Clock Management

by DJ the Football Mom

Time Management

When our middle son was a senior, his team played a rival high school in what was the “game of the season”.  The rival school was favored to win and the stands were full.  We were down to the last 12 seconds in the game and we could win with a field goal.  Our team had the ball on the 4-yard line and the opposing team lined up with only 10 men!  If we had rushed the play and gotten the kick off, we would have won the game.  Instead, we took too much time setting up the play and the opposing team called a timeout which caused our team to lose their rhythm.  When they lined up again, they had a strategy down and were able to keep us from scoring.  Their coach understood the clock and managed it to win the game.  If they had let the original play run the clock would have run out before they could re-group.  Clock management is a critical skill for game strategy. The team who holds the lead in the game will want to use as much time as possible, while the team that is trailing will want to conserve time so that there is enough to try to score.

Now that football is in full swing, busy sports moms have to learn to manage the clock to keep things going.  I wake up at 5 am just to get some quiet time before the daily “juggle” begins.  My phone rings constantly, my youngest son misses the bus and I have to take him to school, I have meetings to attend and dinner to get on the table.  If I don’t manage my clock well, I will look up and the day is over.

I have learned to do an activity matrix so I know when things are overlapping.  I get my husband to cover one activity while I do another.  We get other family members involved when the timing of the boys’ games don’t allow for us to attend both games in the same weekend. I have learned to schedule friends to walk with me so we can catch up while I exercise.  I have trained people to call me in the afternoons because I am a morning person and need that time to work.

As busy moms, we have to learn to work the clock so that we make the best of everyday.   There are 24 hours in a day and how we manage those hours will determine the quality of our lives.  Work the clock and have a great day!

Did you miss DJ’s last post? Check it out! “An Athlete and a Gentleman”