Time management is probably a skill all moms possess. It is also one of those things we need to work on actively each day for there is always so much on our plate and so little time. I think from the moment we become a mom, time management becomes one of our foremost skills, a skill not to be taken lightly at all. 

This June I’m going to be completing 4 years as a working mom. Well, a mom who works out of an office as well because let’s be honest, all moms are inevitably working moms. Now, since I have managed to survive so far, I thought I could share a few tips on how as moms we could balance our ever-increasing chores list. Working mom time management tips on what has worked for me and what could probably work for you too. We moms have to look out for each other, right? This is my way of doing so. 

But having said that, always remember this, that there will be days when we will be exasperated by all that we have to do. There will be days when we’ll just want to give up or will barely make it. There will be days when we lock ourselves in the bathroom to shed some tears of frustration. There will be days when things won’t work as we want them to and it’s okay. We can always start from the next day and then start again. Let’s face it, being a mom, being a parent is tough and the least we could do is give ourselves many resets.

So, today, while I share time management tips for moms, I want you to know that not all of them will work every day. Or, maybe some will work wonderfully one day and not the next. And even that’s okay. Remember, we can always try again and again. There is no such thing as a perfect routine. There’s just how we try to manage to maintain our sanity taking all the help that we can.

Now, as I said before, I feel women are inherently gifted with the skill of multitasking or time management. If not, trust me, a lot of the households wouldn’t function as they do. So, this is a rehash of what we moms already know and do daily. These are things which have worked for me helping me balance my life as a mom, a writer, a blogger and as a working woman on most days. I sincerely hope some of these time management strategies for the overwhelmed mom make sense to you too.

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Time Management Tips for Moms

Divide your chores into groups and assign time slots for each group. 

You don’t have to do that in writing. Just visualize your chores split into time slots, that will help you in not feeling overwhelmed. For example, my early mornings are for household chores, making and packing lunch for M and myself, getting reading and leaving for work. From the moment, I reach office till I reach home, the time is mine which I split between office work and anything that I need to do for myself. After going back home, my time is again for household chores and my daughter. Once I put her to sleep, the time is for me to relax, read and have a quiet dinner with my husband. So, my day is split into 4-time slots and I fit my tasks into each. It has helped me manage my time, especially when being a mom I’m running against it. On weekends, the grouping differs a little but it is more or less the same with more time for family and relaxation.

Learn to say No.

One of the things that help me in managing my time and not adding to the stress is my ability to say No. Sometimes direct and at times indirect. I don’t say Yes to anything that is not part of my job description. And I do not believe in false pretences. So, a get together with colleagues after my working hours is a strict No for me because that doesn’t add anything to my experience. I know my priorities and where to fit them. Or, something like spending my weekend to pick up gifts for a team member who has recently married is again a straight-up no for me. Most people think that being women we are more than willing to do gift shopping or cake picking for occasions at work taking time out of our own time but I don’t. Work things must be strictly accommodated within the working hours and they must be part of my job description. I say No unflinchingly to anything more than that which doesn’t add to my profile or my work experience. I don’t say Yes to anything I don’t want to when it comes to people not from my inner circle.

Take all the help you can.

I’m gradually learning to take all the help I can and it has made my life easier. So, ask your family members to step in when you need help. Trust me it doesn’t make you needy. My husband takes care of waking M up and getting her ready for school so that I can focus on the other tasks that need to be so that we can all go out on time. He drops her to school and on days when the school is closed he drops her to the daycare. He takes leaves and works from home to help manage our schedule around M’s. So, I don’t have to do everything myself which is an immense help. So, share your chores with your partner because that’s what partners do. Apart from that, take the help of your maid, your cook and try to make your life as easy as you can. There is nothing wrong with that. 

Set a routine for your kids.

I have set a rough timetable when it comes to M on weekdays. Every day I try to put her to bed latest by 9 pm which in turn helps me from keeping things under control. It gives me ample time with her and also gives me some much deserved Me Time. Working out of an office and travelling back and forth does take a toll on me and I get tired, so I have worked out a system where I not only spend time with M but also make sure she adheres to a rough timetable giving me time to relax. There are obviously days it doesn’t work but on most days we manage to toe the line. A win-win for both of us. So, set a routine for you and your kids, trust me it helps.

Stop striving for perfection.

I know this one is tough especially for me because I’m very finicky as a person especially when it comes to my chores. So, the kitchen has to be set in a particular way or the clothes on the clothesline must be in a certain way. Trust, me this doesn’t do me any good. The mantra that we need to follow is done is better than perfect as Sheryl Sandberg outlines in her book Lean In. If you are like me, it might be difficult to get accustomed to but we must try. It is another way of not setting unrealistic goals and treating our ourselves as humans. Worth a try, I’d say.

Stay away from the Instagram Rabbithole.

I know I have been sucked into it often. Jumping from one picture to another, one profile to another. It doesn’t do anybody any good. Though I have a good amount of self-control, I know I could do better. A lot of our time could be saved if we just stopped being sucked into non-beneficial browsing on social media. So, step away and do something else. Or, just don’t do anything. Trust me that will help you relax and help with the items on your list that matter.

Don’t look at others.

Now we live in an era of information overload. The social media is full of ‘success stories’ of moms but there is hardly enough talk about failures and the struggles of motherhood. So, my mantra is to look at my journey and not anybody else’s. Also, I take everything I see on social media with a grain of salt. Don’t believe everything you read out there. There are genuine stories and experiences which do help but don’t give yourself a hard time seeing all the bling out there. It’s your journey, do it your way. Nobody is as sorted as they come across. It’s all a way of selling services and products on social media so don’t feel depressed comparing yourself with the lives others project on the internet.

Do something for yourself.

All this talk of time management strategies for the overwhelmed mom won’t mean a thing if you are not happy. So, do something just for yourself, just for the pure joy of it. When you plan your day, keep some time aside for your hobby or your passion. I, for example, make it a point to find time to read or write. Self-care in small things can go a long way in keeping your happy and geared up for all that you need to face during the day.

Let go.

As women, we have this inherent need to control everything or explain everything. Let’s just stop doing that. We don’t have to be superwomen. We don’t have to prove ourselves to others. Let’s be humans and be proud of that. Delegate and ignore. Stop the maternal gatekeeper behaviour that is so intrinsic to each one of us. Whether at work or home, just let some things go. And when I say let go, I also mean some fights or strifes. Spend your energy on worthwhile things, remove all the noise. You’ll see how unburdened you feel as a result of it. 

Well, those were the 9 tips for working moms to save time that I have for you. Remember, in all of this, give importance to yourself, also include your well being in planning your day and trust me things will be slightly easier, if not a lot. And as I said, if it doesn’t work today, try again tomorrow, customise and make your routine to suit you.

Do let me know if these make sense to you. Also, share any tips that you have.