Time Management Tips for Busy Moms
If you are like most moms I know you think to yourself, at least
once a day, "I wish I had more time!" Most of my clients come to
me at some point asking how they can get more hours in the day.
Unfortunately, the truth is you can't. There are only 24 hours
in a day and it is impossible to make more. That being said,
there ARE ways you can cheat and create more time for the things
you want to do.
1. Prioritize! This one is especially important if you are prone
to procrastinating or starting something and never finishing it.
Each morning you should make a list, written or mental, of what
needs to be done for the day and list them in order of
importance. This can be done just as you're getting out of bed
or while you're having your morning coffee. If your mornings are
already hectic I suggest getting up a mere 3-5 minutes early
because that is really all you'll need to make this list. If
you're not a morning person you can also make a list right
before bed the night before but then I suggest it be a written
list so you don't forget anything. When making your list, try
and be aware of how your body reacts. When you think of #1, your
most important thing for the day, does you body contract? Do you
feel nervous or tense? If that's the case then maybe it needs to
be broken down into more manageable parts or baby steps. Don't
try to do too much all at once or you'll end up getting nothing
done at all! You might also consider making a second list of
less important things that could be done in 5-10 minutes
increments. This way, when you have a few minutes to kill
between activities you won't fall into a "black hole" (see #2).
Get that little bit of dusting done, throw the clothes into the
dryer or make that hair appointment during your down time.
2. Get rid of what I call "black holes" or time wasters. Things
like TV, checking your email every 5 minutes, online or computer
games, and phone calls from chatty friends can be fun but they
are also HUGE time wasters. According to a government census the
average adult watches a total of about 70 days of TV per year!!!
I bet you can think of a lot more important things you could do
with that time. Think about this statistic: the number of
minutes per week the average American child (2-11years old)
watches television is 1197 but the average number of minutes per
week that parents spend in meaningful conversation with their
children is 38.5. Just spending those 70 days playing and
relaxing with your children would be time better spent. Think
about setting aside time each day where you turn off your TV,
phone, and computer and work diligently on your to-do list. Even
an hour will increase your productivity greatly.
3. Don't be afraid to say no. So many women and especially
mothers have a problem with this. They think they have to do
everything and be everything to everyone. They want to be "super
mom" and "super friend" and "super wife". Well I bet if you
talked to your kids, friends and husband you find out they'd be
perfectly happy with you just being yourself. Taking on too much
adds more pressure on you then you need and prevents you from
working at your best which means everything will take longer to
do. You will procrastinate more if you're forcing yourself to do
things you don't really want to. You need to protect your time.
If you're still finding it hard to say no, it might help to come
up with a list of reasons you want to protect your time. What do
you want to do with any free time you get? These might include
time so you can do things to make progress towards your longer
term goals (you do have goals, right?), spending time with
people you love and care about and who nurture you, or so you
can do things that bring you pleasure and joy like a walk
through the woods, painting, swimming or reading a good book.
4. Ask for help. You may be thinking men are the ones with
problems asking for help, they won't even ask for simple
directions but most of my female clients have problems asking
for help as well. Just like being afraid to say no, they are
afraid to ask for help because they think they have to do
everything themselves. This is so untrue. You are no in this
world alone. You have friends and family and even total
strangers out there willing to help you and they won't think
less of you if you need them. In fact, they are likely to feel
honored that you would consider them. Try and plan ahead. If you
know you are coming into a time where you plate will be full to
over flowing, think about asking for help in advance or even
hiring someone temporarily. Or why not hire them permanently? Do
you REALLY have to mow the lawn every week or can't you pay a
neighbor kid to do it or teach your own kids to do it. Do you
find yourself constantly picking your kids up and dropping them
off for the same activities every week? Then start a carpool
because you must know that you are not the only mom out there
that feels more like a taxi then a parent!
5. Energy renewal. Set aside a few minutes or more a day to
renew your energy. I know what you're thinking, "I have no more
time!" but trust me, the more energy you have the more you will
get done in a shorter amount of time. If you are feeling
refreshed you will procrastinate less. Managing your energy can
be done in just a few minutes at a time. Take a few moments to
close your eyes, take a few deep breaths and just be in the
moment. If you are into yoga, do a few relaxing poses a few
times a day or just stretch your body loosen up a bit. You may
want to even think about signing up for some yoga or meditation
classes or get some DVDs or books about the subject. A great
book for beginners is called The Joy Within by Joan Goldstein
and Manuela Soares. Meditating a few times a day only takes
minutes and will do wonders for your mind as well as your time
management but make sure to turn off your phones during these
moments! Another book I highly recommend if you're interested in
energy renewal is "The Power of Full Engagement" by Jim Loehr
and Tony Schwartz.
So, if you're up for the challenge, I would suggest you take a
few moments each morning or night to make your prioritized to do
list. Also, start becoming more aware of what you want more time
for and what you are protecting your time for. Make a list of
the top three things you want to do with this time and keep
those things in mind when you are about to say yes to something
you want to say no to or when you start procrastinating or
falling into a black hole.