The longer I’m a mom, the more it seems life is always out of control. There is too much to do, not enough time, and so many expectations. Don’t get me wrong, there are moments when I feel like I have it all together. Most of the time, though, life is hectic. Time management for moms is a huge worry for many women today. We here at Mom’s Tribute blog, a top motherhood blog, can identify with all the moms who are giving it their all while still worrying that they could do more.

Over the last few months, I set out on a mission to rearrange my priorities, life, and time management. I’ve been testing it out for many weeks now, and it has made a positive impact on my stress level. I’m sharing my best time management tips with our readers, and while you may need to make modifications to meet your own family’s needs, it is our hope here at Mom’s Tribute that these will be of good use to you.

What Are Your Priorities?

The first step I took in my time planning was to sit for a moment to jot down my home priorities. How would you classify your own needs? Do you want to spend more time with your kids? Start making healthier eating choices? Save more money? Make your list.

Second to my list were my absolute must do’s—even if I kind of wished they didn’t have to be priorities! This might include regular life duties such as laundry, dishes, or vacuuming up dog hair.

Lastly, once I had all my priorities listed, I arranged them in order of chronological importance. What must be done by certain times and dates in your household? For example, if your kids wear school uniforms, and they need those by Monday morning, it is imperative that you have them all clean by Sunday night. List out your necessary chores by day: what needs to be done on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and so on?

Enlist Help

How old are your kids? Enlisting their help in getting chores accomplished can be a huge time management tool for busy working moms. Even small children can chip in, though older children can obviously take on more.

My 6-year-old son has recently taken on the duty of taking out the trash, as well as taking our trashcan to the road on trash day and bringing it back after the trash has been picked up. This is a chore which has been added to his own list just since I put my new time management goals in place.

Since school has started back, my 13-year-old is in charge of doing all the school laundry for the week every Friday afternoon when the kids get home from school. It is typically only one load, but she gets it washed and dried, so it’s done before we get into the weekend.

Obviously, your specifics will depend on your own family schedule. Maybe your son plays football, or your daughter has tumbling on Fridays. Adjust these ideas however you need to in order to make them work. The important thing is making a tangible plan.

If your children are toddler aged, you may have less luck in getting their help. Is there a significant other who can offer a helping hand? Or perhaps you can enlist the help of a grandparent or friend to take care of the kids. You may be able to take a couple hours each Saturday morning to get all your chores done in one fell swoop. Finding the method that works for you is key here.

Sticking To It

In my own family’s experiment, we found that sticking to it was one of the most difficult aspects. Some days we felt lazier than others, and the temptation to “let the schedule slip” for one day was strong. Resisting that temptation was vital to our success.

I am not saying we shouldn’t ever take a break from routine or give in to spontaneity. What I am saying is that when you’re working toward a specific goal, resisting self-sabotage is so important. Once you’re fully established in making your goals into habits then you might have the freedom to be more lenient.

In my own home, this sometimes meant getting started even when I didn’t feel like it, telling my kids “No” when they were begging for a “Yes,” or even turning down invitations to plans I really wanted to accept. What we gained in return was a smoother-running household.

If you’re in need of major organization help, you’ll want to check out other posts here at the Mom’s Tribute blog. And for another time saving tool, check out the free Kid Friendly Venue app, which can help you find the best places to visit with kids in your area!

Katie C