In the wild circus of motherhood, you’re the ringmaster juggling a million acts. From tending to the kids and keeping the home in check, to slaying it at work or running your own business, it’s a non-stop rollercoaster ride. Studies show that motherhood is equivalent to working 2.5 full-time jobs, with working moms 28% more likely to experience burnout than fathers.
The secret to not losing your marbles in this whirlwind? Effective time management. With these practical strategies, you can tame the chaos, reduce stress, and find moments of peace amidst the beautiful mess of motherhood.
Find Out Where Your Time Really Goes
Before you can manage your time better, you need to know where it’s going. Our free Time Audit Checklist helps you track your activities for 3 days to identify time-wasters and opportunities for improvement.
1. Recognize Your Limits
There is one fundamental truth you need to acknowledge: no matter how capable you are, you will not be able to do it all. Understanding your boundaries and focusing on what really matters to you is essential. If you don’t, you’ll drown in overwhelm and stress.
With so many demands on your time, it may be tempting to try to master them all. However, as mothers will confirm, such aspirations are unachievable. Eventually, you have to relinquish control of time since it is finite.
“Just as beginners at the gym need to start with manageable weights, moms need to start with manageable expectations. Trying to lift too much at once leads to burnout, not progress.”
How to recognize your limits:
- Identify your non-negotiables (what must get done)
- Be honest about your energy levels throughout the day
- Learn to say “no” to additional commitments
- Accept that some things can wait or be delegated
2. Create a Weekly Plan
What is the best way to manage your time? Have a roadmap. The easiest way to do this is to make a realistic list of your yearly, monthly, weekly, and daily goals and objectives. As a result, you will have clarity and be able to stay on track. In the absence of a plan, prioritization becomes a guessing game.
I recommend pre-planning your week every Sunday using a simple five-step method:
- Review last week’s accomplishments and challenges
- Set new goals for the coming week
- Prioritize tasks based on importance and urgency
- Schedule tasks in your calendar (block time for them)
- Review and adjust your plan to ensure it’s realistic
Using tools like Google Calendar and task managers can help coordinate everyone’s schedules, streamline your routines, and keep track of deadlines. Knowing exactly what’s coming and when keeps you calm, collected, and able to focus on what matters most each day.
3. Tame Your To-Do List
How often do you feel overwhelmed by your to-do list? If your daily to-do list is as long as a CVS receipt — you’re not alone. After all, you feel accomplished when you check off items from your to-do list. You will, however, feel under pressure once again once more items are added afterward.
The good news is that you can organize your to-do list and make progress so it doesn’t overwhelm or stress you out. Here are some tips for trimming your to-do list:
Prioritize your tasks
Not all tasks are created equal. Use tools such as the Eisenhower Matrix to distinguish between urgent and important tasks. Urgent tasks should be given priority, whereas important tasks will contribute to your long-term goals.
Batch similar tasks
Although multitasking might seem efficient, it often results in scattered attention and wasted time. Rather than dividing tasks, group them together. You can use this time to answer emails, make phone calls, run errands, and do household chores.
“The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.”
Try using the 1:4:5 rule for your daily to-do list: 1 high-priority task, 4 mid-priority tasks, and 5 low-priority tasks. This helps ensure you’re focusing on what truly matters while still making progress on smaller items.
4. Set Attainable Daily Objectives
As a mother, you have a plethora of responsibilities to handle. Not only do you have to raise a child and manage household affairs, but you also have to fulfill your professional responsibilities. This presents several challenges and stresses. You don’t need to prove yourself to anyone despite how much you have on your plate.
Make sure your workload is manageable. You should also avoid overloading yourself just to prove a point. Although you are a superhero, you aren’t obligated to bear the world’s burdens.
Tips for setting attainable objectives:
- Be realistic about what you can accomplish in a day
- Include buffer time between tasks for unexpected interruptions
- Celebrate small wins to maintain motivation
- Adjust your expectations based on your energy levels
Remember, it’s better to complete three tasks fully than to start ten and finish none. Quality over quantity applies to your daily objectives too!
5. Create a Block Schedule
Whenever we do similar or like things together, our brain works more efficiently. As such, your day should be filled with similar tasks you can accomplish together. In other words, we are creating a block schedule.
Why does this work? Rather than switching between multiple tasks, group them together. How often do you go in circles when cleaning the house, for example? Instead, stay focused. You could do this by putting items that don’t belong in the area you are cleaning in a laundry basket. If you need to put something away, put it in the laundry basket and stay focused on cleaning that room.
Time Blocking Example: Instead of checking emails throughout the day, designate specific 30-minute blocks in the morning and afternoon. This prevents constant interruptions and allows for deeper focus during other activities.
Consider creating blocks for these common activities:
- Email/communication time
- Meal preparation
- Household chores
- Quality time with children
- Work tasks (grouped by type)
- Self-care
6. Master Your Mornings
In a survey conducted by Onken, 35 percent of adults reported experiencing stress during the first half of the day. However, 51 percent claim to feel overwhelmed after waking up. Oversleeping and rushing to leave the house on time are the most common challenges of early mornings.
Having said that, here are some tips for a less stressful morning:
Wake up earlier
As the saying goes, early birds get the worm (or at least a head start). Even a 30-minute head start can make all the difference in the morning. Consider using this time for quiet self-care, eating a healthy breakfast, or tackling a task requiring concentration.
Prepare the night before
Put lunches together, lay out clothes, and prepare breakfast beforehand. As a result, you’ll eliminate morning bottlenecks and be able to focus on getting everyone out the door on time.
Establish a consistent morning routine for you and your family. Consider doing a calming morning activity, sharing breakfast together, or working out quickly. By maintaining consistency, decision fatigue is reduced and calmness is promoted.
Prioritize What Really Matters
Our Priority Matrix Template helps you sort tasks by urgency and importance, so you can focus on what truly matters. Stop feeling overwhelmed and start making progress on the right things.
7. Simplify Meal Planning
Managing meal planning amidst the demands of motherhood can be challenging. If you don’t have a plan, chaos will ensue. How can you simplify your weekdays? Plan your meals according to a menu calendar. Also, allow only 30 minutes for grocery list preparation and meal selection.
Meal planning strategies that save time:
- Create a rotating menu of family favorites
- Designate theme nights (Taco Tuesday, Pizza Friday)
- Batch cook and freeze portions for busy days
- Use a grocery delivery service to save shopping time
- Prep ingredients for the week during a single session
“The most effective meal plan is one you’ll actually follow. Keep it simple and realistic for your family’s needs and preferences.”
Consider using meal planning apps or templates that allow you to save favorite recipes, generate shopping lists, and reuse successful weekly plans.
8. Delegate and Outsource
Remember, you needn’t tackle everything solo. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from family and friends. You can also lighten your load by assigning tasks at work or involving your children or partner in meal preparation. This can’t be stressed enough: it is okay to share responsibilities.
In some cases, outsourcing can be an effective way of saving time. Consider investing in services such as house cleaning and meal delivery to alleviate stress and free up your time.
What to delegate to family:
- Age-appropriate chores for children
- Meal preparation assistance
- Laundry sorting and folding
- Pet care responsibilities
What to consider outsourcing:
- House cleaning (weekly or bi-weekly)
- Lawn care and gardening
- Meal kit delivery services
- Virtual assistant for administrative tasks
Unless you’re the only person who can do something, let somebody else take care of it. Focus on what really needs your attention.
9. Clean As You Go
Make it a habit to clean as you go. No matter what you are doing, whether you are cooking or changing clothes, don’t forget to clean as you proceed. Also, teach your children to do the same so they can take responsibility for their belongings.
This simple habit prevents messes from accumulating and creating overwhelming cleaning sessions later. When small cleaning tasks are integrated into your regular activities, they become almost effortless.
Clean-as-you-go strategies:
- Keep cleaning supplies in multiple locations for easy access
- Wash dishes while cooking instead of leaving them for later
- Have designated baskets for items that need to be returned to other rooms
- Implement the “one touch” rule – handle items only once before putting them away
- Set a timer for 5-minute cleanup sessions throughout the day
Remember, the goal isn’t perfection but preventing the buildup that leads to time-consuming deep cleaning sessions.
10. Build Habits, Routines, and Anchors
Enhance your time management skills by leveraging habits. Make high-priority activities a part of your daily routine to reduce cognitive load and boost productivity. Keeping a record of your habits will help you stay consistent and make progress.
Besides daily maintenance, establish regular anchors in your schedule. This could include setting aside time for family nights, date nights, and one-on-one moments with your children. These anchors provide structure and balance in the midst of life’s chaos.
Habit Stacking: Attach new habits to existing ones. For example, if you already make coffee every morning, use that time to review your daily priorities while the coffee brews.
Key anchors to consider:
- Weekly family game or movie night
- Monthly date night with your partner
- Sunday planning session for the week ahead
- Daily one-on-one time with each child
- Morning or evening self-care ritual
11. Automate as Much as Possible
Whenever possible, automate as much as you can. After all, why do the work when technology can do it for you? Automating routine tasks frees up mental space and time for more important activities.
Financial automation:
- Set up automatic bill payments
- Create recurring transfers to savings
- Use apps that round up purchases to save automatically
Household automation:
- Schedule recurring grocery deliveries
- Use Subscribe & Save for regular household items
- Set up automatic prescription refills
- Invest in smart home devices (robot vacuums, programmable thermostats)
Don’t be afraid to explore AI and digital tools that can streamline your life. Calendar apps with reminders, meal planning services, and task management systems can all reduce your mental load and save precious time.
12. Prioritize Self-Care
Approximately four out of ten parents (41%) find being a parent tiring, and 29% find it stressful most of the time. Both mothers and fathers generally report that being a parent is enjoyable and rewarding. Despite this, mothers are more likely than fathers to say parenting is tiring (47% vs. 34%) and stressful (33% vs. 24%) frequently.
Taking care of yourself is non-negotiable. After all, eating well, getting enough sleep, and taking time to recharge are key to avoiding burnout.
“Self-care isn’t selfish. You cannot serve from an empty vessel.”
Essential self-care practices:
- Schedule “me time” every day, even if it’s just 15 minutes
- Take short breaks throughout the day to recharge
- Learn to say no to additional commitments
- Prioritize sleep and proper nutrition
- Move your body regularly in ways you enjoy
- Connect with other adults and maintain friendships
Remember, some days the laundry piles up, and dinner is takeout. It’s okay! Strive for progress, not perfection. Don’t worry about having it all together all the time.
Final Words of Advice
Don’t forget, Mom, you’re doing a great job! The journey of motherhood is filled with challenges, but with these time management strategies, you can navigate it with more grace and less stress. Remember that perfect balance doesn’t exist – it’s about finding what works for your unique family situation.
Start small by implementing just one or two of these tips, then gradually add more as they become habits. The goal isn’t to do everything perfectly but to create systems that support you and your family’s wellbeing.
Get Organized Today!
Our comprehensive Daily Planner Template incorporates all 12 time management strategies from this article into one easy-to-use system. Start reclaiming your time and reducing stress today!
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I find time for myself when I’m constantly needed by my family?
Start by identifying small pockets of time throughout your day – early morning before everyone wakes up, during nap time, or after bedtime. Even 10-15 minutes of intentional “me time” can make a difference. Communicate your needs to your partner and work together to ensure you both get breaks. Consider trading childcare with another mom friend for occasional longer breaks, or hiring help if possible, even if just for a few hours a week.
What should I do when my carefully planned schedule gets derailed by sick kids or emergencies?
First, accept that disruptions are a normal part of parenting. Build flexibility into your schedule by including buffer time between activities and keeping a “Plan B” for important tasks. Identify your absolute priorities for the day – the 1-3 things that must happen – and focus on those when time is limited. Have a list of quick, easy meals for chaotic days, and don’t be afraid to simplify or postpone non-essential tasks when emergencies arise.
How do I get my family on board with new routines and systems?
Start by explaining the benefits in terms they’ll understand – more family time, less rushing, fewer forgotten items. Involve them in creating the systems so they feel ownership. Use visual cues like charts or checklists, especially for younger children. Begin with one routine at a time (like morning or bedtime) before adding more. Be consistent but patient, as new habits take time to form. Celebrate and reward progress to reinforce positive changes.
I feel guilty when I’m not being productive. How can I overcome mom guilt about time management?
Remember that rest and connection are productive too – they recharge you for other tasks. Redefine “productivity” to include quality time with your children, self-care, and relationship building. Set realistic expectations based on your current life stage and circumstances. Focus on your wins rather than what didn’t get done. Connect with other moms who understand your challenges and can offer perspective. And most importantly, treat yourself with the same compassion you’d offer a friend in your situation.
