As a business-owner mom with three little ones, time is precious. I’m constantly seeking ways to do routine things a little quicker and smarter so that I can spend my time where it really counts. I often find that tips and tricks that are effective in my work life translate to my home life with pleasing results.

One of the tips from Getting Things Done (which I’ve blogged about previously) that has really proven it’s worth to me recently is about ‘dating’ things. David Allen, the author, recommends putting a date on everything that goes into your in-box. I’ve taken it a step or two further and put a date on just about anything that I or someone else will need to refer back to. This includes notes from a meeting or conversation (pretty obvious, but I would often forget), brainstorming scribbles, to do lists, etc.

One place this has really come in handy is in the kitchen. I’ve started dating things like the package of lunch meat I just opened, the unfinished jar of pasta sauce, the bag of flour that’s still half full. I’ve added dates to the quick notes jotted on the white board, the shopping list on the bulletin board, and the bag slow-moving veggie chips in the pantry.

When I went to clean out the fridge this weekend, I spared myself the awful taste and smell tests I usually do to determine what’s still edible, or not. The whole process took a fraction of what it used to because I was quickly able to decide that the turkey meat from 2/29, had been hanging around for a little too long.

It seems like a really small thing, and it is — and that’s the point. When you add up all the small things, the amount of time and effort you save can be significant. Rather than trying to recall when something was bought, opened, or cooked and then determine whether or not it’s still good, I simply put a date on. By dating an item on the front end (when it goes in the fridge or pantry or on a list or white board), it doesn’t require extra time or thought later, when I need to decide if it stays or goes.

What’s a way that you take back your time from routine and repetitive tasks?

Share

Tags: business-owner mom, Getting Things Done, time saving tips

This entry was posted on Friday, March 21st, 2008 at 9:12 am and is filed under Family, Getting Things Done, Moms, Organization, Productivity, Time Management, Work / Life Integration. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.