Welcome back mommas! Today is day 4 of our organization and automation series. If you are just joining us, be sure to check out the other days!
Day 1: Must Haves for your Family Command Center
Day 2: How to Grocery Shop from the Couch!
Day 3: Best Productivity Apps for Moms
Ok mommas, we have been working hard on organizing and automating so that we can be more productive and have more time for things that mean the most to us.
The struggle is real!
Today I elicited the help of the smartest group of people out there, other moms!
They are going to share their tips and tricks on getting things done as a mom.
By the end of this series we will have reclaimed our time and be able to relax!
Get Organized
Debbie from The Flooring Girl
If you are looking to do some part time work (even very part time), it’s ideal if you find something with flexible hours that can be done from home.
This gives you flexibility to work around nap times and other things that may change day by day. And, it avoids the need to put on nicer clothes/make up and drive to work.
Some people even look to make a designated room (or area) into a home office so you can be more focused and productive during that time.
Get more organization tips from Debbie
Wake Up Early
Rachel from The Analytical Mommy
My favorite tip is to set multiple alarms in the morning.
For example a 5 minute warning so you can tell the kids to get their shoes on and another for leaving the house.
It helps with the mental load when you can stop watching the clock and instead get everyone used to responding to the alarms.
Jenny from See Mama Go
Always wake up earlier than your kids! Even if it’s just to have a cup of coffee and take a deep breath.
If I can get going before they do, I’m so much more productive!
Kendra from High Five For Home
I wake up at 4:45 to get my personal self-care routine accomplished before focusing on mom tasks.
Prioritize
Jen from Minnesota Momma
Prioritize! Figure out what’s most important and do that first.
I love writing down my list to help me figure out my priorities.
Then during naps and quiet times, start chipping away at your highest priorities!
Raluca from Playful Notes
What helped me the most was setting my priorities and focusing on them.
Make a list of the things that are important to you and focus on them! When you create your daily to-do list start with the most important task
If you make sure that you take care of the important things first, you will feel more accomplished at the end of the day!
Start every day focusing on the main goal of the day. Even if you don’t accomplish to do all the things on your list, you’ll certainly feel better knowing that you reached your main goal.
Get more time management tips from Raluca
Kate from Kate Martin
Prioritize. Always know what the biggest task you have is so you can focus on that first.
And give yourself grace if it doesn’t happen!
Tiny humans are demanding. Some days, just keeping a baby alive is enough of an achievement.
Amy from So Goes Life
Don’t sweat the small stuff.
I know it sounds so minor but as a mom you have to learn to let stuff go. Your home isn’t always going to be clean, your kids won’t always behave, your husband won’t always understand what you need help with, you’ll never get it all done.
Learn to prioritize the things in your life that really matter and find ways to adjust your expectations for the lower priority items.
Give yourself lots of grace in the process.
Write Things Down
Kemi from Homemaking Organized
I’m most productive when I write it down. Keeping a planner has been key for me.
Jill from Organizational Toast
My favorite tip is to take time to do a weekly planning session.
This means reviewing your calendar, creating a meal plan, and writing out daily to do lists for the week.
Get Jill’s Free Weekly Planning Guide
Judy from Fit Forty Forever
I write down my daily to dos and then schedule them by time and effort.
Think Ahead
Rose from Rose Barnett
Being productive as mom doesn’t just happen, you have to have a plan in order to rule your days.
Start with knowing your goals for each day and then the tasks needed to be done in order to achieve them.
By accomplishing tasks you’ll turn your goals into a reality.
Amber from Momtastic Ideas
Always prepare as much as you can the night before school and work (clothes, lunches, breakfast, book bags, work bags), so you make sure everyone makes it out of the house on time.
Catherine from Love Always Catherine
Before going to bed at night, write down any tasks you need to do for the next day, to give you an instant daily checklist!
Christy from Christy Colgan
I set out everyone’s clothes for the next day (including mine) and make sure our bags are packed for school and work!
Joanna from May Virtual Assists
My tip is figure out what must be completed each day and make a plan to get them done.
Whether you use a paper planner or a digital one, you have to figure out what works best for you!
Get more tips from Joanna here
Lecia from Mighty Choice Life
Get a “keeper” folder (like an expanding wallet folder) for your kids’ school papers. When they pull those piles out of their backpack, sort through with them which ones are keepers and which can be recycled (or do it when they’re at school!).
Also, give each child their own water bottle and keep it in the fridge. Less dishes and more independence for little ones who can reach the fridge but not the cups.
Finally, make a menu plan for the week and do your shopping online so you can just run to the store for the quick pickup instead of spending an hour in the aisles with an unhappy toddler or two.
Simplify Tasks
Bea from Team Work Dream
Breaking up work tasks into shorter intervals and getting rid of clutter to clear the mind.
Michelle from My Purse Strings
My favorite tip is OHIO (Only handle it once).
Get invited to a party, RSVP immediately.
Don’t file away bills to pay later. Pay it now.
I try to apply this to everything.
Myrtle from DIY With My Guy
Take a little time for yourself.
Sometimes having a moment to re-set is all we need to see the bigger picture.
As Moms, we tend to become expert multi-taskers but to really be productive we should try to focus on one thing at a time
Alicja from Just Redefine
You’re a mom, don’t think about your time management as like you’re a big boss in the corporation (even if you are one).
At home it’s all about LIFE management and you’re working 24/7, no lunch breaks, no sick days.
You need to adjust your needs and wants accordingly and at the same time you need to take care of yourself – you cannot pour from an empty cup. You can do it, Mama!
Get more tips from Alicja here
Brenda from Brenda Loves Sharing
You can make grocery shopping with kids faster by having them help you look for things, cross things off the list, and by doing a time spent grocery shopping challenge.
Get more grocery shopping tips from Brenda.
Delegate
Christina from Mom In The Six
Think about your household as a mini business and outsource and delegate where you can.
Whether that be splitting household tasks with your husband and kids, or hiring a cleaner to come once a month.
You can also order groceries online and have them delivered. You can’t do it all, so be a Mom Boss and share the workload.
Eleanor from Virtually Effective
First automate, then delegate as much as you can. Especially simple and repetitive tasks.
Time is something you will never get back.
Disengage
Jennifer from Parent Smarter Not Harder
Turn off the notifications on your phone.
Then you decide when to go on social media, not the other way around.
Sarah from My Blog Style
Turn off all notifications on your phone apart from phone calls and (maybe) text messages.
If your phone is beeping all the time then you’ll be tempted to look at it every time it sounds, and that’s a surefire way to get trapped into 10-15 minutes of checking emails, Facebook, Instagram etc. instead of working.
You have a Village
The life of a working mom is filled with never ending tasks. You’re often left feeling depleted with nothing to offer yourself.
You complete one task just in time for your baby to projectile vomit. Dinner still has to be cooked and you just realized you’re out of clean shirts.
It can be both mentally and physically exhausting.
But, you are not alone. We have been where you are! We are still where you are.
Take these tips and implement them into your daily life. These moms wouldn’t share them if they didn’t work.
Remember, you can have it all!
Organization and automation will increase your productivity, leaving you to be an even better version of yourself.
Join me on a FREE 5 Day Organization Challenge with fellow mom Hilary Erickson. Let’s learn how to conquer the trouble zones in our homes together! Sign up below.
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