Becoming more efficient...

In a normal week of work I leave in the morning at 6:00 a.m., and return home at around 6:00 p.m, that is already a 12 hour day.  Then after I complete my weekly duties at home, I do a few more hours of work.   Then I wake up early in the morning and work a little more.  Then on the weekend I do 5-8 more hours of work. Even as I am writing this it seems ridiculous that I would have to spend this much time preparing to teach my third graders.  What is more than that is that I do not really think that the amount of time I spend working is glorifying to God in most cases.

 This past week in school, I have been determined to get through more of my work at work... imagine that. This past week was a success, while I continued my 12 hour day, I did not due a bit of school work at home this week, and only 3 hours this weekend!

Here's how it worked...

1. Modified To Do List: I always have a to do list, but I don't always keep it right in front of me while I work.  This week I did. Also, I have the tendency to do the easiest things on my list first, as opposed to the most pressing or important.  Sometimes this is a good thing, but when you push aside the things you really have to get done... it is no good!
2. One Task at a Time: When I am at school, there are so many things to do, my head starts to spin, and I move from task to task, without finishing one before starting the next.  I made myself do just one thing at a time... and it made a difference.
3. More Focus: Just as simple as it sounds, but harder than you think.

Hopefully this next week will be just as efficient! 

What's your weak spot?

Even the most frugal person has a weak spot when it comes to spending money. It is that store/site that you can't resist going to and just spending on things that are not needed or planned for in the budget.  Frugal friends (myself included) might mask it by saying, "But it was such a good deal!"  My weak spot is clothes.  I know it might seem silly, but I justify it in every way known to man.  My husband has a weak spot for eating out, he almost always wants to and will come up with every excuse in the book.

These are the strategies that I have come up with for dealing with that "weak spot."

1. Identify it!  You can't deal with "it" unless you know what "it" is.
2. Focus on one area.  Let's say by chance you identify more than one thing.  Take it slow tackle on at a time.
3. Avoid temptation. If you know it is a problem... stay away from it! Unsubscribe to the email list, do not window shop, that is when you find an excuse to buy.
4. No excuses. Don't make an excuse to buy it.  As I already mentioned often we say, "It is such a good deal." A good deal is still spending money, better questions are, "Do we need this?" and "Have we planned for this?"
5. Plan for spending. Put some space in your budget for spending here.  If it is something you enjoy and you try to stay completely away you might be compulsive and spend more.  But if you plan you are more likely to stay with in your budget and needs.

I am focusing on these strategies TODAY!  If you see me in JCrew or LOFT... please confront me :)

Falling off the face of the earth... where has the time gone?

Has it really been 6 months?  I knew my job ate time, but 6 months!

It is interesting, because this blog is all about budgeting- money, space, time etc... but obviously I have not been the best at budgeting my time.  I have some incredibly wise and honest friends that have confronted me on this subject, and these are some of the things they have had to say...

• You shouldn't work all the time, or let your work consume you.

• There are things more important than work/don't get your value from work.

• Set boundaries!  I had to friends talk to me specifically about this-one even sent me a book.  The other said that she does not answer emails from work outside of work hours (she may read them but does not respond).

When I reread over those points I can think of a million excuses of why I can't with my job.  But I have come to terms with can't is not an option- I must spend/budget my time in a way that is glorifying to God!

This quote from Frances Chan has been on my heart over the past few months:

"Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding in life at things that don't really matter."