Time-manage ment

A new year, full of great hopes that this year, finally, my resolutions will be fullfilled. This time I won't desperately hang on to my intentions, only to realize time after time how I fail.
This year things will be better. I will do better. Life will be better.
I don't really know why I wrote that last statement, because I have a good life. I have nothing to really complain about, so when I say "life will be better" it is mostly because it's a cliché I feel almost anticipated to strive for.

The only thing I have given some profound reflection on is the stressmess I constantly find myself in.
I work full time, I have kids who need follow-up in school, sports they are active in, and of course just attention for the sake of bonding.
I have a house and a home which needs tending: shopping (which I really don't like but still have to do), cooking, cleaning, laundry and mending clothes (Where do all the the sweatsuits and towels come from? When did we get hold of it all? How did it all end up in the laundry basket with ripped holes and seams?) , tidying up toys and dishes and the constant chase to keep up my intention of placing everything at its place.
My dog needs its walks, my friends deserve attention, and I really, really deserve a hot cup of coffee now and again.

My familie has paid attention to my complaints about how I never have time to read much, so for christmas I was given a few books. I still haven't had time to read them, and yesterday I was really upset about that: at my work's general meeting our principal decided it was appropriate to give a detailed summing up on two really good books he was given, and had read, during the holidays. I got both.

Anyway, in order to pursuit the quest of becoming a better person I have been reading up on time management. I thought that since it's true that to earn money you must spend money, the same thing goes about time: To save time you must spend time.

The vast amount of books, blogs and articles which have been created to address the concepts of time management is almost unbelievable. I found countless of seminars on the subject too. I never thought it was such a big issue. I’ve been soaking up information on how others bring order to their lives, creating more time and taking better advantage of the time they have.

I took time I don't have to read about time management and how to get time to do everything you want or need to do.
I read through a lot of online articles. I picked up a recommended book about it. I talked to a couple of people who say they got it all under control.

I can't believe how structured people's lives are. They can set off time to do just about anything they want. Anything from crafts, golf, gardening... to reading.

A couple of hours into me ploughing through the literature I found a distinct difference between men and women. Now, I admit it could be just fluke created from my selection, but even though the tips for good time management are aimed at all layers and genders I was struck by how many time management gurus are men. And most women don't tell me how to make "me"-time happen, but they are eager to tell me why I should schedule "me"-time.

I suspect only people getting paid to find out how to spend time more effectively have the kind of luxury it is to spend time thinking out strategies on how to spend time the best way in order to do what you want, and need to, do.