Each week as I sit at my toddler's tumble class watching, cringing, and stressing about that injury disclaimer form I signed, I often have many tasks running through my mind that I need to handle. Out of the hundred things that make it to that list, I decided to choose a few "regulars" each week to handle during the tumble class between smiles, waves, and the occasional thumbs up. So here are five suggestions on tasks to handle while waiting (all you need is a cell phone, a pen, and a planner):
1. Menu Plan - We have to cook and everyone expects mommy to decide what to cook. If you're not interested in serving boiled water every night, then time spent during the tumble class is the perfect time to plan your menu and even the occasional dessert. Keep it simple and keep it fresh!
2. Organize Your To Do List - I don't know about you but I have post-it-notes, planner pages, the backs of business cards, the palm of my hand, and postcard mailing labels filled with to-do's for each week. While you're waiting, combine all those lists together into one planner page. Use headings like household, business, family, spiritual, and of course, a category for yourself.
3. Thank You Notes - OMG! It takes me forever to write a thank you note because I want it to be perfect and well I just keeping messing up and I'm using a pen. The hourly class is the perfect amount of time to get those thank you notes written and addressed - and neatly too!
4. Send Quick Texts to friends and family - Who doesn't like to know they are thought about during the day. Texts are a quick, easy way to stay in contact and stay connected. Just a quick "hi", "hello", "what's up" or "hey, I'll call you later when pumpkin's class is over" will do just fine. Sending your hubby a nice text won't hurt one bit either - especially when you don't have your menu planned and will be serving him boiled water!
5. Bloggers - Brainstorm topics for future posts. Look around you and start thinking. If you're at a tumble class, you could write about safety, children's sports, mommy behavior, keeping hydrated, socialization, etc. The possibilities are endless.
6. Write Down A Few of Your Goals - Make a quick list of a few short and long term goals that you may want to accomplish in the next 3 to 12 months. The lists of goals could be for your family, savings, saving for a vacation, remodeling ideas, exercise plans, yourself, or your business. Take a few "waiting sessions" and just brainstorm several goals and classify them as short or long term goals. Later you can decide how you want to reach those goals but first you should get them out of your head and in writing on paper.
We have all heard the saying that "little things mean a lot" and how true that is when we have a 200 page to-do list of little things that we need to get done within a limited amount of time. Feel free to use the suggestions from the above list or take some time to brainstorm your own lists of tasks you can complete while waiting at your child's class, the doctor's office, or waiting in line to pick up your child at school each day. Stay consistent and keep your list organized and over time you will notice that not only does the list get smaller but your to-do list will eventually become a list of accomplishments instead.
