Moms have to wear multiple hats all the time. Here’s a few simple ways to get organized and be productive.
Does it seem sometimes like you just can’t get it together? Lately that’s how I’ve been feeling.
During the summer, I had the luxury of sleeping and and winging it every day but I can’t do that anymore now that summer is officially over. I can’t tell you how many times that I’ve woken up late since school has started and we’ve had to rush out the door to get to school on time. It’s crazy.
After our last trip I decided that I was just over it. I’m used to having structured days so that I can be as productive as I can be. Let’s be real, if I’m missing deadlines and running late to meetings, there’s no money flowing. So I decided to get my act together.
4 Ways to Get Organized and More Productive
1. Utilize smart technology
I use our Google Home every single day. It is literally a life saver. It’s synced to both of our phones so that it can help us keep track of our calendars. I use it to set timers for my power hour every day (I’ll explain what that is later). I can also use it to play music when I’m working. Music helps me work quickly and not get distracted by other things.
One of my favorite things about our Google Home is that if we’re working on Tatiana’s homework after school and there’s something that we don’t know the answer to, she can ask Google. Of course Google knows it all.
2. Always plan in advance and set a schedule.
I’m super strict about this one. Every day of my life is scheduled even off days and breaks during the day. Planning in advance can help to eliminate over scheduling yourself or missing important deadlines. Being a WAHM, I have to wear many hats so planning in advance makes life a little easier. Simple things like meal planning and prepping outfits for the week using my wardrobe essentials save so much time and eliminate a lot of stress. It gets tense in my house when people get hangry because no one knows what they want for dinner.
3. Make lists.
In an effort to be more productive, I make lists for everything! Grocery lists, packing lists, to-do lists, you name it. I make a list for every and anything that I need to remember. The more kids you have, the more your memory dwindles away and you begin to forget everything. The struggle is real. The best part about making lists is that you won’t ever forget anything unless of course you forget where you put your lists!
I use a 3-part system for my lists, 2 of which are electronic and 1 is old school on paper. If I need to leave myself a quick note about something that I want to brainstorm later and my phone is nearby then I’ll pop a quick note into the notes app on my iPhone. If I’m sitting at my desk during my power hour when phones aren’t allowed then I write it on a sticky note and leave it on my desk so that I can easily go back to it later. For longer lists like a grocery list or our family to-do list, I use an app called Wunderlist. It’s great because I can share it with my husband and Tatiana so they’re able to see it and check things off as they go.
4. Power hours are a must!
So what is a power hour? Power hours are why I am able to get all of my essential daily tasks done. Make a list of tasks that you know you can get done in one hour. Set your time and work with no distractions. For at least one hour every day, I put my phone away and work relentlessly. I get all of my essential daily tasks done within that one hour. My power hour consists of things that I dread doing every day: dishes. Washing dishes is the bane of my existence, has been ever since I was a kid. So I choose to knock it out during my power hour while listening to my power hour playlist playing. I always feel more productive once my power hour is up.
I hope this can help you to get organized and be more productive too. I’d love to hear any tips or tricks that you have.
Ashley says
I definitely agree with always plan in advance! My day planner is what keeps me on task for staying organized. But I have to say, both the Google Home and generating lists via a printer have me intrigued! Maybe I should try going that route?
Melanie says
I have heard of wireless printers, but I have not used one. I think it would be an awesome thing to have! I will need to check into one when the printer we have bites the dust.
Ann Snook says
Making lists and planning ahead have always been big parts of my life. What can I say, I’ve always been super Type A! I am not a morning person, so anything I can prep the day before to save me time and keep me organized, I’ll do.
Heather says
I am totally a list maker! It makes me feel so much less overwhelmed when I can see what I need to do and can start crossing things off of my list. Love how organized you are thanks to your HP.
Natalie says
YES!! omg I love the HP snapshots, I got some of those last year and made a collage of memories and it was super amazing, what amazing products. I like to buy all these awesome things to be organized and productive and it never plays out like I want to, one day.