The most effective way for a busy mom to save time is to plan and organise your life as much as possible. That way, if things run smoothly you will be able to relax a little knowing you are on schedule. If things do fall apart or become chaotic you will usually have contingency plans in place to help you cope.
Menu plan
Day-to-day life runs much more smoothly if you’ve planned your meals for the week ahead. You can get practical advice on doing that here It means you can shop ahead of time for the key ingredients you’ll need. Busy moms know that it is a good idea to bake double batches and freeze extra dinners. That way, if you’re running late, someone is ill, or your day falls apart you know you have a dinner in reserve.
Cleaning routine
There is no escaping the need to have some kind of routine for cleaning. If you skip the laundry or tidying the kitchen you are simply creating a rod for your own back. By allocating fifteen to thirty minutes a day to cleaning and tidying your home it will be much easier to manage daily chores. You can use our quick cleaning tips here to support you with this.
It’s a good idea to have a schedule for your weekly cleaning. This can include what days you’re allocating to doing your laundry. Try to plan this in so that you have a steady flow of clothing going in and out of the machine. That way you will always have every family member fully dressed each day.
You time
This is often easier said than done especially with very young children. It is important to be realistic about making some time for yourself. The truth is no one is going to give you time to yourself; you have to learn to take it.
It is very important for you to schedule time for catching up with friends, for exercising and looking after your own well-being. Sometimes this means calling on more support from your partner, a babysitter or other family member. You will find that by taking time out to care for yourself you will be able to cope much better with the daily demands on you.
Time management
It’s easy to get distracted and caught up in activities or chores that aren’t a priority. Try to take a couple of minutes in the morning to prioritise what needs doing that day. It’s useful to check the fridge and pantry each morning to ensure it’s well stocked with what you need.
Try to limit your time on social media and checking emails and texts to periods of the day when you aren’t as busy. Morning and evening times tend to be busy periods in every household so this is a good time to switch off electronic devices and instead to focus on the tasks at hand.