27 Apr May 2021 – Case Manager
I hear these statements or something similar time and time again from older adults I work with. Let’s take a closer look!
We live a great deal of our lives on a schedule. As children we had to get up for school, be home for dinner and had a bedtime. As adults we adhere to a schedule related to caring for a family or a job outside the home. When retirement comes along older adults often initially welcome the idea of not having a schedule, not having to be somewhere on time or not having someone else control their time.
For some, this works out well or at least for a while. Others may develop issues around getting things done. Having some sort of idea how you will spend your time can be very beneficial, especially when it comes to being productive. It turns out there can be a happy-medium in creating some sort of schedule for yourself, but who is going to hold you accountable? You are! So why not create a schedule that works for you?
Here are some things to consider before making a schedule, as well as some examples.
Are you an early bird or a night owl? Create your schedule accordingly and plan your important tasks when you are most productive.
Make a list for the day or use a schedule to indicate what you will do each hour of the day. Include everything you plan to accomplish, but be realistic. Most people cannot clean an entire house in one day, so it’s also important to be specific.
Ever heard of a TV being referred to as a time vacuum? Computers and our phones can be the same! If you have a task to do that could lead you astray, set a timer!
Don’t multitask! Multitasking can take focus away from what you are doing. Focus on one thing, get it done and then move on. Found something else? Add it to the list!
Set weekly or monthly goals. This will help with planning your day. Maybe you want to get together with a friend each week or plan for to exercise three times a week. Make it a goal and schedule it!
Have a BIG task such as sorting hundreds of photographs? Break larger tasks down into smaller tasks or steps.
For example:
- Gather all photographs
- Sort by decade or person
- Recycle blurry photos
- Recycle photos with no meaning
- Eliminate doubles or photos that are very similar
- Decide on storage for what you have left
- Store photos and move on to your next task
Hi Everyone!
Spring is here and when you see me I will likely be in sandals! If you haven’t already, take a read through all of the wonderful offerings we have going on this month. There is so much planned!
Be well,
Julie Larson, Case Manager
