How many times do you find yourself wishing there were more hours in a day? If we were honest, I’m sure most of us hard-working Mamas could use a few extra hours in the day. When you have a family that depends on you to take care of everyone and everything, sometimes productivity falls at the mercy of whatever needs to get done at the moment.
If you are like me, time is not always on your side. From cooking dinner and making sure homework is done, to driving the kids to practice and keeping the toddler from hurting himself, every second of my day is booked and busy.
There once was a time when all I did was go to work, then come home and put my feet up and relax. Clearly, that was before I got married and had kids. Ten years later, the only time I am allowed to put my feet up and relax is when the day is over and I have a sleeping toddler laying on my chest.
After many mornings of running around like a stressed-out chicken with my head cut off, I decided to cut the unnecessary from my schedule, and focus on increasing my daily productivity. I realized I was keeping busy doing many little tasks, but nothing was really getting done. I knew I had to take control of my schedule, instead of my responsibilities taking control of me.
I’m here with good news for you, Mama. Gone are the days when your day overwhelms you – it’s time to reclaim your time. All you have to do is determine what you need to do, and get rid of the things you don’t have to do.
It all comes down to prioritization.
How can you prioritize your most important “to-dos” to increase your daily productivity?
What unnecessary tasks can you cut from your daily schedule?
Which of your responsibilities can you do once a week instead of daily?
Once you have decided your priorities, now you can begin to increase your productivity. Here’s how:
5 Tip Moms Can Use to Increase Daily Productivity
1. Prepare in Advance
Preparing for your day in advance sets you up for success. Iron your clothes the night before, or set aside your Sunday evenings to prepare lunches for the week. As you prepare different aspects of your day ahead of time, you set your day to run smoothly. Spending a little time the night before to prepare for the next day can eventually get rid of a lot of hassle and unnecessary stress for the next day.
2. Take Care of Your Mind and Body
Getting a good night’s sleep, eating a healthy breakfast, and taking a shower in the morning are great ways to start your day. Because you have other people depending on you, you must make yourself a priority. When your physical body is feeling good and your mind is alert, you are in a better position to get more done and maintain momentum throughout the day. Listen to audio books, podcasts, or music that motivates you during the day to help keep you productive.
3. Set Daily Goals with Reminders
Setting an actionable plan for your day should begin with writing down the tasks you have to accomplish for the day. Be sure to include deadlines or time blocks to ensure each task is getting done and completed within a reasonable amount of time.
For example, if “clean the kitchen” is on your daily to-do list, set a time block for 30 minutes in your schedule. Set a timer, and clean the kitchen for exactly 30 minutes. When the timer goes off, move on to the next task.
Setting daily goals helps to put an urgency on what needs to get done, and helps to eliminate procrastination. Reference a schedule or notes throughout the day to remind yourself of what you need to do. Before you go to bed each night, create a to-do checklist to conquer for the next day.
4. Complete Your Most Important Tasks First
By completing your most important task first, you eliminate the stress of procrastination. Once your hardest task is accomplished, the other little tasks that need to get done throughout the day will seem like a breeze, and the rest of your day will run smoothly.
5. Don’t Waste Valuable Time
Using spare time to your advantage is very important when it comes to maximizing your time. For example, “dead time” can be described as those random moments when you are waiting in the doctor’s office or headed home from work on the train.
If you find yourself staring out the window with an empty mind, you are probably wasting valuable time. Instead, put your brain to work during those times. Use that time to read a new book, send emails, or brainstorming for your next project.
What do you do to stay productive during the day? Share with me in the comments!
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