This is the easiest answer, but the hardest to actually achieve. Planning is the first step. Briefly plan each activity and give a loose time limit for them. Don’t spend too much time on this, you don’t want to waste more time than you have. It is very important to have commitment. Any one can plan and schedule every minute of every day. It is having the commitment to stick to those plans that really makes it work. Although the most important is to prioritize. Make sure that most important things are done first. You will always have things you don’t have time for. During the time our whole family has together, we are not allowed to do any chores, extracurricular activites, etc. until family time is finished. I know when we look back throughout the years, we won’t remember the dishes that didn’t get done or the weeks we didn’t get to our extra chores, but we will remember the time we spent with those we love the most.

A dayplanner is essential. It doesn’t matter if it’s paper or electronic, so long as make sure to put ALL your commitments in the same planner/calendar.

The other essential piece is prioritizing. There will always be things that need to be done – but which are the most important? Always take a step back and ask yourself which projects *really* need to get done, and which are just urgent without being crucial. Be willing to let the small things go.