11 Time Management Tips for Busy Moms

Moms. We're the busiest people in the world. We never stop working. Even at home (especially when toddlers are running around). Juggling chores, errands, homeschooling, cooking, and the kids is impossible for anyone except an experienced homeschool mom.

Not all moms can just "do it." We've all struggled with handling everything at once. It is difficult to be able to properly allocate time and effort and create a system that will work throughout the day. However, there are some very helpful "hacks," otherwise known as "proper time management," that will help you along the way.

Here is a list of tips for moms that need to save time.

1. Know and prioritize tomorrow's activities

Before going to sleep, write down what your activities will be for tomorrow. This way you'll get a solid head start and know what to prioritize and accomplish. If you know what needs to be prioritized, you can map out and manipulate how you will go through your schedule.

Everyone will have their own unique way of assessing levels of priority. All I can say for certain is that you do not need to try to squeeze everything in one day. You simply can't do everything, and accepting this is the hardest thing.

2. Wake up earlier

I sure am sluggish in the morning, so this one is hard. But waking up an extra half hour (or at least fifteen minutes) can really help. The extra minutes will allow you to go over your scheduled list and freshen up your mind and body before getting started. Being up before anyone else will actually give you some quiet time. You may be groggy in the mornings, but if you wait to do this at night you'll probably be even more exhausted.

3. Use a timer / make note of time

Use your watch or phone to monitor how long you spend on each activity, subject, lesson, etc. This lets you really know where time is going. And it will help in preventing you from allocating too much time on a single task and taking up more from the next one.

Now, the beauty of homeschooling is that we can spend extra time in areas that need attention. So, maybe math needs 1 hour each day, and spelling just needs 20 minutes. But the only way to really know how much time we're spending on each is by timing it.

4. One thing at a time

It is so hard to avoid distractions. Focus on finishing one thing before doing anything else. Way, way, easier said than done. We're always multitasking. But if I'm not careful, I'll never finish anything.

5. Be creative

Doing the same thing over and over can take a toll on any person. Those repetitive jobs/tasks become a lot more fun when you add a flair of creativity. Flip flop the schedule so that you're starting and finishing with different subjects. Play some music during cleanup time. Alternate chores.

6. Be smart when you multi-task

We always hear the term multi-tasking, but remember that it doesn’t mean to do everything all at once. It means doing the things that you can handle all at once. Actually, handle.

7. Prepare yourself for the unforeseen

We can't predict the future. When things are out of your control, practice accepting the serenity prayer. Relax and don’t stress. If you can address the problem immediately, do it. But if you can’t, put it aside and take care of it later. Oh, and do your best not to forget about it.

 

8. Don’t obsess

There will be times that you will feel you are already in control and everything is going smoothly. This is great, and that means you are doing fine with your system. Don’t over exert yourself to the point that you are obsessing about doing the chore list just to make sure it is done.

9. Assess your work

Check up on your performance. Evaluate yourself based on your goals and your schedule. Figure out what needs improvement.

10. Admit that you can’t do everything

If you missed some fine details, don’t be too hard on yourself. You may be a supermom to the eyes of your family, but you are still a regular mom and it is okay to make mistakes.

11. Bedtime routine

At the end of the day before going to sleep, get yourself ready to bed by going through a bedtime routine. Doing this can contribute to a better sleep and a more refreshed and rested body when you wake up.