As a mom (or a dad), you are always busy. You deal with the kids, the house, work, the dog, and the endless running to and from one place to another. Sometimes it can make you crazy.
With all of the many things you have going on; it’s often hard to fit in a bit of rest and relaxation just for yourself. Listed below are a few ways to save time.
Get Organized
Every week you make a promise to yourself that you are going to get organized. However, the weekend comes and goes and everything remains the same. Unfortunately, chaos breeds chaos. If your house is not organized, you’re basically just wasting time. Luckily, you can change things. Make it a point to put organizing your home at the top of your weekend to-do list, and then follow through.
Things You Can Do From Home
Time is something you can’t afford to waste. It’s time for you to take advantage of the conveniences available that you can do from home. Instead of making two trips or spending half of your day off running errands, go online. For example, let’s say you have a dog and you buy high-quality food at a pet store.
That same food is available online at one of the many pet sites. And, in most cases, they offer rewards programs, free shipping for orders over $50.00, and the prices are often similar (if not cheaper) to what you find in stores. Sending E-cards is another popular time saver.
You have family and friends and selecting a card at a store takes time. Instead, for the next upcoming birthday, send a Happy Birthday greeting card through email.
Plan Ahead
Food shopping can take you literally a few hours from start to finish. A great way to cut the time in half on your next shopping trip is to decide what meals you want to create for the upcoming week and then make a comprehensive list.
In addition, it’s also important to leave a list on the fridge or on your desk that you continue to add to as the week progresses. This way you can also eliminate the need for running out mid-week for your essentials.
Scheduling Appointments
When scheduling appointments for yourself, your spouse, and the children, try to make them on the same day within an hour or so of each other. This way you can dedicate one day to them, instead of tying up a couple of afternoons or evenings several times in a single week.
Prepare Meals Ahead
Just like you created a grocery list to save time, preparing meals ahead by taking out the slow cooker or cooking casseroles over the weekend will also save time, which is short during the week.
By doing this, you eliminate the prep work and, while the meal is heating up in the oven, you can use that time to go over homework, or take the dog for a long walk.
Plan the Weekend
Things like the weather can put a damper on the plans you make for the weekend. However, it’s important that sometime mid-week, you take a few minutes to carve out some activities for the upcoming weekend and have a plan B in place, just in case Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate.
Time Slots
You practice making the best use of your time at the office. Now it’s time to bring your system home. With a full-time job, children, a dog, and a house to run, you need to have time slots in place just to keep your sanity. For instance, you could schedule deadlines like getting your children up and dressed by 7:30, eating breakfast at 7:45 and out the door at 8:10.
Life is hectic and you need a break. The good news is that, if you begin to make the most of your time, you’ll find that your life will start to calm, and you’ll actually have an hour or two that you can dedicate solely to yourself.