I love using a timer for tasks. It’s a simple, easy time management tool that you may already be familiar with using.
I especially enjoy using this tool when doing things around the house because I am easily distracted moving from one room to another. It almost becomes a game for me, “beat-the-clock” so to speak. I am always excited when in fact I do beat the clock!
Have you ever tried using this trick with your kids? I use it with my daughter quite often and it really is effective. Sometimes if she has a homework assignment that she doesn’t want to jump into (either because it seems challenging or hey – she’s a kid so she just wants to play) I will set a time that I think is reasonable for her to complete it in and set the timer. She may still lose some focus, but it keeps her on task because she too wants to beat the clock! When she does, she has a great feeling of accomplishment – first, that she did her assignment and second that she did it efficiently within her allotted time.
It’s a great self-esteem booster! Try it for yourself.
