5 Time Management Tips for Busy Moms
This past year has been the busiest of my 30+ years of life. I’ve always been a busy person, juggling my family, day job, church commitments, and writing goals. But I recently reached a place where the pressure was unbearable. Below is what I learned from my recent struggles with time management. These items are essential to surviving those busier seasons of life.
5 Time Management Tips for Busy Moms
1) Quality time with God every morning: I was shocked when I felt the Holy Spirit nudging me to get up a half hour earlier every day. I was barely surviving on 6-7 hours of sleep each night – how could I possibly get up earlier than 6am? Although unhappy at first, I discovered it wasn’t as hard as I anticipated. It didn’t take long for me to see that spending 15 minutes in a half-asleep stupor wasn’t good enough; I needed more. Focusing on my Creator first thing each morning helped set a positive attitude and made my days more productive.
2) Days of rest once a week: My family has always tried to observe Sunday as a time of rest. God is clear that we need to observe the Sabbath, and while I believe this may be a different day for each person/family, it must be a priority. I soon found my commitments slipping over into Sundays so I could keep up, and it made Monday morning horrid. I was not refreshed and ready for the coming week. Quickly curbing the urge to use this free time for work, I made sure to protect this time so I could relax.
3) Proper diet and exercise: I hate how incredibly easy it is to skip cooking a healthy dinner and opt for fast food! I’ve done this way too many times, and always felt crummy afterward (physically and mentally!) Eating plenty of veggies and proteins keeps our strength up, while too many carbs, or overeating, inhibits our ability to keep going. It may take some extra effort, but eating the right foods, as well as getting regular exercise, will give you the energy you need to carry on with your many tasks.
4) Make a schedule: Many moms feel they can’t be productive with a rigid plan, but research has shown that people with schedules and routines are more productive and successful. If you stick to it, it will help the day go more smoothly, but you have to learn to keep an eye on the clock. Time can get away from us quickly, so be sure you know how long each task will take, and plan a little extra. Know your strengths and weaknesses, as well as your children, so you can plan accordingly. My son can be ready for school in 20 minutes, but my daughter needs an hour, so I’ve factored that into our morning routine.
5) Don’t sweat the small stuff: Because I’m an organized person, anything that didn’t fit my expectations used to really upset me. This is such a waste of time and effort! Let go of things that don’t matter, things you can’t change, and focus your attention on the things that do. Don’t blow all your energy complaining – do something productive instead!
I know making time for these items may seem counter-productive, but it’s really not. You’ll feel better while you’re moving at the pace of Super-Mom, and be more productive as well!
So you have any time management tips to share?
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