Moms are some of the busiest people in the world. There just never seems to be enough time to get it all done. As moms, we’re always looking for new ways to get more done in less time. Here are some time management hacks to help you get the most out of the time you have.
Maximize Your Waiting Time
We all have those places where we are stuck waiting. To be more productive, maximize your waiting time by working on your to-do list. This will allow you to knock out the things you have to do faster by using time that is normally wasted with just waiting. Even if you are only waiting for 5 minutes, use it to your advantage. You can either tackle a project that can be done in those 5 minutes, like returning a phone call, or get started on a task that can be broken up into segments, like checking email. Ultimately, by the end of your day, this will gain you back some time.
For instance, while I wait for my son to get dressed in the morning, I put up some of the laundry. I can’t finish it all in that short time, but this allows me to finish it 5 minutes faster later in the day. While sitting in the waiting room of a doctor’s office, address your Christmas cards instead of playing on your phone. When you are in the carpool lane at your kids’ school, pay bills. In the mornings, I use the 2-3 minutes that I’m waiting on my son’s breakfast to finish cooking to update his reading log for school.
Think Ahead
One of the hardest parts of being a busy mom is the feeling of constantly running behind. I find that I can combat this feeling by simply thinking ahead. I tend to always think one to two weeks in advance. This allows me to better prepare for errands, chores, and any special projects that I have going on. By thinking ahead and taking care of things that can be done well in advance, I feel more on top of my life and spend less time scrambling at the last minute.
By planning two weeks in advance, I am able to hand deliver thank you cards while at my son’s football game. It also allows me to get buy gifts when I have time to shop for them instead of at the last possible second. More than anything, this little practice helps me to avoid procrastinating.
Double Up
Generally speaking, it takes more time to multi-task than to do things one at a time. However, there are a few ways that you truly can double up on your tasks and get things done faster. This goes hand-in-hand with thinking about things in advance. While at the store getting groceries today, I can also pick up the items my son needs for a school project next week. This will save me a trip to the store in a few days. Overall, this cuts down on the number of errands that I have to run.
Get Ready at Night
The craziest time in almost any household is morning when everyone is rushing to get out on time. To make mornings run smoother, get ready the night before. This includes making lunches, laying out outfits, putting all needed items in backpacks, and setting everything by the door. By taking a little time at night, when things are calmer, you will be more likely to remember everything. It will also make your mornings easier.
Delegate
Moms invariably try to do it all themselves. We don’t want to ask for help because we worry that no one can do things as well as us. However, one of the biggest time management hacks you can use is to delegate to your kids and husband. Let them help out around the house and with the errands. Chances are that your husband won’t load the dishwasher exactly how you would, but it will get done. Learning to give up control of everyday tasks will save you time and allow you to enjoy your family more. My husband has been doing the laundry for the last seven years. While I sometimes cringe at the way he does it, I can’t complain about the hours it saves me every week.
Lose a Little Sleep
I know this sounds crazy, but one way to be more productive is to lose a little sleep. Now, I’m not talking about pulling all-nighters or anything like that. I’m talking about giving up 3o minutes or so of sleep each day. You can do this by getting up a little earlier or staying up a little bit later. I find that by getting up a half hour earlier allows me to tackle a few things before the rest of my family wakes up. This gets my day started on a good note while giving me a head start on that to-do list. And it’s amazing how much you can get done when you have no distractions!
The greatest gift you can give someone is time. This is especially true for busy moms with a never-ending to-do list. I hope that these time management hacks can help you plow through your list while gaining back some valuable time.
