One of the questions I get asked a lot is “how do you find the time to do everything?” The simple answer to this is by using effective time management for moms. That means I use simple tricks that I’ve learned over the years to fit everything that I need to do into the time I have each day.
The reason I get asked this often is because I work full-time, have three kids, run a blog, Etsy shop, and help my dad often.
Just looking at all of it seems like a lot for one person to do. And sometimes it can feel like it’s too much for me. But one thing I learned to do early on is to find ways to balance my time as a mom with everything else that is going on.
Time Management Tips for Moms
Much of the household cooking, cleaning, etc. is done by the hubs because he’s currently a stay-at-home dad. So, a lot of the stuff that needs to be done at home, he does. I do all the other stuff.
But with all the appointments and little projects that are going on, I need to be able to work on certain things throughout the day to make sure that everything gets done.
One thing that I learned early on is that I can’t do everything in one day. So I use little time management tricks that I’ve found over the years to balance everything.
Using a planner
I use a combination of the calendar app on my phone and a paper planner to keep track of appointments and things that need to be taken care of. For the most part, this keeps me on schedule each day.
Time is set aside for everything that needs to be done and do things in time blocks or chunks.
And I have set days for different errands or appointments so I can keep track of them easily.
Online Shopping
Using online shopping and grocery pick has freed up a lot of time recently. So, it’s easier to just stop and pick up the order instead of spending an hour or more in the store. And it helps to reduce impulse buys, so I save some money doing it.
It seriously saves so much time and is really easy to do. I wish this had been around longer.
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Lots Of Lists
Seriously I mean it. I always have a list for everything (even if it’s just in my head).
We keep a list of the meals the kids will eat, grocery lists, and cleaning lists.
All of it.
If it needs to be done it gets put on a list.
This is a great way for everyone to know exactly what is going on and the older kids can help out with some of the house cleaning too.
Prioritize
Do the most important things first. Or the things that you want to do the least.
That way you can get them out of the way and move on to things that you would much rather do anyway.
When you make your list for the day. Put the most important or time-consuming on top and work your way down.
Another approach is to make a done list. Each time you get something done write it down and check it off.
Sometimes doing it this way makes the idea of a to-do list easier to deal with and a lot less overwhelming.
Time Blocking
When I’m working on any of my side hustles I use time blocking. This means I work on related tasks in chunks so that I can keep myself focused on what I need to be doing.
I will set aside time for all my writing, product creation, and social media and graphics.
That way I can keep myself on track even when I get distracted by the kids. Which happens a lot.
Final Thoughts on Time Management for Moms
I don’t have all of it figured out. At best I have half of it in the bag. But I hope that some of these time management tips for moms will come in handy for someone.
What are some tips for time management do you have? Let me know in the comments!