My husband's nature is to keep track of every little penny that comes in or goes out, therefore ever since we've been married we've used different computer programs to aid in our tracking. We've also tried a budget numerous times over our seventeen year marriage but it never seemed to work quite right until we found, and began using, the program
YNAB. The budget is the main part of the program. Using this program means you have to do a budget because keeping track of the checkbook and the petty cash are supplementary to keeping you on your budget. It took us a few months to get used to it and to trust our budget. To realize that what was listed as money available was there EVEN IF it wasn't in our wallet. It really has been freeing.
I began to think about their first principal, "Give Every Dollar A Job" in relation to time in my life. Why couldn't that same principal work for budgeting what needs to be done and what I want to get done? Especially in regards to home educating my children.
So I got back out my school schedule template to revise it. What subjects needed to be studied every day and how much practice time was needed for instruments? I began to assign a job for each hour during the day for each child on their own sheet. This took a little time and a lot of thought. Because I had to make sure that I didn't schedule two kids to be practicing the piano at the same time or me to be teaching two kids at the same time different subjects.
I made mistakes, but they were easily correctable because I had decided that I would print a schedule off each week for each child. That enables me to see what is coming in the new week that might change things, or allows me to correct something I forgot or didn't schedule right at the beginning. So the five sheets hang on a door and as the week moves along, I write on a post-it note reminders to myself about what to add or change next week.
The kids have enjoyed being able to mark off what they have accomplished and I've heard less complaining (notice I didn't say "no") from them over getting work (school and house) done. I have enjoyed looking at the day and asking what do I need to get done now, and then looking back over the week and seeing what has gotten done. I also like that I can direct the kids to their sheets to see what they should be doing and if it is done, they have free time; they like that too, although I don't know if they would admit that.
My budget of time isn't perfect, but it is a good start. It has been freeing to use it again. It has allowed me to enjoy free time because I don't have the nagging feeling of undone tasks burdening me. I haven't been able to sit and do scrapbooking during my free time yet, but I do hope that as I continue this budgeting of time, that will be easier too. Now that I know how the week will go with school and housework for the most part, I think I'll be able to budget time in for scrapbooking.
One thing this budgeting of time has done for me is given me more time, which sounds ridiculous, but it has. Now I know what I need to accomplish each day, so I don't sit and get lost in cyberspace, or in a book, or in a movie. And when I do, it is because I have to time to do it and I'm not regretting all that didn't get done that day. The other advantage of budgeting my time is that when life throws a curve ball, I know where to get back on track. I can see if what school we missed is something that really should be done today during the free time, or if it can wait till tomorrow's scheduled time.
Our family is a list-making, schedule-type family to begin with, but I think that whatever your normal style, budgeting your time can help. But keep it simple, knowing what you can handle. My schedule is for my family, and your family is different, but we all have to eat and wear clothes and do our other duties. So is there a way for you to budget your time better? I challenge you to think about it and see if there is. I know I've benefitted from budgeting my time better.