10 TIPS FOR BEING PRODUCTIVE AS A BUSY MOM!

September 6, 2018

In today’s post, I’m sharing my tips for being  productive, finding time for yourself, and ways to manage your schedule all while taking care of your little ones!

SHOP THE POST:

Most of my days look like this- running around after my energetic toddler Kennedy!! Staying productive and having time to yourself to get things done with a little one is constant challenge. I praise the moms out there that think juggling those things is a cake walk, but in reality it’s a challenge most moms face everyday! We are juggling it all- care taking of our children, their activities, making sure the fridge is stocked, never ending laundry, cleaning, doctor appts, etc. So when do us moms find any time for ourselves or find time to do things we want?

I’m going to share with you some changes I made into my daily routine that helped me find time to do those things! It’s small and easy changes, that have made all the difference in my career as a blogger and stay-at-home mom.  I try to not look at my emails or social media during this time because I want to make sure I get everything done before Kennedy wakes up! It’s so nice to have that quiet time to myself in the morning, to get things checked off my to-do list, and do something for myself! I think it’s SO important for us moms to do at least one thing for yourself everyday. Whether that is getting a workout in at home, catching up on your favorite show, listening to a podcast, or grabbing lunch with a friend.

1. MAKE YOUR BED

     First, start each day out right!! I started waking up about 1-2 hours BEFORE Kennedy would wake up, and it totally changed everything. This is the chunk of the day that I get so much done. I start my day by making the bed with Alex. It automatically makes the room feel cleaner and I feel as though I already got something done for the day. As William H. McRaven puts it, “if you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.” I will say a morning prayer and go eat breakfast!

2. EAT A HEALTHY BREAKFAST

I usually eat breakfast first thing, because I get so hungry right when I wake up!! I also have a caffeine packet mixed with water to get my day started. I will watch some news while I’m eating breakfast and spend some quality time with Alex. I will be sharing later this week what healthy foods I eat in the day! After breakfast, I will wash my face and brush my teeth. The days I’m not working out, I will do my makeup, hair and get dressed for the day.

3. DO A WORKOUT OR STRETCH

The days I’m working out, I will start my workout right after breakfast. I love the Kayla Instes workout on the SWEAT App! I do those 3 times a week and go on walks with Kennedy or runs the other 2 days. I mainly only workout 5 times a week. The days I don’t feel like working out or AF has paid a visit, I will just stretch/meditate for 20 minutes!

4. TIDY UP!

Try to get some chores done before baby wakes up! I find my days go smoother when a major chore is already checked off. It isn’t on my mind all day, and when I’m exhausted by the end of the day, I feel good it is already done. So that can be folding a laundry basket, putting in a load of laundry, cleaning the dishes, picking all the toys off the floor, or making sure the car is cleaned out. I think having a clean slate and things at least off the floor in a basket, is so good for your overall mood. I truly believe a clean environment creates positive feelings and your kids will pick up on that as well!

5. PUT ON MAKEUP + GET DRESSED!

I notice when I actually put some makeup on and put on a cute outfit, my outlook totally changes. I think more positive thoughts about myself, and I think other people see you in a positive light as well. Some days it is hard. It’s hard some days to find the motivation, especially when you don’t necessarily have anything super important planned that day. It’s hard to have the time to set aside 10 minutes for makeup and to put on a cute outfit. But trust me, it will make all the difference in how you feel the rest of the day!! You will feel more confident facing people out in the world in your daily interactions. I noticed in the past, the days I just had my pjs on and looked like a slob, it made me feel sluggish and almost depressed. After I had Kennedy, I always made it a point to do my makeup, hair and get dressed for the day!! If I was in a slump or felt crappy, it really did make a HUGE difference in my attitude and view of myself. It in turn, made me a better mom by being happier for my baby! Setting that time aside to make yourself feel good is never something a mom should feel guilty for. Doing all these little things for yourself I think is so important for your psyche and self-confidence!

6. PRE-PACK DIAPER BAG OR PURSE!

I try to have my diaper bag organized and packed before Kennedy wakes up! I will prepare her snacks for our outings and make sure there are wipes, diapers, sippy cup, etc for her. I also try to plan her outfit the night before by laying it out with her shoes. That way, when she is awake, I’m not running all around trying to find everything. It makes it easy for me to grab my bag and head out the door when we are ready!

7. MAKE A TO-DO LIST

I make a to-do list every single day and I mark everything on my calendar for the week/month ahead. I have a large calendar on my desk so I can see the month’s activities easily. I also have an agenda book for more detailed tasks and lists. In my agenda book, I keep track of my to-do list, appts, blog work, play dates, etc. It has been so helpful to make sure everything is written down!!! I can be forgetful, so doing this is a MUST to make sure our week runs smoothly! I also love the feeling of crossing things off my to-do list at the end of the day. I try to plan activities and play dates for Kennedy at least a few days before, so I can manage my time for that day. Tuesday, Thursday and Friday are the days I don’t have a sitter, so I dedicate those days solely to Kennedy and activities with her. The mornings is when we go out and do something fun, I will usually run one errand, and then we are back home by 1:30pm for her afternoon nap. I love that dedicate quality time I get to spend with her!

8. FIND OUTSIDE HELP

The first year Kennedy was born, I think I only had a sitter for Kennedy 1 or 2 times that year for a only a few hours. I didn’t trust anyone else watching her and had severe separation anxiety. I still have separation anxiety being away from her, but I have forced myself to get over that. I found an amazing sitter who watches Kennedy regularly twice a week, (Monday & Wednesday) in the morning so I can get all my blog work done. That is my scheduled time dedicated solely to working on my blog and nothing else. It has been a game changer and I have noticed my blog grow immensely since I started having that time alone to dedicate to my blog. I still work on my blog during her naps in the afternoon, and sometimes in the evening. But now I’m able to have a set work schedule, which totally changed the way I view my blog as a business. I have been taking it more seriously like a business, and have noticed such big growth and changes!

9. DELEGATE HOUSEHOLD CHORES

Alex and I split up the chores for our house! We have certain chores each one of us is in charge of. For example, I will do laundry and fold, and Alex is in charge of putting it away. I think splitting things up, makes the burden not so heavy for either one of us. Alex loves helping around the house naturally, but assigning chores helps the house run more smooth. You also don’t have such a heavy burden placed on you. You can use that time to do other things you want or spending more time with you children!

10. KNOW YOUR TIMELINES & PREPARE FOR THE WEEK ON THE WEEKEND

This might sound silly, but Alex and I prepare for the week ahead on the weekend! That is when we get most of my blog photos taken and edited. I also will catch up on any emails I missed over the weekend. We mainly will only do those while Kennedy is napping or when we are already out doing an activity as a family. Lately, I have been trying not to go on my social media or post over the weekends. It has been nice to disconnect and not feel the need to always be posting blog or outfit photos. It gives me a mental break and more time spent with my family- which is the most important part of my weekends. I also will plan my blog schedule with Alex on Sunday evening. We go over my posts for the week, so I make sure I don’t miss any important deadlines. I also will outline my posts for the week, and plan my IG photos on the app Planoly. I get an idea of what I will be posting, so when it comes time to post, I already have the photo edited and ready to go.

People always ask “how do you do everything in the day while taking care of Kennedy?!” My answer is usually all the things I mentioned above!! There isn’t a super secret thing that I’m doing, that anyone else can’t do. I have just started making small changes into my daily routine that add up to so much more time which = productivity!

I promise if you start making these things a habit, it will be life changing!! Think of the goals and dreams you want to accomplish, whether it’s losing 20 pounds or starting your own business- you CAN do it! I did and I know you can too!! Stay tuned, because later this week I will be sharing how I lost all my baby weight (almost 50 pounds) and tips for staying on track and healthy as a new mom!