With these 3 time management tips, I’ve gone from queen of wasting time to crushing it. When I say queen, I mean, QUEEN of wasting time. Doom scrolling, laundry piled high, full sink, tv on for hours, forgot to plan what to make for dinner…if you can relate you are probably an incredibly overwhelmed mom like I was-still am sometimes. When I start to feel like her again, I start with these three tips. But first, let’s talk about what lack of time management is not.

1. Lack of Time Management does not mean you are a bad mom

It means you’re human. Being overwhelmed with mom duties is natural. In today’s world, the village is scarce. Its you and your kids in your house with all your stuff-which we as a society have wayyyy more stuff than any generation before us- and until your kids are older, it’s you managing allll of it on your own most of the time. Remembering to brush everybody’s teeth, get everyone breakfast, cleaning all of breakfast up, feeding the dog, getting ready to go to story time, trying to remember where your coffee went-again! It’s all dependent on YOU initiating and taking action. It’s exhausting.

2. Time Management is something that can be learned

It takes one baby step at a time to gain control of your time. It’ll be trial and error but if you can get some small wins early on you can work through it.

It’s not going to happen overnight and it most certainly isn’t a quick fixed. Anything worth doing takes patience and practice. Don’t give up if you have a bad day. Find a small breakthrough to get the positive feedback sooner rather than later. The longer you delay even the smallest amount of progress, the longer it’ll take to get back at it.

As the saying goes,” Fall off the horse 7 times, get up 8.” Keep trying!

3. Time Management looks different for everyone

The way you manage your time is going to be different from Karen next door. Everyone has different obligations and priotorites to attend to. Some people are naturally more type A and others like a more relaxed schedule.

Regardless, I believe everyone can benefit from a daily rhythm. Little rituals that have become second nature so even if you wake up later than normal, you still drink your water and take your vitamins, get your teeth brushed and dressed appropriately for the day ahead or whatever you want your daily routine to look like.

3 Time Management Tips to Start Crushing It as a Mom

Alrighty. Are you ready to dive into these tips? I know they will help take the overwhelm out of your day to day and you’ll become the efficient time saving mom that you are.

1. Do a brain dump

The first step is to write out everything you need to do in a day and also all the big projects you may be putting off. Make a big list, I’m sure there’s enough in there for you to fill a whole page or more!

I believe a lot of the stress and overwhelm that comes with lack of time management is because we have so many things floating around in our minds.

These are open loops, loose ends, unfinished tasks or whatever you want to call them. We have to write these down and get them out of our minds.

From here, you’re going to separate them into different categories. First category being anything that’s really urgent. This would be things that need to be done right away but don’t have long term impact to your life goals or vision. They are more time sensitive and more crisis management than anything else. These items should be handled as soon as you finish this brain dump before moving onto the next step.

For the second category you’re going to put down all random things you’ve been meaning to do. You can break these up into further tasks like home projects, work to-do’s, church activities, groceries you need to get etc. This could end up filling an entire page. Put down every nagging thought you’ve had.

• Put up paint samples to determine paint color for kids bedroom
• Start a women’s bible study
• Get spices, powdered sugar, bananas, chocolate chips, oatmeal
• Search marketplace for shelves for master bedroom
• Check in template for clients weekly check ins
• Post encouraging tip in facebook group

Once you’ve got your urgent and important tasks we’ll move onto the next step. But first, when this little exercise is done, continuing adding to this list and crossing things off.

2. Use a Planner After Your Brain Dump

Using a planner as a mom has changed my life. This is a huge age old time management hack for a reason. It works if you do it right! Not over exaggerating one little bit. Even before I started my business, using a planner was essential as a full time stay at home mom.

I used to struggle to know what to put in my planner- which I recommend this one btw – before I started doing the brain dump. I knew I had a list a mile long of things I was behind on or wanted to plan ahead for but it was all a big jumbled mess in my mind. My brain often went blank when I went to go write things down in my planner.

After you’ve done step one, you’ll use your planner to do your top 3 daily to-dos. This does not need to be everyday things like make the bed, fold and put away laundry, or clean the kitchen before bed unless, of course, these are new habits you really need to work on implementing (which I recommend but that’s a post for another day). These top 3 to-dos should be from that long list.

Pick 3 for to put in your planner for everyday of the week. If you get these 3 things done in the day, it will have been a very productive day indeed. As you check off your master brain dump list, it’ll get smaller.

You can make a new brain dump every month and it will take much less time as the year goes by.

3. Beware of Time Stealers

I think in this modern age, we should ALWAYS be talking about this one when it comes to time management. Many of us have the time, but don’t use it to the fullest potential. I know you know where I’m going with this.

Even reading this article right now, are you putting off what you know you ought to be doing? I love that you’re reading this but consider how much time you’ve spent already scrolling or googling instead of taking action on things you know need to be done. Guilty as charged. I’ve taken way too much time to write this article myself as I go to google some inspo and get lost. UGH! It is always lurking.

Stay strong mama’s. Do your best to put first things first on your to-do’s and only after having put in the hard work can you sit a spell and relax on socials.

Isn’t that what we often expect of our children? No tv until chores have been done and you’ve got your school work completed.

So here’s your reminder, we all have the same 24 hours in a day. Let’s be wise in how we spend those hours. Be proactive, read to your children, clean the counters off, send that very important email, or whatever else you find in your to-do’s.

Other blogs you will enjoy:

3 Irrefutable Ways to Ditch the All or Nothing Mindset

4 Pregnancy Fitness Myths You Might Believe

How to Create a Morning Routine As A Mom