Raising small people is no small task. For any mom. In fact, I know approximately zero moms who feel like they’re nailing this parenting thing.
As a working mom, one of the things I struggle with most is finding the time to do all the crap on my to-do list. It’s always a mile long, and I really dislike the feeling of being over-committed and over-scheduled. So I’ve had to learn how to be a proficient corner-cutter. Because in my experience, “doing it all” just isn’t really an option. Not if I want to sleep and waste time on the internet and stuff. So here are a few ways I make the most of my daily routine.
Utilize your commute.
Traffic’s a witch, friends. It’s also completely out of your control. So rather than allowing your time in the car to become an overwhelming source of stress, find a way to make it work for you. Pick an area of your life you want to improve in and invest in an audio book on that subject. Or go for something with pure entertainment value like the Serial podcasts (who thinks Adnan did it?) to take your mind off the highway chaos. If you’re looking for a good laugh, I recently finished Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling and highly recommend it. My commute has honestly become one of the most peaceful parts of my day.
Put together an emergency outfit.
I could tell you to get your crap together and set everyone’s clothes out every night, but we all know how it really works in the evenings: when you finally get the kids in bed, you immediately turn on Netflix to binge-watch old Friends episodes (with wine, obviously) until you fall asleep, and your plans for hammering out morning logistics are long-forgotten. So every week I put together emergency outfits for my daughter and myself (my husband is on his own) that stay in a designated spot in my closet for mornings when I just can’t deal. That way, when I snooze the alarm one too many times, I’ve got an outfit that I can throw on without any effort.
Hire out what you can.
This one’s easier said than done, but pick one thing that you hate doing, and DELEGATE. The ironing board is the bane of my existence, so we send my husband’s and my work clothes to the dry cleaners. You probably won’t be able to offload everything, but you can choose a few key things that eat up large chunks of time and/or are just really unpleasant to deal with. Balance the budget by skimping on something else you’re willing to part with. (I opt to paint my own nails rather than pay for a manicure. Honestly, I’d do just about anything to avoid ironing.)
Skip a shampoo.
You’re judging me already. I can feel it. But I’ll say it anyway. Most of us can get by with washing our hair every other day. Or even less. I go about three days in between washes, and I implement a cycle of down, partially-down, and up styles to compensate. (And I will unashamedly rock the side-braid until someone tells me I’m no longer cool enough to do so.) I also use dry shampoo like it’s going out of style. Consult Pinterest and the hairstyle bloggers (I’m partial to the Small Things Blog) for creative ideas in dealing with third-day hair.
Utilize screen time.
As much as we all try and limit screen time, most kids I know spend at least some time watching TV and movies. In our house, TV time is a hot commodity, and I always try and force myself to be productive during that time, even when all I want to do is plop down next to my two year-old and watch Sofia the First with her. This is when I go through the mail, unload the dishwasher, fold laundry, etc. I just figure that if my kid is going to be zoned out in front of the TV, I might as well take advantage.
Nix the bath.
I promise we really are a clean bunch in my house. But we’re also busy. And so I fully support this Washington Post article that suggests we all chill out a little on bath time for kids. We generally bathe our daughter every other day. Often it’s more, but I hated feeling like I had to try and squeeze in a bath even when we got home late from an event and I knew she was ready for bed. So now we don’t. And she’s just fine.
Learn to say “No.”
You know what? Most people will take as much of your time as you’ll give them. But it just may not be the season of life for you to serve on every committee at church, volunteer at your kids’ school, and take on increased responsibility at work. In her book For the Love, Jen Hatmaker compares her struggle to eliminate unnecessary burdens and obligations to a literal balance beam. We must decide what truly belongs on the balance beam, and what must come off. Does it bring you joy? Is it absolutely necessary? Then it’s on the beam. But star-shaped sandwiches in your kids’ lunch boxes? Unless cookie cutters really get you going, that stuff’s off the beam. Be unapologetically committed to streamlining your life and to setting (and maintaining) limits and boundaries. You’re only human, mama. No one expects you to carry Superman’s load.
What are your time-saving tips? Share them in the comments below!
I rarely comment on articles but wanted to say that I really enjoyed this post. These are some suggestions that actually make sense and as a fellow working mom I appreciate any opportunity to make the most out of my time. Thank you for a good read!