by Rachel Pienta | Apr 23, 2021
The “secret sauce” for successful 4-H clubs is often the not-so-secret time management skill of the club leader. Time management is a learned skill. This week’s blog post will explore strategies for time management. One important detail about time management – what works for one person may not work for everyone. Choosing time management strategies that suit the person increases the likelihood that these skills will become permanent, frequently used tools in a personal “toolbox.”
Teaching Time Management Skills
One strategy to learn a time management skill is to teach it. Both club members and volunteer leaders can benefit from learning and practicing time management skills. Youth and adults alike can begin with some basic elements of planning to start developing time management skills.
To complete a time management activity during a club meeting, the following items will be needed: a weekly schedule template, a Post It adhesive flipchart or a white board/chalkboard, pencils/pens, scratch paper for note taking.
Write the five elements of S.M.A.R.T goals on the flipchart or white board:
S – Specific
M – Measureable
A – Attainable (or actionable)
R – Relevant (or realistic)
T – Time-bound
During this activity, participants will learn about time management, scheduling, and goal setting. Begin the activity with a task. Ask adults and youth to consider and write out their schedule for an average week. Use a weekly schedule template so that everyone can use a visual organizer to describe their individual schedules. There are a number of free schedule templates online. One free option is available from Microsoft office: https://templates.office.com/en-us/schedules.
Once everyone has completed their schedule, ask each participant to write down a personal goal related to school or 4-H. Then, explain the S.M.A.R.T goal concept. Next, ask everyone to consider their goal within the S.M.A.R.T framework. Does their goal fit the five elements of a S. M.A.R.T goal? Why or why not? If their goal needs to be adjusted, what changes should be made?
After discussing several different goals, ask everyone when the time is scheduled to work on achieving this goal. Spoiler alert: very few of the participants will include anything related to the goal in the initial weekly schedule draft.
During the next phase of this activity, introduce one or more time management strategies from the blog resource list to the group. Engage participants in discussion about which strategies might be effective for them than others.
Setting Individual Member and Club Goals
Conclude the meeting by setting short and long term goals. What do members want to accomplish by the next club meeting? What goals do club members want to achieve for the year? Time management is a skill that can be practiced and improved throughout the 4-H club year. Be sure to schedule in time to report on progress toward goals as part of 4-H club business meetings.
Resources
by Whitney Cherry | Sep 25, 2015
My husband calls me the one-trip-wonder because of my stubborn refusal to make more than one trip in from the car regardless of the size or number of items needing to be carried in. I know he thinks I’m crazy, but really, who has time to make 27 trips from the car to the house? I guess it’s that same “who has time for this?” mentality that has also caused my friends to deem me the one-pot-wonder. Truly, if I can get it all in one pan, that’s less dishes I took the time to dig out, and certainly less to wash and put back. Love it!
So, perhaps that’s why I feel uniquely qualified to share a few recipes with you that should help you manage your time in the kitchen during this hectic time of year. Don’t worry. These are not one-pot-wonder recipes. You will need to dig out an extra pot or two for veggies – canned, fresh, frozen – you’re choice. But even with the extra dishes, the time these recipes save at the grocery and in the kitchen will totally be worth it.
- Clam Linguine: I feed this to kids and they love it. Ingredients can be kept on hand at all times, so it’s great for the “no time to hit the store” weeks.
- Macaroni and Cheese Casserole: Another kid favorite. Brown the burger and throw it in the freezer in portioned out Ziploc bags. Now you have another dish on hand with ingredients that are always accessible.
- Shell Macaroni Casserole: Again, kid approved. Given your already browned burger is frozen in the fridge, you’re golden for a night without stopping at the grocery AGAIN!
- Crockpot Stroganoff: Easy peasy, but may require a grocery run if you don’t have some items frozen already.
- Chicken Quesadillas: Another easy one to keep all ingredients on-hand. And… you guessed it: Kid favorite.
Bonus recipes: Great for potlucks, parties, and guests.
Printer Friendly Version: All Recipes Included
I hope you enjoy these recipes and their accompanying time-saving tips. But my greatest advice to you is to think of the dishes your family loves most and look for faster or easier ways to make them on busy nights. I don’t really cook like this all the time, but there are nights when I’m moving so fast I could leave Rachel Ray in the dust. When you have to, do it and don’t feel guilty. When you don’t, call the kids in and make meal prep a leisurely, family affair. It’s all about the ever-elusive balance we all seem to be looking for. Truthfully, we’re cooking like this because we care about our families. We want them to have hearty meals and time to enjoy them together. Sometimes, getting them turned out a little quicker is all that stands between us and letting that happen. If you have other tips or recipes you’d like to share, please feel free to leave them in the comments.If you have a passion for culinary arts, consider sharing your love with the youth in your community. Contact your local 4-H Extension Agent today, and see how you can help him/her make a difference in the lives of young people.
by Prudence Caskey | Sep 5, 2015
Who doesn’t want a little more time? I am always looking for ways to help me get more done in the time I have. Over the years, I have found some great applications that I would like to share with busy 4-H parents and volunteers:
- ANYLIST—this is a great application allowing you to create lists. I have a list I have named, “My Grocery List.” The neat thing about it is when I say to Suri, “add milk to my grocery list,” she does it! It makes it easy to compile a grocery list and I don’t even have to find a piece of paper.
- MY FITNESSPAL—this application allows you to log everything you eat and helps you stay accountable. It will also talk to your exercise tracker to offset the amount of calories you can eat versus the calories your burn each day. The BODY TRACKER application can keep track of body measurements and how much muscle you gain and how much fat you lose.
- COUNTDOWN—this application allows you to enter upcoming events from your calendar and keep track of how many weeks, days, hours, minutes and even seconds to deadlines! This allows you to prioritize based on what is due next, whether it be birthday shopping, a 4-H club meeting, or homework assignments.
It can be daunting for parents to keep track of work, family, church, sports, and school calendars. Sharing calendars can help see where everyone is at a glance. There are many applications that are free to help you get organized and save time- these are just a few great examples. Remember, not every application is for everyone. If I find that an application just doesn’t work for me, then I erase it. We all have different opinions on which applications will work best. For instance, my husband likes Weather Channel but I prefer AccuWeather. We both get the weather, just through different applications. Check out some of these applications to save time and stay organized this 4-H year!
The “secret sauce” for successful 4-H clubs is often the not-so-secret time management skill of the club leader. Time management is a learned skill. This week’s blog post will explore strategies for time management. One important detail about time management – what works for one person may not work for everyone. Choosing time management strategies that suit the person increases the likelihood that these skills will become permanent, frequently used tools in a personal “toolbox.”