Are you a CMT?...

...a Certified Multi-Tasker =) hehe..got you there didn't I?

I'm sure all your eyebrows were raised trying to figure out what that acronym stands for. It's just my own term for us busy mommies or should I say SAHMies and WAHMies...

People think that staying at home to work is a piece of cake but reality says otherwise. We all know very well that there are a lot of distractions when you have a home office. It's not just about accomplishing your work duties but trying to juggle it with mommy duties too such as watching your kids, preparing lunch and dinner, answering the door, attending to calls, doing the laundry, doing homework, naptime and the list goes on and on.

It's so easy to get caught up with all the activities that you need to do at that moment. And by the end of the day, you realize you really did not end up accomplishing the important tasks you set out to do for the day. This has happened to me often.

That's why I try my best to keep track of all the important things I need to do in my planner. Yes, it's still the old school way that I got used to doing ever since I was a kid in spite of having gadgets that can also do the job.

Here are things I do to manage my time and organize my day:

1. Make a list. - I list down all the things I need to do for the week. These would include appointments, things to do, reminders etc.
2. Prioritize. - I take note of which things in my list are urgent, have deadlines and needs my immediate action.
3. Plan it out. - I plan out my week. I write out in my planner the things I need to do according to the day it should be done. This way I will not feel so overwhelmed that I have a lot to do since it has been spread out through the week.
4. Color code. - I like to color code the things I need to do so that it will make the tasks seem lighter when I look at the colorful page in my planner as well as making it easy to spot.
   
5. Check it off. - This is my favorite part - checking out from my list what I have finished doing already. It gives me a sense of accomplishment especially when all I have set out to do for the day are done.
6. Be flexible. - There are some things that you just can't plan like a surprise visit from your in-laws or having to run to the grocery coz you ran out of oil for cooking. No need to panic or get all flustered since things did not go as planned. Just try to get back on track.
7. Be positive. - If at times it seems things are not going as planned, just always look on the bright side and keep trying. You will get it done - eventually. =)

Do you have any tips that you can share with me?