that it wasn't as tough as he imagined and he does a great job! We now share this role very well.

BTW - we use google calendar to help plan and coordinate schedules/events.

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Homeschooling Mom to Daniel (13 Years), Andrew (10 Years), Stephen (8 Years) and Emily (4 Years)