There is no denying it. Being a parent means being busy. With some well thought out strategies and a bit of organization, you can easily manage your time effectively. There are many tools and resources available to help with this task, and a good place to start is this list of seven time management tips:

1. Automate. If something can be made to happen automatically, without you having to do something to make it happen, you will save valuable time. An example would be setting up a regularly scheduled appointment for annual furnace cleaning with your repair company or scheduling bill payments to occur automatically. Not only will it be done for you, but you also avoid having to remember to do it.

2. Delegate. If you can share the workload and hire someone else to do it, hire them. When you can politely ask someone else to do it to help you, ask them. Do not be ashamed. You are busy, you are hard working and you deserve it.

3. Do it now, NOT later. It is the proverbial plague of procrastination that so often gets us all. Its simple to avoid and just a matter of sticking to it. If you could do it now, do it now. Avoid the temptation to put it off. You will only make that to do list that much longer.

4. If you think of something that you need to do, write it down in the same place every time. Keeping a list of things to do is very important. This list should be comprehensive and should contain simple everyday things, as well as bigger or more long term tasks. Add to the list whenever you something crosses your mind that should be done. A central list like this allows you to tackle items when you have time and keeps them in the forefront of your mind so you do not forget them. Ideally, the list should be kept electronically so it can be portable. If not an electronic list, a hard copy in the form of a notebook or whiteboard would also work well.

5. Have a place for everything and keep everything in its place. There is nothing worse than needing something right now, and not being able to find it! You can of course, avoid this, by having specific areas designated for specific items in your house. Make sure everyone in the family knows the system so they can be sure to return a given item to its rightful home.

6. Reserve a slot of time each week for planning. Pick one evening of the week or a slot of time on the weekend that will be your planning and paperwork day. Stick to it. Use this time to look at the week and make all the arrangements that need to be made during that time. Review paperwork, pay bills, make babysitting arrangements and start your meal plan for the following week all during this time. By keeping to a regularly scheduled planning time, you will be prepared and organized for the week ahead.

7. Learn to be comfortable with saying no. We have all heard this time and time again. Its importance cannot be stressed enough. Only you know your limits and it is critically important that you stick to them. In the end, people will understand and respect you even more, for realizing that you really can only do so much.

So, sit down and relax. Take some time to evaluate how you can put some or all of these suggestions into play in your own life. It is only a matter of time before you feel better organized and in control of the few spare moments that you have in the day!