10 Super Mom Strategies That Will Buy You More Time In Your Day
10 Super Mom Strategies That Will Buy You More Time In Your Day
Feel like you would benefit from an extra hour or seven? These strategies will help you get more done in less time.
Written by Liz Bayardelle, PhD | See Comments | Updated 08/18/2020
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10 Super Mom Strategies That Will Buy You More Time In Your Day
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You are Super Mom, but even you probably wish there were more hours in the day. By the time you've juggled parenting with a career or housework, it feels like there's zero time left for yourself. And that's before you've even accounted for unforeseen mishaps throughout the day.
It is possible to claw back some valuable time, though, and the small steps often make the biggest upgrades. Here are 10 simple strategies that you can rely on for success.
#1 Keep The House Clean
Millions of parents feel as though cleaning their homes is all they ever do. You cannot escape the fact that family households are busier than ever thanks to COVID-19. However, a conscious effort to keep the home organized and clean on a long-term basis will pay dividends. The benefits can be seen in a matter of days, and potentially last a lifetime.
Avoiding clutter and saving valuable floor space will make a big impact. Meanwhile, you can rely on robotic vacuums and other devices to take care of the hard work. Even a few minutes each day will save hours each month.
#2 Automate Admin
Household admin can be a pain in the neck. After a long day of parenting and other responsibilities, slaving over a desktop and notepad is the last thing you need. Where possible, set up automated bills and bank transfers. Aside from scheduling utilities, this can cover credit repayments. In addition to saving time, it can prevent late payment fees.
Furthermore, handling those issues in a manual fashion leaves the door open for mistakes. Technology helps our lives in many ways. Saving time through increased automation is unquestionably among the best. Embrace it.
#3 Shop Online
Due to COVID-19, any opportunity to avoid crowded public spaces should be grabbed with both hands. Online groceries have become a very popular option while clothes shopping can be facilitated by the internet too. However, you can even buy eyeglasses online instead of going to a store. Medications are another possibility, thanks to digital doctors.
There are several situations in which you'll still want to visit a store. Nonetheless, increasing your online shopping processes is a wise move for the sake of time and health. There's never been a better moment to make it happen.
#4 Join Forces With Other Parents
Teamwork makes the dream work, and not only inside the household. Teaming up with other parents in a range of situations can save you a lot of time in the long run. For example, organizing a carpool with three other parents could cut your driving times by 75%. Those extra hours can be put to great use, consequently allowing more time for family fun.
There are plenty of additional situations where similar ideas can work. From rotating the cleaning duties of the team's Little League uniform to sharing templated documents, you will see big results. It'd be very naive to ignore.
#5 Work From Home
It's not an option that's possible for everyone. However, the lockdown forced many companies to find ways of making remote models work. If commuting is eating into your life, now is the time to speak with your employer. Present the benefits for them as well as yourself, and there's a realistic chance that they will agree.
If you are going to take this route, it's vital that you find a way to avoid distractions. This could mean altering your schedule or building a home office space. Get it right, though, and you could save over an hour every single day.
#6 Workout At Home
Even if the gyms have reopened, the thought of working out in public is far from appealing right now. In truth, though, anyone that can stay fit from the comfort of home should take it. These garden workouts allow you to condense an hour's workout into an exact hour. The days of needing two hours to hit the gym are gone.
Working out in the garden or home gym aren't the only options. Running or cycling in the local area is equally rewarding. Once again, it reduces the amount of time lost to exercises without compromising the quality of workouts.
#7 Cut Bad Habits
It's a harsh reality, but most of us are needlessly wasting time on a daily basis. Social media is one of the worst culprits by far. Worse still, it's probably making you unhappy. Limit your social media time and turn off the notifications. When you adopt a healthier relationship with Facebook et al., you will see a noticeable impact.
Social media time isn't the only bad habit. Video gaming, gambling, and other leisure activities should be used in a balanced way. If those issues start to distract you from more important daily tasks, it's time to make a change.
#8 Fix Faults
It's a very old cliché, but a stitch in time really does save nine. Whether you've spotted the early signs of damp, leaks, or damage to the foundation doesn't matter. The sooner you act, the less time and money will be needed to correct the problem. It's a concept that additionally relates to appliances that have stopped performing as they should.
Some jobs can be fixed on a DIY basis, others will require a pro. The latter option will obviously mean less time spent on the task. However, you will need to weigh this up against the financial elements to decide what feels right.
#9 Cook In Batches
The kitchen is one of the busiest rooms in the home. As such, it's one where you'll spend a lot of time too. You can significantly reduce the time by cooking meals in advance. Chilling or freezing leftovers for later in the week can save you from cooking a midweek meal. It's one of the best ways to ensure your family gains balanced nutrition too.
Another option is to cook with the children. Pizzas are just one example of kid-friendly recipes that will be a big hit with their taste buds. You can use this opportunity to teach them about healthy eating, which is another major bonus.
#10 Stop Doubting Yourself
Finally, whatever you do in life, do it with conviction. Millions of moms continue to lose hours of their life due to self-doubt and dwelling on mistakes. Honestly, getting out of this habit is the greatest breakthrough of all.
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About the Author
Liz Bayardelle, PhD
Founder | Contributor
Liz (or Dr. Mommy, as her toddler started calling her after learning what a PhD was) is the happily sleep-deprived mom of a toddler (and professional raccoon noise impersonator), a sparkle-clad kidnado, a teenage stepdaughter, 200 cumulative pounds of dog, and herd of dustbunnies (if daily vacuuming doesn't occur). During nights and naptimes, she uses her PhD in business psychology as an author, speaker, and consultant. She also serves as an executive and principal for three companies, two of which she co-founded with her very patient (and equally exhausted) husband.