How to find time to do everything? As a mom, you often feel like there just isn’t enough time in the day. I’ve worked with hundreds of women, and the biggest complaint I hear is, “I don’t have enough time.” It’s not that you don’t have enough time; it’s that you’re trying to do too many things in the actual time you have. Multitasking and juggling all the mom duties, childcare, work, and everything else can feel impossible.
And I know it feels like all of those things are important, but sometimes they aren’t and sometimes we lie to ourselves about the amount of time we actually have.
Today, I’m sharing five tips on how to find time, so you can start today to create more time and space. These tips will help you work more effectively, efficiently, and complete your tasks to a higher standard. When we’re rushed for time, we often do things sloppily or leave them unfinished. As a ‘finisher’, I personally get stressed out when I end up with a pile of unfinished tasks, but it took me a while to realise that is what the problem was!
Using the Kaizen approach, which means making small improvements every day, you can easily start making changes that will simplify your life. Here’s how:
1. How to find time – Reevaluate Your Tasks
We often fill our days with tasks that don’t need to be done, simply because they’ve become habits. For example, ironing. This was necessary back when fabrics wrinkled easily, and society deemed it essential. But today, many fabrics don’t need ironing at all.
Take a look at what’s in your ironing basket. Do all those clothes really need ironing, or can they be folded and put away without it? This concept applies to many tasks around the house. Ask yourself if you’re doing them out of necessity or habit.
Action Step:
Identify one task you can release because it’s no longer a necessity. This will free up additional minutes in your day.
2. Prioritize and Organize
Start by listing out your daily tasks in a specific order of importance. Determine the number of hours you need to spend on each task. Are there tasks that can be shortened? For instance, setting a timer for the amount of work you do can help keep you focused and ensure you complete tasks in a given time. When you work for someone else, you have a start time and end time, steal that and use it for your personal schedule, too.
Also, consider the length of the breaks you take. Shorter, more frequent breaks can be a more effective way to recharge, making the actual time you spend working more productively.
Action Step:
List your top three priorities for the day and assign a specific starting time for each. This is the first step to taking control of your schedule.
Match Your Day to Your Energy Levels
Everyone has times in the day when they feel more energetic and focused. Planning your day to match your energy levels can make a significant difference in how much you accomplish. For example, if you’re more alert in the morning, use that time for tasks that require more concentration. Leave less demanding tasks for when your energy dips. I’m definitely a morning person. I assign all my ‘brain’ work before lunch.
By aligning your tasks with your energy, you’ll find you can get more done in less time and with better results.
Action Step:
Pay attention to your energy levels throughout the day and plan your tasks accordingly. If you’re not sure when your peak times are, try tracking your energy for a week to find out.
4. Delegate Small Tasks to Family Members
Delegating tasks doesn’t mean you’re shirking your responsibilities; it’s about sharing them. Even small jobs, like setting the table or folding laundry, can make a big difference when shared. Starting with minor tasks also makes it easier to delegate bigger ones in the future.
When you delegate, you’re teaching your family to take responsibility, and over time, this can free up significant amounts of your time.
Action Step:
Identify a small task you can delegate today. Gradually build up to bigger tasks as your family gets used to helping out.
5. Adjust Your Time Values to learn how to find time
Sometimes, external factors influence how much time we think we have. By adjusting your time values, you can better allocate your time and energy. Consider earlier start times for certain tasks, or try breaking tasks into smaller time intervals. This way, you can handle tasks in manageable chunks and avoid feeling overwhelmed.
The biggest culprits for throwing off a schedule are the little folk. No, not the fairies, but the kids! But, in their defence, that can be down to us, the adults, not giving them adequate time to do what they need to do. Yes, we can throw on a coat and shoes is less than 30 seconds, but how much practice have we had doing it? Kids take longer because they are still learning, factor that into your daily planning.
Action Step:
Experiment with different ways of scheduling your day. See if starting tasks at an earlier time or in a different order helps you feel more in control.
Wrap Up
How to find time as a busy mom is all about making small changes and being mindful of how you spend your time. By reevaluating your tasks, prioritizing your schedule, matching your day to your energy levels, delegating small tasks, and adjusting your time values, you’ll find more balance and get things done more efficiently.
If you need more help with all this, then come and join us in Wonder Moms, where we focus on setting you up to make the best use of your day so that you can do the fun stuff, have dates, me time and quality time with the family. Check it out over here.
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Jo Ebisujima is a Montessori best-selling author and a dedicated guide for moms looking to balance passion with productivity. With years of experience as a Montessori educator and consultant, she specializes in helping families implement the Montessori philosophy at home through her books and the Wonder Mom Success Club. She is also the founder of the 193 Little Adventures Club, a global exploration program for curious kids. Jo is on a mission to help moms build businesses that revolve around their families, making learning and life a fun, structured adventure.