- Today, put in a request at work that you get the last 10 days of Ramadan, as well as Eid day off. Offer to work overtime before Ramadan starts or to work on days other employees cannot.
- If time off is not possible, see if you can work from home so that at least you save time commuting to and from work.
- Cancel all extracurricular sports and activities for yourself and if possible, your children. If the latter is not possible, then restrict it to just one during Ramadan.
- One for one: Host only one Iftar and attend only one. Give preference to family and the closest of friends.
- Spend one weekend cooking batches of food for the coming month. Make the meals as complete as possible so that little prep work is needed to put them together come Iftar time. This should also include traditional Iftar food and sweets (e.g. qatayef, samosas, rolls, etc.).
- Send a message to family and friends that you will be available during restricted hours in Ramadan. Schedule calls or ask them to text you to avoid long-winded conversations.
- Buy all Eid clothes and gifts before Ramadan begins.
- Return all library books to free up time for reading more Quran.
- Plan purchases for groceries, clothing, or anything else so that you can avoid going shopping during Ramadan as much as possible.
- Make an online/screen time schedule for yourself and your family. Limit all online activity to not more than two or three hours a day.
- Arrange for babysitting in Ramadan now. Swap babysitting duties with another parent so you can attend Taraweeh in peace or spend an afternoon reading Quran without distraction. Then, do the same for them.
- Plan exactly what activities children will be involved in, even choosing the park you plan to take them to on a daily or weekly basis.
- Deep clean the entire house the weekend or in the week before Ramadan so you don’t have to rush to do a thorough job before Eid, in the last 10 days of the blessed month.
- Delegate any and every task you do not have to do. Whether it is cleaning up (which kids should be helping out with anyway) or doing groceries.
- Set times to check email and texts. Each “ping” does not need to be responded to immediately.
- Schedule school physicals or doctor appointments before or after Ramadan.
- Cancel as many meetings as possible in Ramadan.
- Make Ramadan a television- and movie-free month as much as possible.
- Do the same for social media, be it Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, or anything else.
- Batch your errands by location. For example, if you have to go grocery shopping in Ramadan, think about what other stores or services are nearby that can help you take care of a task, whether it’s getting tires checked at an auto shop, or mailing off Eid packages at the post office. Doing this will help you avoid driving around from one place to another to get stuff done.
- Connect tasks according to your energy level. For example, if you are most energetic in the mornings, use that time in Ramadan to quickly read large portions of the Quran. In the afternoon, when your energy hits a slump, you can choose a less mentally taxing task like routine cleanup.
Comments
Great suggestions. If I may
Great suggestions. If I may add - open the heart and pocket for charitable contributions and volunteerism for the community at large - during and after Ramdan.
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