There never seems to be enough time for the things that busy moms need to do every day. Let me help you with 6 time management tips that every mom should know and use.
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24 hours. 1,440 minutes. 86,400 seconds.
No matter who you are, that is exactly how much time you get in a day.
You can't get more time. But you can manage your time to make the most of those hours, minutes and seconds. Time management might seem impossible when you're a busy mom. There is just so much on your plate. I get it, and I've felt that way many many times.
But, with a few basic strategies, even the busiest moms can learn how to manage their time. I have 6 proven time management tips that every mom needs to know to make the most of each day.
6 Time Management Tips for Busy Moms
1. You cannot do it all
If you don't believe me, just ask Oprah. She once said, "You can have it all. Just not all at once." If Oprah can't do it all, no one can.
You might be thinking to yourself: “Of course I can! I see moms every day doing it all and not looking frazzled at all!"
I know, we see the moms who manage to run their kids from soccer practice to dance, have a gourmet meal on the table when they get home, a spotless home, all while wearing makeup and real pants. PS - this is not me.
What you don't see is that because she is always running around with her kids and spending what little free time she has cleaning her home, she hasn't had a good night's sleep in years. She looks great but inside she is stressed to the max.
Trying to do it all is not managing your time. It is letting your time and unrealistic expectations manage you. Once you accept this you can actually manage the time you have to do the things that matter.
2. Learn to delegate
This is probably the part where most of you will consider jumping ship, but hear me out for just a moment. Your husband might terrible at cooking dinner, and I mean so bad at cooking that your kids think the smoke alarm going off means that dinner is ready. So yes, cooking might be something you take on. But let him handle cleaning up the dishes after dinner or helping with homework.
The point of delegating is not to throw all the things you don’t want to do onto someone else’s plate, but to lessen your load just a little bit by using the resources you have.
Your kids can help pick up the house or take the trash out at the end of the night. You can let the dog clean the floor under the dinner table (I'm kidding. Sort of.).
Enlisting the help of other members of your household will help free up some of your time, and help get all of those necessary items on your to-do list done.
3. Make a to-do list and a schedule every single day
Have you ever caught yourself with an overplanned day? It happens to the best of us; we tend to schedule more hours for ourselves than we realistically have in a day. As busy moms, we don’t always think about how those 24 hours will play out, but we say yes and sign up for things anyway.
This is why it’s so important to make a to-do list and schedule every single day.
Having a schedule handy will keep you from overbooking your day, and allow you think about how you want to fill those hours.
When planning my schedule for the next day, I start by filling in the things I have to do. These are the things that need to get done or everyone would either starve or not have any clean underwear.
Next, I fill in something every day that I want to do. This is my me time and a non-negotiable part of the day. This could be a yoga class, time to read a book, or coffee with a friend. After that, I let the rest of the schedule be filled in by the things life has to throw at me.
Next, I make sure to take this schedule and make out a to-do list. This includes all of the things I have to get done and prioritizing items based on when they need to be done. Obviously, dinner has to be on the table by dinnertime, but I can fold laundry anytime.
4. Identify your time sucks
What is a time suck? It’s anything about your day that sucks away a little portion of your day without you even knowing it. This could be something like checking social media or watching TV.
If you’re not sure what the time sucks are in your life, write down everything you did in a day. You’ll find them quickly.
Need help? Grab my printable workbook to help you declutter your day here.
For you, it might be one too many episodes on Netflix or browsing Instagram before bed. By identifying these time sucks, you can replace them with better and more productive habits.
5. Learn to say no
Do you want to know the secret of all those time management gurus out there? They’ve learned to say no. No to anything that isn’t going to better their family’s life or their own.
When you are making plans, learn to say no every once in a while. Don’t say no out of obligation or guilt, but say no because your time is precious and limited. When you learn to say no to the things you don’t want to do, you will free up so much of your time for the things that are important.
This is a hard lesson for women and moms especially, as we've been raised to be helpers. But trust me, once you have figured it out you'll discover so much more time in your day and that the things you are doing are creating value for you and your family.
Oh and by the way, you do not need to make up elaborate excuses. A simple, "no, I won't be able to but thank you for thinking of me." or "no thank you" is enough.
6. Schedule downtime
Scheduling downtime might sound like the equivalent of scheduling a bathroom break, but believe me when I say that you need some downtime. You need time to stretch your legs after a long day of work, and you need time to breathe for a second.
Downtime can also work as wiggle room in case you hit traffic or have to run back home for something later in the day. These little breaks in the day will help you catch your breath before you head to your next task.
Time is precious. You can't buy it and once it's gone you can't get it back. But when you learn to manage your time in a way that makes it more valuable and productive, you'll find that you have more than you ever dreamed possible.
Want to take your time management to the next level? Click here to see how to declutter your day with a printable workbook and TONS of resources for busy moms!
