When you’re trying to juggle a job, a family, friends, and a personal life, things can get chaotic. It can be very easy to let certain things take over your life while other things fall through the cracks.
Here are ten hacks you can use to make your life a little easier, mom:
- Make a List
Make a list of everything you need to do and everywhere you need to be. You can keep it in a notebook, on the fridge, or on your phone. Just the act of getting it all out will help you figure out how to tackle your day. We love using our phone’s note section and a yearly planner like this one from Anthropologie. When it comes to digital lists we like using the Swipe App – wonderful feeling to see your task list shrink with a Swipe!
- Prioritize
Divide tasks into three categories—must do, would like to do, and can wait. By assigning each task a priority, you’ll be able to see what’s necessary and what can wait until tomorrow or the weekend. As we are fans of digital helpers, we like using the Trello App for larger projects like planning the summer break or school projects.
- Don’t Multi-task
This isn’t always possible for working parents (or any parents!), but avoid multitasking as much as possible. It takes longer to get each task done and you typically don’t do it as well as you would have if you were focused on one thing. By the way, this applies to your work life too J.
- Set a Timer
Give yourself a time limit for each task to help keep you focused. If you only have 30 minutes to clean the kitchen, you might think twice about stopping to check Instagram.
- Take Breaks
It’s impossible to work every second of every day and trying to will likely lead to burnout. One rule of thumb is to take ten minutes every hour to look away from a screen and just breathe for a second. Daily meditation will help relax you and get you prepared for the rest of your day! Try this short exercise.
- Do the Hard Things First
Figure out what the most difficult or mind-consuming task is and get that done first. Otherwise, you may be tempted to put it off by doing other “productive” things that aren’t exactly necessary. Plus, when you knock the biggest thing off your list first thing, the rest of the day seems like a breeze!
- Use an App
Physical calendars and planners are great, especially for list-makers. However, there are lots of great apps out there that will help keep you on track. You can use them to set alarms and reminders so you never forget anything. Plus, some apps let you share your lists and schedules with other people, so you can work as a team to get things done. GoKid, for example, is your go-to carpool solution. Gone are the days of the long text and/or email chains trying to coordinate carpool schedules. GoKid makes it easy for you and your carpool group to streamline your pick-up and drop-off schedules. Haven’t tried it yet? Click here for more info.
- Plan Meals Ahead
This may seem like a lot of time upfront, but it will save you so much time and stress during the week. Over the weekend, sit down and plan your meals and snacks for the entire week. Create a grocery list and get everything you’ll possibly need. That way, you only take one trip to the store each week, instead of running by each day. Cook up as much as you can in advance to make weeknight meals easier. Check out our easy meals board on Pinterest here.
- Rely on Others
You don’t have to do it all by yourself! Set up carpools for all of your regular driving – it cuts your driving time down by half or a third. Hire a cleaning service or a babysitter or mother’s helper so you can get tasks done. Trust us. You’ll ask yourself why you didn’t do it sooner!
- Simplify Your Morning
Instead of rushing around like crazy first thing in the morning, imagine a calm start to the day. Simplifying your morning routine will help you get more done first thing in the morning. Select outfits the night before, streamline your makeup application by using multitasking products, and prep your breakfast in advance to make the AM routine a little smoother.
Parent life can be tough at times, but using the simple hacks above can help streamline the madness just a bit and make your life a little easier. Do you have a tip you’d like to add to our list? Comment below!
