Movin' On - Movies, audio, and articles for adults living with cystic fibrosisFeatured Article:
Time Management: Getting It All Done
“It's not enough to be busy. The question is: What are we busy about?”- Henry David Thoreau
Juggling treatments, medical appointments, and hospitalizations, on top of the hectic life most of us lead these days, means just one thing: Families touched by cystic fibrosis have to be black belts in time management.
Researchers studying families living with CF and similar stressors have found that children respond positively when their family is organized; perhaps a sense of order offers more structure in a life that can sometimes feel wildly out-of-control.
Streamlining your commitments and your to-do list can go a long way toward bringing the stress level down in your home. Pump up your orderliness with these time management tips:
Start each day with a “To Do” list and prioritize your jobs.
Prioritize each item to ensure that you take care of the most important items – like treatment – first.
Use only one planner for family and professional appointments.
Write everything on it. Be sure to include pertinent phone numbers associated with each appointment so you won't have to waste time looking for them later.
Keep a notebook, with dividers, for your insurance paperwork.
Keep a running file of all conversations you have with your insurance company and your doctor's office. To quickly resolve discrepancies, use the conferencing option on your cell phone, and get the billing department and the insurance company on the phone at the same time with you. It can be magical and empowering!
Check e-mail only once or twice a day.
For something billed as a timesaver, e-mail can sure rob your schedule of an inordinate amount of time. Set a routine, and let people know when they can expect you to respond. If your message is involved or complicated, pick up the phone.
Cancel all magazines you never read.
Spying that six-month-old magazine you haven't cracked, as you fly through the house late (again!) to your child's doctor appointment, is sometimes the last straw for a frazzled parent. Who needs the grief?
Pay bills using automatic withdrawal.
Save time and money in one small step.
Say “no.” Say it kindly, firmly and with absolutely no guilt.
One of the unexpected “gifts” that comes along with a cystic fibrosis diagnosis are the days when health issues preclude you from keeping a commitment. Cuddle up and enjoy the extra family time together.
Cut down on your children's activities.
Are you considering a microwave in your minivan? That's a sure sign you are spending too much time in it, bussing kids here and there. Eliminate an activity, for everyone's sake.
Live closer to work.
According to a study published by the Transportation Research Board, Commuting in America III, the United States has seen a sharp increase in the proportion of workers commuting more than 60 minutes to work. The headache of moving can be a small price to pay in exchange for more time with the people you love.
- *Sources
- 1997 AAFCS Commemorative Lecture; Families Under Stress: What Makes Them Resilient; Hamilton I. McCubbin, Marilyn A. McCubbin, Anne I. Thompson, Sae-Young Han, and Chad T. Allen
