Cheese and crackers. Peanut butter and jelly. Motherhood and overwhelm. Some things just go together. As moms, we have a lot on our plates these days as we juggle work, schedule our children’s activities, help with schoolwork, make meals, deal with a never ending pile of laundry, referee sibling disputes, manage household duties, answer emails, and more. I get tired just thinking about everything I have to do in a day, and that’s before I even get out of bed!
Time management is a crucial skill for busy, overwhelmed moms. I was never one for routines and lists. I liked to live free - fly by the seat of my pants. That worked ok before I had children. Now, not so much. I quickly learned that an unorganized day with kids was apt to fall apart, and who needs any extra anxiety? If I can learn to embrace these 7 time management skills, anyone can! Slow down for a second and check out these tips that are guaranteed to make your life a little less crazy.
Eat a frog.
Wait, don’t go catch an actual frog. Procrastination is a huge detriment to productivity. You know that thing you’re dreading most today? Do it first. We all know if we push that most difficult thing back to the end of the day, it’s likely just to get shuffled over to tomorrow for us to get up and dread again. By doing the hardest thing first, the rest of the day will automatically feel a little less stressful. The concept here is that, after you eat a frog, even something not too appetizing will look pretty good! In addition, you’ll feel so good that it’s over, you’ll have the momentum to power through the next few things on your list in a breeze.
Let’s get visual, visual!
Okay, please tell me you know the song I’m referencing? Perhaps I’m speaking to a younger audience and really showing my age here. The point is, visual lists help us identify high-priority tasks and help us see the big picture better. Our brains are wired to rapidly make sense of visual input. Visualizations such as charts, pictures, drawings, and diagrams can help us understand and remember information quicker and better. Not only do they lead to increased productivity, but visuals are just more fun to use! Prefer an app? Try the To Round app for IOS and Android.
Don’t own other people’s responsibilities.
This is a big one, particularly for people-pleasers and perfectionists. It’s tempting to just pick up someone else’s slack, whether at home or in the workplace, but it isn’t beneficial to either you or the person you’re covering for. If you’ve delegated tasks out to your family members, let them take responsibility for those tasks. Boundaries are an important part of time management because otherwise you’ll waste your time doing things other people should be doing, so focus on your own responsibilities and let others deal with their own.
Get a planner.
I know it seems too simple, but planners change lives. I used to feel like writing tasks down in a planner was just another task I had to complete, and that felt counterproductive, but people kept raving about them, so I jumped on the bandwagon. Let me tell you, it really does make a huge difference in productivity when I know what’s ahead not only for the day, but for the week and month to come! When I see it all laid out, I can move things around to be more efficient, prioritize the most important tasks of the month in the first week so I can eat all the frogs quickly, and see what I can delegate out to lighten the load. Plus, I color code all my tasks which makes my planner colorful and pretty, and that makes me feel happy.
Watch your phone time.
I’m telling you, these little mobile devices eat up time like sketchy little gremlins. You look at your phone to check one thing, and next thing you know, you’ve been on a scrolling spree for the last 20 minutes. For the highest productivity, keep your phone put away as much as possible. You might be surprised at all the extra time you’ll save.
Put yourself on your priority list.
I know if one more article tells you that you can’t pour from an empty cup, you’re going to throw your shoe at it. Well, mama, you can’t pour from an empty cup. *ducks* Honestly, we are going to say it until it sinks in, because you deserve to carve some joyful play time into your days. It doesn’t have to last for hours or be fancy. Just a few minutes of playing on the floor with your toddler, dancing in the kitchen with your teen, reading one chapter of a juicy novel, or meditating for 10 minutes can fill your cup and re-energize you. Never forget that you matter, too.
