7 Ways to Maximize your day as a Mom
Are you constantly striving to maximize your day? If you’re anything like me, efficiency and productivity are second nature. However, once children enter the picture, managing your time effectively becomes a whole new ball game. Suddenly, your schedule is at the mercy of unpredictability and chaos.
Even if productivity isn’t your middle name, there are strategies you can use to navigate parenthood and make the most of every moment. Because let’s face it, whether you’re a productivity enthusiast or simply yearning for more quality time with your loved ones, maximizing your day is vital to finding the balance between getting things done and enjoying the little joys of life.
7 Ways to Maximize Your Day
1). Embrace the 2-minute rule. If you’ve never heard of the 2-minute rule, it is a game-changer in terms of saving time and keeping your home tidy. In short, the 2-minute rule is, if it takes less than 2 minutes to do, do it now. For example, don’t let your clothes hit the floor when getting dressed in the morning. Put them in the clothes hamper immediately or hang them up. Even if you don’t feel like it, putting your clothes where they belong takes less than 20 seconds, so just do it right away to maximize your day.
2). Maximize your movement. For example, when moving from one part of your home to another, scan the room to see if there’s anything that should come with you. When moving from the living room to the kitchen, scan the living room for anything that needs to be put away in the kitchen. Are you going downstairs to the upstairs? If your hands are free, grab anything you see downstairs that needs to be put away upstairs. This one little tip can absolutely maximize your day.
Plan your life
3). Sit down with your calendar and start planning your week. On Sundays, take out your planner and schedule the exact time you’ll run errands, clean the bathroom, and pay the bills. Utilizing your planner instead of “to do lists,” forces you to be realistic about the time I have available to complete each task. task will take. Additionally, being realistic about your time saves you the disappointment of not completing everything on your to do list.
4). In the mornings, get up before your children. While it may sound exhausting, this is my number one weapon to being super productive. My morning routine consists of exercising, reading or learning a new skill, and eating a healthy breakfast. If I’m up extra early, I’ll do some meditation or journaling, too.
If getting up 1 hour before your children is a stretch, start with getting up 15 minutes earlier. It’s okay to start small and work your way up. Once you master that, try getting up 30 minutes earlier. Keep going until you reach the amount of time you’d like to have to yourself in the mornings. Developing this one habit will help your mindset, allow you to be more productive, and help you maximize your day.
Caveat: I’ll be honest, during pregnancy, my morning routines were shorter or nonexistent. Remember, there are seasons of your life when you have to make some adjustments. However, I started being consistent with my morning routine again once I was able.
Protect your time
5). Bring something productive with you while running errands. For example, if I’m at the DMV waiting, I always have my Kindle or a book with me. When I’m in the car, I’m listening to podcasts or an audio book on a topic that interests me. These habits ensure I’m always learning and always growing, maximizing my day, and not mindlessly wasting my time.
6). Limit your social media usage. Be aware of the amount of time you spend on social media, reading the news, or playing games on your phone. It’s a good idea to schedule a few times throughout the week that allows you to indulge in some screen time activity, just like we do with our children. I often wonder how constant adult distractions with our phones will affect the generation currently growing up. I’ve been guilty of distracted parenting, too! When I find myself falling into the trap of paying more attention to my phone than my children, I delete the apps that are distracting me. Then, I have to consciously log onto them if I want to use them. That little extra effort keeps me accountable and makes me fully aware of what I’m doing. Sometimes, I’ll even take a break from social media, news, and/or games altogether to make sure I’m the one controlling my screen-time habits and not the other way around.
7). Have boundaries that protect your time. I’m here to remind you that saying “no” to things that don’t serve you and your family is okay. Even though it may not feel like it, it’s even okay to say no to something because you know it will exhaust you. Being a parent is hard work, whether you work for a company, own a business, or are a stay-at-home parent. Let me say it again, managing a household and taking care of children is REALLY HARD WORK. Protect your time. Have boundaries. And don’t feel guilty if you need to stay home to take care of yourself and your family.