Keeping a balance in various aspects of our lives is a modern-day challenge. This is more glaring for busy moms. It is a daily challenge to balance work and the demands of a new baby for new moms. More often than not, we seem to run out of time to do all the chores and sometimes wish we could have over 24 hours in a day. What if I tell you there are clever time management hacks for busy moms you can use?
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Here are some important and easy time management hacks for busy moms to help you manage your time and be able to cross off a lot from your daily to-do list.
#1. Make a List
You may not see how this helps but trust me, it does. When you just tick this off in your mind and rattle off your chores from memory, it is very easy to dwell on one for longer than is needed or worse, to forget a chore. However, when you have a list, you can easily break down your chores into manageable bits and be able to time yourself as you go through the day. It also brings you satisfaction and that extra boost each time you cross something off your list.
#2. Perfection is an Illusion
One reason you spend a lot of time on a particular chore is that you want everything to be perfect. Know now that perfection does not exist and seeking after it will only make you lose time. Do everything to the utmost, but know when to cautiously leave it alone.
#3. Reduce Surfing Time
Often, we spend too much time online surfing or just paying bills. To save that time, set the payment of your bills to automatic, have a specific time to answer all your mails, don’t let it pile up. It will be helpful to write it down on your to-do list.
#4. Do Not Procrastinate!
We all hate doing chores! The idea of scrubbing away or delivering the dirty laundry at the dry cleaners or grocery shopping is not fun, we all hate it. However, to run the home smoothly, we have to get around it somehow. The best way is to do the annoying stuff first, getting it out of the way motivates you to keep going. You may even discover that you spend less time than you thought you would, which leaves room for other activities.
#5. Develop Good Habits!
One reason we hate doing chores so much is that we allow them to pile up. Then, when it’s time to confront it, it’s just overwhelming and takes even more time. You can still save a lot of time doing the dishes after every meal. Rinse your dishes, then set them in the dishwasher. The rest of the family can also be taught to develop this habit, so it’s not just you doing it.
#6. Try to Multitask
While you’re cooking in the kitchen, you could also get some laundry done if you do that by yourself. As everything comes together in the pot, you could finally attend to the dishes or walk around the house picking up misplaced toys or just tossed clothing. Again, older children could be allowed to do this while you attend to other matters.
#7. Cook ahead
You can save a lot of time by having some frozen prepared meals in the freezer for the rest of the week. Whenever you cook a meal on weekends, prepare multiple servings of your meals and keep them frozen to be reheated quickly over the course of the week.
#8. Sort things out Properly
We all have those annoying time-wasting moments where we need to stitch up a shirt but can’t find out the sewing set. Then we find the set and realize that we had lost the shirt while searching for the set! These episodes aren’t just nerve-wracking, they also waste time; you can prevent this by organizing similar items in a particular access point. You can have your screwdriver and tools in a drawer in the kitchen, your sewing gear could be kept in a drawer by your dressing mirror. All items to be sewn should have a collection point, just like you have a laundry basket for dirty laundry. It also helps to make a small pack of those items you seem to use daily and keep them in a drawer in the living room, to reduce having to go to your room to get what you need.
#9. Have your supplies delivered
Time gets taken out of your day when you have to go to the grocery store or go shopping by yourself. It saves time to have some of your necessities home-delivered. Some stores have home delivery so take advantage of that. You can give them a list of what you need, they’ll put the items together and deliver it to your doorstep. This works great if you can’t spare the time to stick up your supplies.
#10. Delegate what you need to do
It’s very hard to trust that someone else or your spouse will do a chore as effectively as you want it done. However, perfection is an illusion. Everything doesn’t have to be perfect; it just has to be at an acceptable level that works for you and your family. Therefore, let everybody have a job or responsibility. Don’t take it all upon yourself because chances are, you wouldn’t get much done. Let someone do the dishes and take out the trash. Make a comprehensive list of what’s needed and let your spouse get the groceries if you aren’t having it delivered.
The time management hacks for busy moms above will ensure that you have time left for fun things with your family, like a picnic, a day at the beach or just a family outing. It will also afford you the chance to catch up on some yoga or any other exercise routine and also treat yourself at the spa. Your care is just as important as caring for the family. Happy moms make for a happy home.
