4 bulletproof time-management tips for a full-time mom (and others)

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The key to motherhood is time-management

Six months -normalcy starts to enter my life once my babies have hit this magical age. At this point, we’ve established a routine. I have had time to heal from labor and start my post-partum regime. I am less sleep-deprived, and I feel a sense of productivity. My eyes turn to my long to-do list that has been neglected for months or even for years.

I am ready to tackle projects and jobs that have been ignored for so long. I dive in, but I quickly lose the satisfaction of deleting items from my list while simultaneously adding more. It seems as if every task is permanently pending and never completed. I start to develop an internal struggle, the more I attempt to complete a task the less productive I feel. What has changed?

Everything has changed! I am no longer my sole responsibility. I have two girls who depend on me for nearly everything; I have a husband who needs my support, and I have my dreams and expectations to consider. My time and resources are limited, and I find myself pulled in various directions.

“Forget your to-do list,” replied a dear friend as I expressed my frustration. As I replayed her words in my head, I realized that she wasn’t implying that I discard my list but that I needed a more effective and efficient system. As I have made changes, I’ve learned to find more contentment in the process rather than the result of completion.

In a fast-paced  world, it can be challenging to slow down to the pace of a child. Daily tasks that once seemed humble have become time-consuming. Some days my biggest feat is getting myself and the girls out the door to enjoy the sunshine. I know my children will grow up, and I will have more control over my schedule but for now I am looking for satisfaction in completing even the simplest of tasks.

I believe the key to motherhood is time-management: taking the time to prioritize and then committing to making the necessary changes. I have developed the following four techniques to allow for a more well-rounded experience in motherhood.

 

Here are my bulletproof tips to tackle time-management issues as a full-time mom:

 

Establish top priorities

After some consideration, I established my top three priorities that needed to be completed on a daily basis. These are meditation & prayer, meal plan, and uninterrupted time with each member of my family. Regardless of how my day goes, I feel successful if I have allowed time to focus on these priorities.

 

Prepare for setbacks

Each day with children is unpredictable. But allowing extra time in my day for “unseeable events” has helped immensely. I have created a simple daily routine and have divided time-consuming responsibilities into smaller daily tasks. This gives enough leverage for flexibility if my day doesn’t go as planned.

 

30 minutes of “me time.”

I have taken the idea of a 30-60-minute lunch break and incorporated into motherhood. As a mother, a majority of your time is spent taking care of everyone else’s needs before your own. But I realized it is not selfish to take care of myself a little as well. I feel less deprived when I am able to do what I want to do, even if only for a few minutes and regardless whether it is productive or not. After a “me time’, I am able to manage my time better because I have had time to relax, recharge and refocus.

 

As I have invested time into developing better time-management practices, I have been able to recognize and eliminate distractions. With these four (seemingly) easy steps my productivity has increased, and I have become more aware of my small victories throughout the day. I’ve learned to feel a sense of accomplishment in the small and simple responsibilities associated with motherhood.

 

Betsy ProfileABOUT THE AUTHOR –  Columnist at MissCareerLess
Betsy currently resides in Utah, USA, where she was born and raised. After the birth of her little girl, Betsy decided to leave the workforce and become a full-time mom. She is currently busy helping her two little girls discover the beauty, creativity and love in the world. “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams” -Eleanor Roosevelt, is a philosophy that she hopes to instill in her children. Betsy believes in stepping outside of your comfort zone and realizing your full potential.


Edited by Virag

Betsy Allred Toyn

Betsy Allred Toyn

Betsy currently resides in Utah, USA, where she was born and raised. After the birth of her little girl, Betsy decided to leave the workforce and become a full-time mom. She is currently busy helping her two little girls discover the beauty, creativity and love in the world. “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams” -Eleanor Roosevelt, is a philosophy that she hopes to instill in her children. Betsy believes in stepping outside of your comfort zone and realizing your full potential.
Betsy Allred Toyn