How To Be More Productive As A Working Mom

“How do you do it all?” Learning how to be more productive as a working mom is HARD.

In fact, this is the question I get asked the most.

I get it! Time management for busy moms is a skill working moms need. Learning how to be more productive and make the most out of your time when you work and homeschool is important.

When it comes to learning how to be more productive, it is important to realize that everyone has a different idea of what “productivity” is.

Productivity is not the same as being busy. Anyone can be busy rushing around all day, but if you never get anything done, then what was the point?

Being productive is about using the hours you have each day in the best way possible to work towards the goal. These “goals” can be goals you have at work, such as getting a project done. They can also be homeschool goals such as getting through a math lesson.

Whatever goals you need to accomplish, learning how to be more productive will help you reach those goals.

I’m going to share with you a few tips on how to be more productive, but first, let’s talk about what being productive is NOT!

A Productive Working Mom Is Not

First of all, let’s get real. Managing a working mom’s life is hard. It’s never smooth or easy being a working mom of kids, teaching them at home, running a household, fitting in self-care, and having a meaningful friendship or two.

Being a productive mom is NOT about outdoing your neighbor, workmate, or friends.

It might look like they have it all together, but the truth is, you are seeing the highlight reel, not the behind-the-scenes daily in-and-out struggles.

Remember, no one has it together all the time.

How To Be More Productive As A Working Mom

While motherhood is one of the most rewarding jobs I’ve ever had, it is also the most exhausting. Add in working two to three jobs to the mix while keeping the kids alive and educated, and…all of a sudden, the word “busy” has a whole new meaning.

Instead of stuffing your schedule as full as you can, the key to learning how to be more productive when you are a working mom is being selective in what you choose to do, not wasting time, and using your time wisely.

3 Ways To Be More Productive

I’ve been doing this for a long time, and while the perfect working-homeschool-mom life might not be attainable, there are things you can do to help you be more productive as a working mom.

Before I dig in, let me say this: Do not try to do all of these at once!

We are trying to cut back on the overwhelm, not add to it. Instead, pick one. Implement it in your daily routine or weekly plan.

See how that works out for you. Once you get it working for you and iron out all the bugs, pick another one. Keep going until you find what works for you and fits into your schedule.

I highly recommend keeping your schedule simple. If you need help learning how to create a simple schedule for yourself, sign up below, and I’ll walk you through it.

1. Start With The Big Picture

Do you know your priorities for the day? What goals do you need to meet, and what deadlines are there?

Quickly write a list of everything you need to get done that day.

Include all your tasks, such as:

• Work
• Homeschool
• Homemaking
• Personal

Now that you have the “big picture,” set your priorities.

Ask yourself, “If I can only do one thing today, what would it be?” and put that at the top of your list.

Repeat this process until you have all the items on your list in order.

2. Do The Hardest Thing First

As Mark Twain once said, “If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And if it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first.” -Source

Is there anything on that list that you have no motivation to do? If so, it is best to just get it done!

Otherwise, you will be thinking about and dreading this task all day. But if you get it done, you can move on with the more enjoyable tasks.

3. Focus On The Task At Hand

Have you ever seen the poem If You Give A Mom A Muffin?

It is a sad but true poem about how mom gets distracted from doing one thing to the next. You’ll start 100 things but never actually finish any of them.

Learn to focus on one task at a time.

For example, if you are working on clearing out your inbox, do not open other tabs that will distract you. If you remember something you need to do later, make a note of it and return to the task at hand.

In the video below, I share a real-life example of how I got distracted, along with tips on how to prevent yourself from doing the same.

Can’t see it? Click here to watch it on Facebook.

Being Productive As A Work-From-Home Mom

If you work at home, the “distraction” might be the little one asking for a snack every 5 minutes. While you can’t stick them on a shelf until you are done working, there are things you can do to still be productive while you work.

1. Train your kids to let you work

I use a timer and block scheduling to make this work in our home.

If you need a guide, I share how to use a timer with kids here.

The basic idea is to teach your kids not to interrupt you while the timer is going. When it signals time is up, then they can have your full attention for snacks, stories, etc.

This method does take some time to put into place. You’ll need to be consistent and follow through. Once you get it in place, it is amazing how much work you can get done.

2. Keep your kids learning

If you homeschool, you can create a learning system for your kids.

One mom I know uses a whiteboard with a list of tasks for her kids to do. They get to choose the order in which they are done. Then they check them off as they do them.

We use a similar system along with a clipboard. My kids place any schoolwork they need checked or help with on the clipboard. When my timer goes off, I check that first!

Disclosure: I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

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If you have smaller kids, you may want to build busy boxes to keep them busy while you work. The key is to use them rarely!

You can find a list for both younger kids and older kids. Yes, I use them for my teens.

3. Set up snack stations

Remember I said the most interruptions will be from kids asking for snacks?

The best way to combat that is to make sure you have grab-and-go snacks and drinks that your kids can access without help.

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One idea is to create snack baskets for kids or dedicate a shelf in the fridge that your children can reach.

While baskets are fun, beware of pets. We found a drawer in the fridge worked best.

How To Be More Productive At Home

One of the best ways to learn how to be more productive at home is to look for shortcuts, templates, or automation, such as productivity apps for moms that you can use.

Here are a few ideas to get you started. Take a look at your daily life and see how these shortcuts can help you:

✔ Use a chore chart like Motivated Moms and put it in a place everyone will see it. Get them to pick what task they want to do and check it off. No asking mom what needs to be done!

✔ Use your Instant Pot Or Slow Cooker. Put together easy recipes in the morning before work, and have dinner ready when you get home. Or better yet, teach your kids to cook!

✔ Use pick-up services and subscriptions such as Grocery Pick Up, Amazon Fresh, and Online Library Holds. Both of these services will save you valuable time.

✔ Shop online. It’s fast, easy and you can do it whenever, wherever. Most places, like Amazon, will deliver right to your door.

✔ Use subscription boxes for meals such as Hello Fresh or EveryPlate.

✔ Create a capsule wardrobe for yourself. With a few mix-and-match pieces, there is less laundry and less decision-making.

✔ Plan your clothes the night before and set them out. Grab and go in the morning. One less decision you need to make pre-coffee.

These tips are great for learning how to reduce the amount of time you waste.

How To Be A Productive Mom

Do you know that never-ending list of chores to be done around the house? The one that always lands on your shoulders?

It doesn’t have to be that way.

1. Ask For Help

Start with the tasks that take up most of the time that your family is capable of doing… such as dusting, sweeping floors, and loading and unloading the dishes. Even your little one can clean up their toys.

I created a cleaning planner that takes the guesswork out. I print off the list and stick it on the fridge and tell the kids to pick two tasks off the list for that day.

As for your husband, have an honest talk with him about what you specifically need help with.

Are you are a single mom, can you set up trades with other single mom friends?

A few ideas might be:

• Meals
• Childcare for homeschooled kids
• Carpool for those extracurricular activities and social activities
• Picking up library books, groceries, dry cleaning, etc.

Or ask family and friends to help teach a subject or two while you work or clean.

Remember that being productive is about using the resources available to you, so ask for help.

2. Play With Your Kids Every Day

As a working mom, it is vital to your mental health to prioritize your “play time” with your kids.

Play a board game with your kids, play hide and seek in the woods, go to the beach, or take a fun bike ride.

This is a great way to unwind and let go of stress AND connect with your kids.

In turn, you will be able to focus on your work during knowing your filled those emotional buckets.

3. Get Enough Sleep

This is a tough one. Although I’ve always been a big believer in getting enough sleep, I’ve never been good at getting a full 8 hours of sleep a night unless I’m sick.

However, sleep is vital to being able to function. Without sleep, I start snapping at the kids. I become short-tempered and not very understanding. Holding my tongue with a cranky customer is 100 x harder when overtired.

Going to bed each night at the same time never works for me, but it is great advice if you can.

However, the biggest help for me was getting up at the same time every single day. I set my alarm and get up on the first ring. No matter how tired I am, I get up.

Learning how to cope without sleep has really helped me get much-needed rest and learn how to be more productive.

Consistency is key.

Many people are either night owls or early birds. Whichever one works best for you, try to stick to a consistent schedule.

If you try to be both, you will rob your body of much-needed sleep and mess up your sleep cycles.

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How To Be More Productive As A Working Homeschool Mom

It is easy to be overwhelmed with all the tasks on your plate. Learning to start your day by identifying your priorities is a great place to start.

Next, tackle that big scary thing, so you aren’t obsessing over it all day, and you can move on to the more enjoyable tasks.

Stop trying to do it all. Let your family be part of the solution. They live here too!

Play with your kids every single day. It’s a great way to connect with them, reduce stress, and a great excuse to be silly!

Get enough sleep. If you can’t sleep, learn to rest.

I find creating a simple schedule is vital in helping me be more productive both at home and work. You can learn how to create your own simple schedule here.

Which one of these resonated the most with you?

More Productivity Resources:

• Homeschool Time Management
• 6 Ways To Be a More Productive Mom
• 6 Must-Have Productivity Tips For Working Moms
• How To Stop Wasting Time
• 30 Productive Things For Mom To Do

The beauty of being a mom is how unique everyone’s life is. I’d love to hear how you are making one of these suggestions work in your life.

One of the most important keys to being more productive as a working mom using a homeschool planner for working moms.

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