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7 Time Savers for Working Moms
Last Updated on July 2, 2023 by Tracey McGrath
Do you often feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done and actually enjoy your life? Working full-time as a mom and spending quality time with your family can be a challenge. And to be honest, balance at all times is an unachievable goal. It’s about finding it when you can and feeling good about how you spend your time. Here are 7 strategic time savers to help you make the most of your time.
Prioritize and plan your day.
One of the most effective ways to save time as a working mom is to prioritize and plan your day. Start by making a to-do list of all the tasks you need to do, both at work and at home. Doing this on the same day each week, say Sunday, can also be helpful. It helps to set the tone for the week.
Prioritize the tasks based on their importance and urgency. I like using the Eisenhower Matrix to determine if a task is really important or not. Then you can use a planner or calendar to schedule your days. I’m still a pen-and-paper gal so I love the planners from Day Designer.
Schedule appointments, meetings, calls, and time spent working. It may sound weird but it’s important to schedule blocks of time to spend with family too. This also helps to alleviate mom guilt. When it’s scheduled you can be fully present during that time. And don’t forget to include time for socializing and self-care. By planning ahead you avoid wasting time on tasks that aren’t really important to you. You find that you do have enough time for the things that matter most.
Delegate tasks and responsibilities.
As a working mom, it’s important to recognize that you can’t do everything on your own. Delegating tasks and responsibilities can help you save time and reduce stress. Consider hiring a babysitter or nanny to help with childcare. Or hire a house cleaner to reduce time spent cleaning.
Ask your partner or family members to help with household chores. Create a chore list for everyone in the household. This way everyone knows what they’re responsible for. Check out this free chore chart for kids from At Home on the Prairie. She even has a chore chart for adults too!
You can also delegate tasks at work. Ask for help from colleagues for planning or specific projects. If you’re a manager teach your employees and then allow them the autonomy to do the task. Check in to see how they’re doing. Do they need more teaching or training? If so, then give them the guidance needed based on their work.
If you’re self-employed try outsourcing certain tasks to freelancers or contractors. By sharing the load, you can free up more time for yourself and your family. You don’t have to do it all.
Do you ever find yourself doing work that you don’t like or aren’t that great at? If so, you could be sucking precious time and energy from yourself. In the book, The Big Leap, Hendricks talks about the concept of zones. You want to stay in your zone of genius, which is where you excel. Other tasks outside of your zone of genius are best given to someone else to do.
Use technology to your advantage.
Technology can be a great tool for working moms to save time and stay organized. Apps like Google Calendar can help to keep track of schedules and appointments. You can also use meal-planning apps like Mealime or Paprika. These can save time on grocery shopping and meal preparation. Or try using the voice memo on your phone to create grocery lists. This helps to free up energy so you’re not worrying about forgetting things you need.
Meal delivery services like Marley Spoon or Blue Apron are great time savers for busy families. These boxes come with everything you need to make delicious meals for your family. Or try a meat delivery subscription like Butcher Box or a seafood box like Know Seafood. This way you always have quality meats and seafood on hand.
Use online shopping and delivery services for groceries, household items, and even clothing. You can save a ton of time (and money) by not going to stores. But be careful. Online shopping can also be a time suck. Make sure to set time limits for yourself or go online looking for specific items and stick to that.
Set boundaries and stick to them.
One of the most important time savers is setting boundaries and sticking to them. This means being clear about your work hours and not allowing work to spill over into your family time. This can definitely help with mom guilt. When you are at work be at work. When you are home be at home.
It also means being willing to say no to work requests. And saying no to social invitations that don’t align with your priorities. It’s ok to say no. And if saying no feels challenging, start with “I need to check my schedule and get back to you.” or “Let me think about it.” By setting boundaries and sticking to them, you can create more balance in your life. This helps to reduce stress, overwhelm, and resentment.
Take breaks to rejuvenate yourself.
Taking breaks throughout the day can help you recharge and maintain focus. Research shows that taking short breaks can boost productivity and help prevent burnout.1
You could take a walk outside, or do some light stretching or yoga in your office. Listen to some calming music for a few minutes. Even just stepping away from your desk and taking a few deep breaths can help to reset your nervous system.
These little breaks help you to tackle tasks with renewed energy and focus. Even though a break may seem like a time waster to some it is actually one of the best time savers. Taking a break for yourself is helpful to increase focus and increase productivity.
Eliminate distractions.
Distractions can be one of the biggest time-wasters. Whether it’s social media, phone calls, or colleagues stopping by your desk to chat. Studies show that it takes about 20 minutes to refocus after an interruption.2
Distractions can easily eat up valuable time. They prevent you from completing important tasks. When you get distracted it not only takes time to refocus, but you may also forget what you were working on to begin with.
Time savers like turning off notifications on your phone can have a huge impact. Try closing unnecessary tabs on your browser to cut distractions. Set specific times of day for email and social media check-ins.
Working from home presents a different set of distractions. Organize a designated workspace where you can focus without interruptions. Preferably have a door you can close and place a “Do Not Disturb” sign on the outside. In Keller’s book, The One Thing, he suggests hanging a sign that reads “I’m working on my One Thing” which I love.
Eliminating distractions in your work environment helps you to streamline your work. This helps you be more productive throughout the day. When you feel you’ve been productive you can be more present when you’re not working.
Practice self-care.
As a working mom, it can be easy to put your own needs last. But practicing self-care is crucial for maintaining your mental and physical health. It’s that old adage, you can’t pour from an empty cup.
This can include a daily habit like yoga, mindful art, or meditation. Scheduling time for exercise or hobbies, and getting enough sleep. You may think of sleep as expendable. But it affects not only your physical health but your productivity as well.3 The better rested you are the better you feel and can be more present. Check out my article on The Importance of Sleep Health for more info!
Find things that you enjoy doing and help you to feel relaxed. Schedule these activities each day, week or month. Whatever works for you. But make sure to schedule these activities just as if they were a doctor’s appointment. It’s that important. Because when you feel good it’s easier for you to decipher what is really meaningful to you.
Some forms of self-care could be:
- meeting friends for lunch or coffee
- taking walks
- doing art (Check out my article on What Is Mindful Art? for more info!)
- some form of exercise
- getting a massage
- talking to a friend on the phone
- having a zoom group that meets once a week
- getting a spiritual reading
- date nights
- gardening
- meditation (Check out my article on The Benefits of Meditation)
- reading
- doing puzzles
- making a vision board
- playing sports
- board games
- watching movies
- day trips/travel
Remember, taking care of yourself is not selfish. It’s necessary for being able to show up as your best self for your family and work.
Let’s Connect!
As I stated above, practicing self-care is a way to actually save time in the long run. I teach mindful art techniques as a way to reduce stress and find more peaceful moments in your life. If you’re looking for a mindfulness practice that also incorporates art then look no further!
Wanna learn how to use mindful art to reduce stress and tap into your own creativity? Becoming Blissful with Mindful Art helps you find more self-compassion with simple art projects that anyone can do. Your creativity is waiting for you!
Frequently Asked Questions about Time Savers
Prioritizing what’s important to you is by far the most effective time saver. When you can see how much time you’re spending doing tasks that actually aren’t important, you will free up huge chunks of time.
Start small. Choose just one thing. Everyone must start somewhere. Each time saver will make a huge impact but don’t try to do all of them at once. Choose the one that feels easiest and will make the most impact for you right now.
Time savers like these can not only give you back precious time but also affect your mental health and well-being. By implementing a strategy like prioritizing tasks, you can see what’s really important and what’s not. By delegating tasks you can alleviate pressure on yourself to do it all. By eliminating distractions you can be more productive and feel better about your time spent working.
References:
- https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/taking-breaks/#:~:text=Even%20breaks%20as%20short%20as,when%20you%20return%20to%20work.
- https://www.ics.uci.edu/~gmark/CHI2005.pdf
- https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-hygiene/good-sleep-and-job-performance
Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links, and I will earn a commission if you purchase through these links. Please note that I’ve linked to these products purely because I recommend them and they are from companies I trust. There is no additional cost to you.
Tracey McGrath is an artist and pharmacist. She is on a journey to share how mindful art can help women with their mental health. She is a certified mindful art teacher by the International Mindfulness and Meditation Alliance and a certified meditation teacher by UnPlug Meditation Studio. She is also a Duke Health & Well-Being Usui Reiki Level 3 Master Practitioner as well as a Certified Strategic Life Coach and Certified EFT Practitioner by Priority Academy. She earned her doctorate of pharmacy from UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy in 2004.