Time is always a critical resource. There never seems to be enough of it. Caregivers know this better than most. Time management tools for caregiving represent an interesting solution. They help you use time much more efficiently. The process often helps you to save time, especially in the long-term.
There are plenty of different styles too. You’re bound to find at least one approach that helps you.
Pen and Paper Planning
Even just a diary and/or a calendar can help you to be much more organized. After all, there’s a reason that these continue to be popular, even with all the digital tools out there.
You could use physical lists too. This is an easy way to keep track of what needs to be done.
App Based Solutions
There are also plenty of apps out there.
Apps can be incredibly useful, as they’re designed with specific needs in mind. The right app may provide all the tools that you need at your fingertips, without being overly complicated.
For example, some apps help with to-do lists, medication management, phone number storage and much more. Caregiver-specific apps are sometimes developed too, although many of these don’t stick around in the long-term.
Other Digital Solutions
While apps are useful, they can also be frustrating. Most of them don’t provide much flexibility. This can mean that you need multiple apps to track all of the information that you need to.
Many people simply turn to their phones instead. After all, smartphones area already perfect for storing numbers. You can also use notepad apps to jot down information.
One of the best approaches is apps that sync across multiple devices.
For example, Google Calendar can be used on phones and computers. You can even create a calendar that other people can see, but not edit. Or, you could allow them to edit too. This is a powerful way to coordinate multiple people and make sure that everyone knows what is going on.
Other Google programs can sync across devices too, like Google Docs. You might use Google Docs to create to-do lists or documents on important information.
Using Time Management Tools for Caregiving
Of course, the tools that you use are only part of the process. You also need to manage your time effectively and decide priorities.
The following practices are all important ones for this process. Some of them can be completed using apps, while others are more general processes to consider.
- Schedule time for yourself first. Caregiver self-care often gets ignored because there isn’t enough time. Scheduling this time in first helps ensure that you actually get it. You will find ways to fit everything else in. Plus, self-care truly is important in the long-term.
- Prioritize and re-prioritize. It isn’t enough to just have a to-do list. You also need a clear idea of priorities. This is critical because there will always be some unpredictable things in a week. You’ll also need to re-prioritize the list as you go. Things change.
- Define responsibilities. If more than one person is involved in supporting your family member, make sure all roles and responsibilities are clear. If they’re not, there’s a risk that some tasks may be duplicated, while others may not get completed at all.
- Don’t procrastinate. Procrastination is rarely ever a good thing. Knock tasks out as early as you can. Besides, many caregiving tasks get more complicated as time goes on. The earlier you can get things done, the better.
- Be efficient. Time is often lost in the little things, not the big ones. For example, it takes barely any time to put something away when you’re done using it. Tidying it away later is another task to do and normally tasks longer.
- Be realistic. You probably won’t complete all of your goals. Life is simply too complex and things change as time goes on. Being aware of this from the beginning can help you to be more flexible.
At the end of the day, caregiving is a process. Time management tools for caregiving can make a huge difference, providing you with extra time and more organization. Even so, things won’t always go as you expect.
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