Everyone likes the idea of being productive and getting everything done. It’s the follow through that is most difficult to do. Are you lacking motivation? Do you lack the time? Are there too many little people who need your attention at once? I’ve been there! My daughter Hazley was 13 months when my youngest daughter was born. I had to learn really quickly how to cater to 2 tiny humans who both needed me for EVERYTHING.
In this blog post, I will share some of the best productivity tips I have learned in my motherhood journey. Even if you are not a mom, these tips can be super helpful for you too.
My season of life has changed, but I still feel the pull, the struggle of balancing everyone and everything. You may have heard some of these productivity tips before but stick with me. I can relate to what your challenges are! I am living in the trenches of motherhood, with four kids ages 4-11.
1. Make a plan the NIGHT BEFORE.
You’ve all heard the saying, “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”
Well, it is so true. You MUST have a plan in place if you want any chance of success at being productive.
First you need to know the basics for the next day:
- What appointments or extracurricular activities are scheduled?
- What meals will you eat?
- What house tasks need to be completed?
- What errands need to be ran?
- Are there any items you need to purchase?
You can eliminate so many issues just by thinking through (and writing down!) those few important details for the following day. The reason I recommend doing this the night before, is so you wake up knowing a general outline for the day. It helps me sleep better, knowing that I have a tentative plan for the next day.
Find a planner that fits your needs! It doesn’t have to be pretty (although there are some beautiful planners out there!) I would check out the function of it more than anything-does it have what YOU need to plan your day and week ahead?
I’m sure you need space to write down your to-do list and this planner even has a spot to record your goals for the week. It also includes a habit tracker, so you can focus on various habits each week. If you want a monthly overview, make sure you buy one that includes that feature. Another note is an undated planner could be beneficial, especially if you fall off the wagon for a week here & there. That way you’re not wasting pages, since you can write in your own dates!
I can almost guarantee that this tip with help you be more a more productive person. Planning does not guarantee the follow through, but it is one step in the right direction.
2. Have daily routines or rhythms that you follow.
Have routines set in place so that you and your family know what to expect and so you automatically know what comes next. This will avoid the need to repeat yourself over and over again. It will take the guess work out of the equation too. These can include a morning routine, afterschool routine, and a night routine.
When your kids wake up in the morning, what do they need to do? When they get home from school, what tasks do they need to complete? What activities need to be completed before bed each night? A simple, yet effective routine, can streamline your morning and the rest of your day.
Obviously, some days may be different, but there should be a general flow. For example, my kids know to get a snack first thing after school. Then they know to get their binders and any paperwork to show me.
There’s a certain order to things. It helps keep the peace and uncertainty at bay. Kids thrive on routine, rather than chaos. Plus, it will eliminate ALL the questions.
I know that I personally thrive on routine too. Do I ALWAYS stick to my routines exactly? Not 100%. However, more often than not, I do. They help me be productive and accomplish what I need to get done. AND even make time for what I want to get done.
3. Make mundane tasks more enjoyable by multitasking.
By mundane tasks, I mean cleaning, doing the dishes, folding laundry, and anything else similar. These tasks are a part of life that you can make a little more enjoyable by listening to your favorite podcast or watching a YouTube video, for example.
Do you have a topic you want to learn more about? Find a podcast that caters to your interests. You can multitask- learn something new and accomplish something at the same time.
Now I don’t recommend multitasking for accomplishing some tasks. Like don’t try to cook dinner and help your child with homework and clean out your pantry at the same time. But pairing a podcast, audiobook, or Youtube video in certain circumstances, will help the mundane feel less daunting.
As a matter of fact, some evenings I even look forward to doing the dishes, so I can watch one of my favorite YouTubers. Combining what needs to get done, with something enjoyable to you, is a great way be more productive!
4. Set a timer (and try to beat the timer!)
I often times will use this method for a quick room tidy. Set a timer for 10 minutes and move as quickly as possible to clean whatever room in that amount of time. Didn’t finish? Don’t stress, just set the timer for an additional time and you’ll be sure to finish that time around.
You can set a timer for getting ready in the morning or for decluttering a drawer. Have an extra 20 minutes before you need to pick up your kids? Set a timer and get moving! If you appreciate a good challenge, this will could be really motivating for you.
For blog writing, I will set an hour timer and write, write, write for an hour. When the time is up, I can decide to take a break or continue longer, if time allows. You can do the same for any project you’ve procrastinate on. Set a timer and you get to decide to stop when the timer goes off, or to keep going!
Knowing that you’re on a time crunch also seems to help trick your brain into focusing better. Since you only have a certain window of time, you will be more apt to focus and be productive, rather than allow distractions to creep in.
Use this productivity tip for anything you’re hoping to accomplish!
5. Set alarms in your phone.
Do you tend to be forgetful? Even if you usually don’t, setting alarms for certain times can help you stay on track or remember important information. Let’s say you need to leave at 2:30 tomorrow to make it to your 3:00 doctor appointment, I would encourage you to set TWO alarms. One for 2:20 and one for 2:30. Why? To give yourself 10 minutes wiggle room, for “just in case” situations. You know, like your kid needs to use the bathroom or you forget something once you’re already in the car.
I will even set alarms for when I hope to have the bedtime routine started by or when I need to have the kids finished getting ready by.
Don’t overdo it, so that you’re hearing alarms go off left and right. BUT if there’s a certain pain point in your day and you feel like setting an alarm would be helpful, it probably will be!
6. Don’t sit down and say you’ll do it later (because you probably won’t!)
Have you ever heard that an object in motion stays in motion??
Keep yourself “in motion” so that you keep the energy flow moving.
If I stay busy, floating from task to task, I get so much done. However, if I decide to just take a break, especially later in the evening, I don’t finish what I need to. I have made it a point to get the kitchen cleaned right after dinner, because if I don’t, it’s so much harder to be motivated to do after the kids go to sleep.
I’ve found so many times that it’s so hard for me to pick back up where I left off. I say, “I’ll just give myself 20 minutes to scroll (or to relax).” 20 minutes turns into 30, 40 minutes, then you’ve wasted an hour. You could have already had the task accomplished by that time. Plus, an additional task!
Don’t get me wrong. I am not discouraging taking a break or resting. You need that too! Just wait until the job is done. I promise you’ll feel so much better with your accomplishment than just putting it off until later.
You might have heard that if it takes 5 minutes or less, just do it NOW. I encourage you to try that today.
7. Prioritize time to rest and recharge.
If you want to show up as your best self, you need to make time for rest and relaxation. You can’t run on empty and you can’t run efficiently on low either.
Get adequate sleep! It’s so important to get a good night’s sleep in order to be productive the next day. You physically can’t get your to-do list done when you are surviving on 5 hours of sleep.
I understand the challenge of having a child that doesn’t sleep well at night or who refuses to go to sleep at a reasonable time. I’ve been there! In those times where a good night’s sleep seems like a faraway memory, just do your best with the energy you have.
I’m sure you’ve heard the saying that you need to “give yourself grace.” If you don’t have the energy that day (or any day for that matter), do your best for your family and for God. And if you’ve done your best, then give yourself grace & accept the facts. Sometimes you can’t get everything done and that has to be okay.
8. Keep distractions to a minimum.
Of course, if you’re a mama, your kids are a “welcome distraction.” The distractions I’m mostly talking about are the ones we all know too well. Hint, hint, you’re on it right now. Finish reading this blog post, but when you’re done, put your device away!
Social media. Our phones. The biggest distractions we have. PUT IT AWAY! Especially if you want to have a productive day. It’s impossible to get everything done if your phone is constantly in reach. You’ve got to have a ton of self-control, (self-control I don’t have) if you can keep your phone in your pocket all day and not be on it. Give me all your tips!! Because I have not mastered that.
But in all seriousness, take a little break from your phone. Complete your mission and get things done! It will help you immensely.
Not to mention, you’ll feel so much better. I know how yucky I feel if I’m spending too much time on my phone. Facebook caused me to feel that way, so I got rid of it. I really can’t believe how much time I have saved these past four months, by eliminating that completely (but that’s a topic for another day!)
Identify any other distractions that may be stealing your time and attention. Try to make a plan so that these distractions don’t continue to prevent you from being your most productive self.
Be More Productive Today
I can guarantee you’ll be more productive today if you adopt even one or two of these productivity tips! If you keep distractions away (mainly social media), you’ll have so much more time for what matters most to you. If you start planning, you’ll go to bed each night feeling proud of how much you’ve accomplished. Use alarms and timers to keep you on track, as well as establish routines and down time to maximize your productivity.
Want to read more on how to be super productive, but also a very present mom to your kids? Check out this blog post: Be a More Productive, yet Present Mama Today.
One last thing, if you haven’t already made your to-do list for today, stop and do that now! Then, go tackle something on your list. You’ll feel more motivated to keep going once you take the first step: just get started!
