Being busy and being a mom goes hand in hand. If you ever have a moment to yourself, you may be wondering if you’re forgetting something! But what if you could better manage your time so that you did have free time without worry? Let’s take a closer look at time management tips for busy moms.
Use a Planner
When you take the time to schedule things throughout your day, you’re more likely to get your to-do list done. Sit down at the end of each day and create a to-do list for the next day. Next, you want to schedule the items into your planner. Make sure to leave buffer space in case things take longer than expected. You’ll be amazed at how much more productive you are when you schedule your day.
Make sure you use whatever works best for you. If having your to do list and calendar on your electronic devices works best for you, continue with that. Or perhaps you're a pen and paper type of person. There's no perfect system that works for everyone, since everyone is different.
I have found that I love using Google calendar for my calendar. I can look at it a month at a time (or daily/weekly) on my desktop and then still have access to it when I'm out and about on my phone. However, I like using an old fashioned small spiral notebook to write down my to do list. I like physically writing it out, looking at it, and crossing things off my list.
Create a Routine
Routines make your life so much easier. A great example is washing a load of laundry each day so that you never have to spend an entire day washing clothes. You can also start the dishwasher each evening and empty it each morning. The more routine your day becomes, the easier it is to manage your time.
I don't like to have to think about what I'm going to do next (especially early in the morning!). That's where routines work great. I don't have to think…I just move on to the next task. I feel so much better when I have a predictable routine.
Multitask
Whenever you’re given the chance to do so, you want to multitask. For example, you can help the kids with homework while you make dinner. You can make your grocery list for the week while waiting in the school pickup line. You can listen to practical podcasts while you're in the car by yourself.
Meal Plan
Meal planning is so important for busy families. You want to take the time once a week to go through what you have on hand and plan a menu that uses up those items. This helps ensure that you spend less money on groceries. Look at your planner and see what you have going on during the week so that you can plan meals that work for those days.
Each Saturday morning, my husband and I look at our calendar to see which activities we have going on in the evenings which might affect our meals. Then, we plan our meals for the week and create our Walmart Grocery Pickup order and our Costco list. I love that everything is all planned out for the week, and we don't have to make any last minute trips to the store.
In the past, when I would let the meal planning slip, I would waste so much mental energy trying to figure out what to make each night and then making a quick run to the grocery store to buy needed ingredients. I never want to go back to that again!
Stock the Freezer with Freezer Meals
Last, but not least, stock your freezer with freezer meals. You can either spend one day a month cooking meals or you can bulk up a recipe whenever you are cooking. For example, when you make chili or spaghetti sauce, double or triple the recipe so that you can freeze some for later. I always double my recipes that freeze well so I can cook less!
You don’t always have to be scrambling. These time management tips for busy moms will help ensure that you’re less likely to feel overwhelmed. Get a good planner to schedule your day, create routines, multitask, plan meals, and stock your freezer. Soon, you’ll find that you have more time for yourself.
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