*This is a collaborative post*
Being a mom is no easy feat. Whether you’re a stay-at-home mom or a working mom, the balancing act among the many tasks you need to get done by the end of day can be hectic and overwhelming. Forgetting to pack something in your kid’s school bag or missing a work deadline can easily turn an otherwise good day into a distressing one.
Read through the following time management tips to help make each day efficient and stress-free for you.
Dress Comfortably for Ease of Movement
Attending to various errands while wearing an ill-fitting outfit can hinder any progress you wish to make for that day. That is because you either feel limited in your movement or simply feel too self-conscious with what you’re wearing. In any case, this can easily distract you instead of allowing you to focus on what you need to get done.
Pick clothing that suits your comfort level, whether that means a top that won’t have you sweating too much or hosiery that can keep you warm while also being easy to move in. While seemingly trivial at first glance, putting some thought into what you wear for the day can actually make tasks much more pleasant to do and sometimes even easier to accomplish.
Set Realistic Goals
Having big tasks on your to-do list such as “clean the entire house” can feel empowering, but how realistic are they? If you find it daunting to even start them, then you won’t really make any significant progress at the end of the day. This typically happens when you set out to do a large task that can’t be completed in a single day or create a task list of numerous items that can simply overwhelm you.
When drafting your to-do list, set realistic goals. This applies whether you’re at home or at work, as you want to prioritize actually finishing tasks rather than just fretting about how overwhelming they are.
Of course this doesn’t mean completely getting rid of those big tasks. Rather, visualize them as composed of smaller, more manageable parts. Similarly, you can always defer any tasks left over for another day instead of forcing yourself to finish everything in a one go. Have yourself methodically accomplish any task you undertake instead of blindly tackling the whole thing at once. You’ll find yourself making more consistent progress in no time.
Learn to Plan Ahead
Often, what makes some tasks intimidating is the sinking dread that you’re not actually equipped to deal with it. Perhaps you don’t have the ingredients to cook that big meal for a family get-together or you’re missing key information on a presentation for work. Either way those mishaps can be eliminated by learning to plan ahead. By making plans, you save time and avoid scrambling at the last minute just to get a job done.
For instance, it could be something like plotting out what meals you wish to cook for the week so that when you visit the grocery on a weekend, you can pick up all the needed ingredients in advance. Meanwhile, planning ahead in work can mean breaking down your project into smaller tasks and ticking it off one by one to ensure you won’t be missing a key detail by the end of it.
Delegate Tasks When Necessary
Moms may be commonly dubbed as superheroes, but even heroes need allies, too! Know when to delegate tasks, not only to lighten your load but to involve your partner or kids in household duties as well. This promotes a harmonious relationship where each family member can support each other.
This applies as well to working moms, especially if they find themselves completely swamped in both housekeeping duties and office work. If you’re working on a project, pinpoint the individuals involved then see if you can assign any relevant tasks to them. With this, work becomes streamlined and no part is at risk of lagging behind.
Remove Distractions
This one is easier said than done. With so much entertainment right at our fingertips—smartphones, streaming platforms, and social media, to name a few—it can become increasingly difficult to focus. Yet if you want to manage your time efficiently, that means not giving in to temptations of easy gratification.
Identify common “time wasters” and deliberately limit yourself access to them. Say you’re supposed to be finishing up a work report. That new episode of your favorite show can wait until work’s over; don’t attempt to watch it while doing said report. If that means blocking the streaming site in the meantime so you won’t be tempted, then do so if it makes it easier.
Make Time for Self-Care
Last yet definitely something you shouldn’t skimp on: practice self-care. You may ask, why take precious time off for self-care when I can just allot that to my tasks instead? Remember that your body is your capital. If missed meals or lack of sleep has led you to feeling tired and frazzled, can you honestly say that you can still finish your tasks? So even if it’s something as simple as taking a breather to recollect your thoughts, take that moment to be kind to yourself.
As a mom, you surely have a lot on your plate. However, by being more organized with the way that you plan out your day, you’ll be able to work out a schedule that can accommodate everything that needs to be completed. By doing so, you can become less overwhelmed and start feeling more in charge as you go about your day.
