Tried and true time management tips for moms who work from home.
I once saw a quote that read, “There’s no force greater than that of a determined mom.” Ain’t that the truth? Moms sure can be superheroes. As women, we have an innate instinct to nurture and take care of those around us. And we’re willing to do it by any means necessary, even at the expense of our own self care and needs at times. But when you’re a mom wanting to do it all, there’s one thing that must be mastered: time management.
Sometimes you have to get work done with kids in tow. That could be due to you landing a work from home job with no childcare in place or maybe you’re looking to become a full-time boss mom entrepreneur with kids at home or school? Either way, here are 13 time management tips for moms who work from home that will help you make great strides in your career while also putting your little ones first.
Time management tips for moms
Get lots of help and support.
When you’re a mom who is working from home mom or a stay-at-home mom entrepreneur, you have to get in the habit of asking for help, especially with caregiving. Your child’s happiness and well-being should come first and above work. It’s helpful if you have an extremely supportive husband or partner. Also, have a list of go-to caregivers that you love who can work with your family a couple of days out of the week or on an as-needed basis.
Multi-task.
Make a voice-to-text note while you clean. Respond to emails while you breastfeed. Take phone calls in the car or during stroller walks. Listen to professional development training and webinars while you get ready for the day.
Make lists.
Keep a list of tasks you can do with your baby and tasks you can only do when the baby is asleep or away.
Prioritize tasks.
Write down all the things that need to be done at home, for work, and for customers or clients, etc. Note what things are:
- Urgent and important
- Urgent, but not important
- Not urgent, but important
- Not urgent, and not important
Set daily and weekly goals.
Decide what 2-3 tasks you will focus on this week or this day that will help move the needle on your larger goals for the month and quarter.
Hire a team.
The truth is you can’t be all things to all people. Working moms and stay-at-home mom entrepreneurs need a team. What are some small or recurring tasks at work that can be outsourced? Think about fulfilling orders, customer service communications, graphic design, or social media marketing for example. How much time do these mundane tasks take for you to do? How much is your time worth to you? If your rate is let’s say, $25/hr and it takes you 4-6 hours to complete these tasks yourself. Can you hire a virtual assistant or freelancer to complete these tasks for you for a fraction of the costs?
Order groceries.
One of my favorite home tasks to outsource is grocery shopping. If you have the ability to do so, order your groceries for delivery or pickup. Take 5-10 minutes adding items to your cart before bed, then wake up to your groceries being delivered or ready for pick up at your selected time. Some grocery stores also have the ability to add everything from your recent receipts to the cart with just a few clicks of a button, which can save you even more time making sure you keep your favorites and staples in stock.
Outsource home tasks.
When you’re a working mom or stay-at-home mom entrepreneur, you have to find all the ways you can to collapse time so you can maximize the time you have with your loved ones. You may be surprised to realize how inexpensive it can be to outsource some chores to a cleaning service. Other home tasks that may be helpful for you include laundry service, school pickup or ride share service, or nanny who could help with light cleaning and childcare. You may also like these other tips for how to balance business with a baby.
Have a set work schedule.
Draw hard lines between when you will work and when you will be present in the home. Do your best to leave work at work and be off when you’re supposed to be “off”. Leave your phone in another room when playing with your little one or spending time with your family.
Put your phone down.
If possible (or necessary), delete certain social apps from your phone and only use them for work while on your laptop or desktop. If necessary, only keep the social scheduling apps on your phone – if that’ll make content creation and posting easier. Minimize distractions when you’re “at work” and when you’re spending time with your family. It’s easy to fall into checking whatever is happening with your business when you’re supposed to be off work if you’re scrolling through the social media apps (or other apps) on your phone.
Prioritize your child.
Schedule in time to slow down and step away from work regularly and every now and then. Routines are very important. Decide what part of your day will be “mommy and me” time. Decide if you will work on the weekends. Also, decide when – if at all, you will take the time out in the year to take a special trip with your family or have a “mommy and me” day with your little one just because.
Be flexible.
This is probably the most important one to remember of all the time management tips for moms who work from home. Balls sometimes get dropped. Plans get changed. What’s important is making sure your child is your number one priority. Their wants, needs, and desires are important and can change at any given moment. Sometimes your child just needs their mama either because they’re sick or maybe have been acting out lately due to lack of attention. Just be flexible. Work can always wait, but your child’s needs can’t always wait. Any effort you show towards your child or your work is progress. Do whatever you can, when you can. And if you have to drop the ball, be easy on yourself about it. Life happens!
All in all, it’s important to note that people raising children need a team. If you see other moms “doing it” and you feel like you’re not where you need to be or want to be, trust and believe that there is nothing wrong with you. You just need some help! Balancing it all is hard work. It truy takes a village, and there’s nothing to be ashamed about by getting the help you need when you need it. I guarantee you the people you think are doing it well or on their own are allowing themselves to be supported. Use these time management tips to conquer your life as a work from home mom. I believe in you. You got this!