12 Quick and Easy Time Management Hacks For Busy Working Moms

You’re a busy working mom and finding the time to do everything you want to do can be hard. Between work, school, kids, and life, it’s not easy to keep on top of everything. I get it because I'm a busy mom, who happens to be an entrepreneur, as well. My life looks a lot like yours, I'm sure, and my days are full of tasks and deadlines just like yours.

I have to constantly think of ways to streamline my life and time management to make it all work, as a busy working mom with a lot on her plate. But with a little planning, I was able to get a handle on my time and stop feeling overwhelmed and so can you.

Whether you’re looking for ways to save money, be more organized, gain control over your schedule, or become more productive, these 12 time management hacks are designed to make life a little easier for you, help you put the pieces back together, keep things straight, keep your sanity, and manage your time more effectively so you can get more done in a day.

1. Block Time

A great way to manage time and avoid getting stressed out is to block off blocks of time on your schedule. Blocking time means blocking out a specific amount of time every day to focus on whatever task you want to accomplish.

Some people prefer to block out two hours at a time, while others may choose to block out an afternoon or the entire day. Blocking time helps you set aside certain blocks of time to accomplish specific goals, tasks, or projects.

Another tip is to block the hours on your schedule ahead of time and you'll be able to see clearly how much time is left in each hour. Set boundaries on when you will or will not work, check your email, or chat with family members or friends. By using this time management hack, you'll be able to stay productive and focused.

2. Do the Most Important Task First

This tip is simple: the first task you need to do should be the most important. If you start with the less important tasks first, you’ll spend more time on tasks that you don’t need to do or those that are not a priority. Start with the tasks you have the most to gain from doing.

Don't let yourself become bogged down by too much unnecessary work. This might sound simple, but it's easy to get distracted. Start your day off with the most important thing you need to do and then take it from there. If you do so, you're far more likely to complete the most important task first.

3. Don’t Multitask

Multitasking is a topic I hear working moms talk about often. Sure, there’s nothing wrong with having multiple projects on your plate, but it’s important to remember that you can only do one thing well at a time. When you start to multitask, you start to become less efficient and less productive. To make an impact and increase your efficiency, get into the habit of solely focusing on one task at a time.

Multitasking seems like such an easy thing to do when you’re busy, but it is incredibly detrimental to productivity. One study found that people who multitask are taking on about five times more mental work than those who don’t, all while performing about half as much work. This can have a major impact on your ability to get tasks done, and it’s something we need to watch out for when we’re trying to juggle multiple things at once.

4. Divide and Conquer

To be clear, it’s not necessary to spend every waking moment managing your time. However, being aware of how you spend your time can help you set priorities and allocate your time effectively. To better manage your time, take your to-do list and divide it into sections. Then decide on a time frame and allow yourself enough time to complete each section. Use a task tracking system, such as Trello, ClickUp, Notion, or calendar to keep track of all your tasks and remind you of due dates.

It may seem like a simple idea, but dividing your day into small chunks can help you work faster. When you have big chunks of time to work, you feel overwhelmed. But when you have smaller chunks of time, you can focus on one thing at a time.

5. Embrace the 5 Minute Rule

Use the 5-Minute Rule to manage your time more efficiently. Do something for just five minutes, with the understanding that you can stop after those five minutes if you wish. With this approach, the brain will be tricked into viewing your task as much smaller.

This concept has helped many working moms achieve success. If you are looking for ways to motivate yourself, this could be a good one. It is very easy to give up quickly if you feel bored or if you find your task too difficult. So, if you are having trouble trying to complete a task, you should start with a small amount of time. If you are willing to stick to it for five minutes, you might find that you can complete the entire task.

6. Make Time for Yourself

This is a tough one because it takes practice. I’d start small, perhaps by getting up earlier on weekdays to spend 30 minutes reading and responding to emails and social media, rather than checking them during coffee breaks. Once you get into a groove, keep at it. If you’re feeling guilty or thinking of other distractions, just remind yourself that you’re making time for yourself. Don’t let it be anything else.

If you want to have time for yourself, it's important that you set aside time for yourself. This doesn't mean that you can't ever spend time doing something for yourself. It just means that you shouldn't have to sacrifice your time for other priorities. If you want to have time for yourself, you need to allocate a certain amount of time each week to do something that will allow you to recharge. Using time blocking is a great way to achieve this hack.

7. Organize Your Desk

I love this time management hack because it helps me to be organized without having to change anything in my life. I used to spend hours every day cleaning my desk, organizing my files, and finding new places for my pens and pencils. But, since I’ve been implementing this hack, I don’t have to spend any time doing this anymore. My desk looks great all the time, and I love seeing my neat stacks of papers. And because I have a place for everything, my desk is in order and my life becomes easier because I’m not running around looking for things.

8. Set Time Limits

If you’re a working mom, you already know the struggle of trying to juggle all your family and work commitments. Juggling can often become even more difficult when you start feeling overwhelmed and stressed. This leads to bad decisions, missed deadlines, and no time for yourself. With that being said, setting time limits is an easy time management hack for busy working moms to help you plan your day and manage your time better.

Have you ever tried to do something and realized halfway through that you didn’t set aside enough time for it? Or, maybe you’ve tried to start a project and then got distracted halfway through. Establishing time limits helps you stay on track.

The best way to set time limits is to start with a goal of how long you want to spend on an activity. Break the task down into steps and list all of the actions needed to complete the task. Then break the list down further, by writing down the amount of time each action takes. You might need to repeat the process several times before coming up with a realistic total.

9. Focus on progression, not perfection

You've probably heard the phrase, "Focus on the progress, not the perfection." It's an easy statement to make but not as easy to learn. But what does it mean and how does it impact our daily lives? When we focus on the progress, we're less likely to dwell on the negatives and move forward. It's a simple trick to keep us from getting overwhelmed and frustrated, which can derail our progress.

One of the biggest mistakes most of us busy working moms make is focusing on perfection instead of progression. I know I was guilty of this. Everything had to be perfect before I could move on to the next thing I needed to do. I didn't realize how counterproductive I was being. This behavior leads to perfectionism, stress, procrastination, and a lack of drive.

The key is to focus on the progress you are making in your home and work life. Don't focus on "how" your home or work life will change; focus on "what" has changed and how that is improving your life.

10. Make It Easy on Yourself

The key to time management is to have a system that you can stick with so you can make things easier for yourself. For example, if you find yourself getting stuck in the same old rut every day, just create a system that will help you get back on track. If you need to start a new project, use a system to keep you organized and on track. If you find yourself wasting time doing things that don’t matter, make a list of the things that matter and stick to it.

Make it easy on yourself by creating a system. A system will allow you to manage your time well and establish positive habits that help you be more productive. If you can find a way to organize your time, you will be able to accomplish more and get everything done on time, therefore, avoiding forgotten appointments and missed deadlines.

11. Find Help and Support

This is an excellent time management hack for busy moms. There are times when we just need a little help and sometimes that comes from our family members, friends, colleagues, or mentors.

The best thing to do is to find a person who can help you. If you have a friend who is a good listener, she, or he can be a great support. Also, you can ask someone who knows your situation to offer some advice. This is especially helpful if you feel like you are overwhelmed with your kids, your work, or your personal life.

12. Be Creative

An easy time management hack for busy working moms is to be creative. You can schedule your time and get organized by setting aside 15 minutes to accomplish some of the items on your to-do list.

That's what makes it easy. It's being creative that will get you there. So what kind of creativity will help you get organized? Some working moms prefer to be more visual and will take a photo of their to-do list and use it to remind them of what needs to be done. Others prefer to be more physical and use sticky notes to keep track of things. It's up to you what creative outlet you use so think outside the box.

I believe a good time management hack is any trick or technique that allows me to get more done with less effort, and being creative is an easy time management hack for busy working moms. When I'm having trouble staying on task, I put myself in more creative situations. That may mean taking a break from my normal routine and spending more time with my children or working on side projects. Or it could mean going to a new coffee shop for a change of scenery and setting my phone aside for a little while.

Being creative is a key to success. It doesn't mean just coming up with new ideas but also making the most of existing ones.

Conclusion

These 12 quick and easy time management hacks are perfect for busy working moms who are struggling to find more time in their day. However, if you are like me, someone who often struggles with being overwhelmed by the endless amount of things on your plate and too little time to accomplish them all, then you know that managing time is essential to success. It is just as important as managing other aspects of your life like relationships, family, finances, and health.

I believe the best time management hacks for busy working moms are the ones that are quick and easy to implement. They require no special equipment, no special training to use, and are simple to include in your current routine.

I'm hoping you will find these hacks helpful.

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