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The Best Time Saving Hacks For The Busy Mom
(Disclaimer: I may receive a small commission from affiliate links shared in this post)
If you’re a busy mom, it’s easy to feel like you are drowning in the endless to-dos. The mental load of moms is hard to understand unless you have been there. It’s not just what you see her doing on the surface-it’s the constant running list of all of the things to keep track of to keep a household running. Even with support and help, motherhood can get overwhelming fast.
As a mom of three BUSY kids, I find myself getting overwhelmed quickly. I often feel like I am in constant “go mode” from the second my eyes open until they close. Even when I’m sitting still, my brain is in overdrive-trying to remember who needs to be where at what time, what errands need to be completed today and which can wait, who needs field trip money, who has outgrown their shoes, the appointments that need be scheduled, what grocery items are running low, what to pack for lunch, and the worst-what is for dinner? This is just the tip of the mental iceberg-the amount of things to keep up with to keep a family running is a lot and it is easy to get overwhelmed and stressed. I’ve now had almost seventeen years to practice how to best manage everything that needs be done in the most efficient ways and I’m sharing some of the things that have worked best for saving my time (and sanity) as a mom with a family always on the go. Here are a few of the things that have made my life easier and saved my sanity on more than one occasion.
1. Grocery pickup or delivery
During the Covid years, I got into the habit of grocery delivery/pickup and it was a GAME CHANGER. I can order groceries while taking a bath or waiting in the school pickup line and it saves me a trip into the store. And let’s face it, nobody wants to go into the grocery store for an hour after a busy work day. As a bonus, ordering groceries online saves money, too. I can easily compare prices, keep a running total, find deals and I’m not tempted to add unnecessary “treats” to the cart. Some stores offer their own pickup and delivery while others offer services like Instacart.
Bonus money saving trick: Use Cashback Apps like Ibotta or Rakuten and earn cash back when you shop.
2. Family planner
I could not function without my planner. I prefer a written calendar, but having a planner (like this magnetic one) in a central location that everyone can see is so helpful. This helps everyone keep up with upcoming events, gives a place to write anything that is running low, and keeps everyone on the same page.
A shared digital calendar can also be helpful. With a shared calendar, miscommunication is lessened and it once something is entered into the calendar, I can free up space in my brain because I don’t have to remember to tell my husband or kids what is coming up.
3. Day to day organizers for back to school
If your mornings are anything like ours, clothing can be a huge battle and source of stress first thing-which doesn’t set a great tone for the day. Where are my socks? I can’t find a shirt to match this. I hate the way these pants feel. Why is my favorite shirt not washed?
A huge time (and stress saver) is to plan outfits for the week so that they’re ready to just grab and go in the morning before school (or work).
I love this for simple and easy organization.
4. Crockpot
For whatever reason, trying to figure out what to make for dinner is one of the most frustrating parts of the day. It’s hard to find something that everyone will eat and on days when I come home exhausted, the last thing that I want to do is spend two hours in the kitchen cooking. And then there’s the cleanup. Enter the crockpot. Throw the ingredients in while you’re still awake and energetic in the morning, set a timer, and come home to a ready made meal. Not sure what to make? See the next item on the list. Don’t forget to add crockpot liners to make clean up super easy!
5. Chat GPT for meal plans and grocery lists
If you haven’t yet discovered the magic of Chat GPT, you are missing out! Plug in some of your family’s favorite foods and ask Chat GPT to give you a grocery list and meal plans. It will even plan out all of your meals for the week. Just tweak its suggestions to what works best for your family. Crockpot meals, freezer meal ideas, meals with 5 ingredients or less-it will do all of the work for you and will free up so much planning time in your brain.
6. Audible
I am a book lover and as my kids grew and life got busier, I found less time for reading. I try reading at night, but by the time I lie down, I can only get in a few pages before I fall asleep. Thanks to Audible, I don’t have to miss out on all of the books that I want to read. I listen in the car (it’s amazing how much car time adds up), while I’m making dinner, folding laundry, or waiting to pick a kid up from practice. While there’s nothing like a lazy day with a book in my hand and nothing but time to read, that just doesn’t happen often around here. Audible is a great solution until life gets a little less hectic.
Bonus tip: Download a library app like Libby to check out digital books from your local library. You can add several libraries. The only downside is the most popular books usually have a long wait time, but there are plenty of available books to read (or listen to) while you wait.
7. Morning Routine
I know, I know. Nobody wants to get up earlier than you have to. However if you create a solid morning routine, your mental health will thank you. There is something about getting up before everyone else and getting ahead of the day that makes the rest of the day go so much smoother. When I commit to a morning routine, I feel so much less stress and feel much more capable of tackling the day ahead. A morning routine be simple. Start with daily gratitude (write down 5 things you’re grateful for), Set three goals for the day, and write 3 doable actions that can help you reach those goals. That’s it.
If you need some ideas for morning routines, try this guided morning routine journal.
8. Pre prep snacks and lunches
I remember many mornings where we got up late and I was scrambling to throw packed lunches (both for me and the kids) at the last minute. Avoid that stress by pre-packaging lunches the evening before so that all you need to is grab and go. While this requires a little bit of time in the evenings (I usually do this while making dinner) it makes the morning run so much smoother.
I do the same with after school snacks because my kids (and I) come home from school STARVING. I love these Snackle Boxes for a quick and healthy grab and go snack.
9 Outsource
If you are in a position to do it, outsource the most time consuming and/or most stressful tasks on your to do list. Hire a cleaning service to do the deep cleaning for you so you can enjoy your weekends. Pay someone to detail your car once a month. Find someone to mow your lawn and landscape. Find a trusted babysitter and set regular date nights or dinners with friends. These things can give you back HOURS that you can spend focusing on your family and your own mental health.
10. Have your kids pitch in
Delegate tasks to your kids to free up time and teach them responsibility. The tasks will depend on their age and maturity level, but if you put them in charge of things like picking toys up off the floor, taking out the trash, loading the dishwasher, even doing laundry-you are freeing up time and space for you while teaching your kids an important lesson.
11. Automate everything
A great and easy way to free up some of the mental clutter is by automating all of your bills. If you set everything up on Auto Pay, you don’t have to worry about missing a payment or trying to remember your logins to sign on and pay a bill. Automation makes life so much easier.
12. Declutter
Taking the time to declutter your home will free up so much time (and stress) in the long run. The less “stuff” you have to manage, the easier it will be to find what you need. Less clutter also equals less mess to clean up. Get rid of everything that you don’t really need, simplify your wardrobe, sell or donate toys that your kids no longer play with, throw out broken things, empty your junk drawer. Make sure everything has a “home.”
Some of these time saving hacks may require a bit of extra effort in the beginning, but once you get systems in place, you will find so much more freedom in your life and mind. If you’re a busy mom carrying the majority of the mental load for your family, I see you. While you are busy taking care of your family and carrying the weight of the emotional and mental load, remember to take care of you too.
