Effective Hacks For Working Mums Who Are Busy – 5 Top Tips

This article aims to provide practical and effective hacks for busy working mums to help them navigate balancing work and family life.

By implementing these strategies, busy mothers can optimize their time, reduce stress, and find more enjoyment in both their professional and personal roles. Let’s explore some innovative solutions that can make a real difference in the daily lives of working mums.

Working mothers face unique challenges in balancing their professional and personal lives. From managing household tasks to excelling in their careers, the juggling act can often feel overwhelming.

However, with the right strategies and tools, it’s possible to survive and thrive in both roles.

This article will explore a variety of practical hacks designed to help busy working mums streamline their routines, boost productivity, and find more time for what truly matters. So let us get into effective hacks for busy working mums!

Household Organization Hacks

To help working mums tackle the challenges of maintaining an organized household while juggling professional responsibilities, we’ve compiled a list of effective household organization hacks.

These strategies are designed to simplify daily tasks, reduce stress, and create a more harmonious home environment. Let’s dive into some practical solutions that can make a significant difference in managing your home life efficiently.

Creating a family command center

A family command centre is a centralized hub for organizing and managing household information and schedules. Here, keys, wallets, and anything and everything important can be kept.

Set up a dedicated space with a calendar, message board, and storage for important documents. This helps keep everyone informed and on track.

Meal planning and prep strategies

Plan meals for the month in advance. I swear by this method, write out all your meal plans for the month on a calendar piece of paper then stick it to the fridge.

Each week as you need groceries etc. refine your plan and work off of it. You can also have a roster-type system where you have Mondays are “meat day”, Tuesdays are “salad day”, and Wednesdays are “roast day”. This makes meal planning for a month even more efficient.

Streamlining laundry routines

Establish a consistent laundry schedule and involve family members in the process. For my little family, we currently do once a week at a laundromat, one big load washed and dried saves us oodles of time during the week and, prevents us from putting loads on and forgetting them due to the busyness of the weeks.

Work-Life Balance Hacks

Implement strategies to maintain a healthy balance between professional and personal life. This includes setting clear boundaries, prioritizing tasks, and learning to say no to non-essential commitments.

Sometimes writing a list of the things that “fill my cup” and things that “empty my cup” may help you weed out the tasks or commitments you don’t need in your life.

Setting boundaries between work and home life

When using effective hacks for working mums setting clear boundaries is so important. Establish clear work hours and stick to them. Create a dedicated workspace at home if possible, and communicate your availability to both colleagues and family members to minimize interruptions.

Make sure you do your work tasks mostly within your workspace. This keeps your lounge and bedroom for lounging and sleeping. Setting these boundaries is creating healthy habits for your brain.

Also setting expectations around when you are in your workspace, that is the time that you need to be alone and left to it. Set the intention of some independence from your family at this time within reason.

Delegating tasks at work and home

Identify tasks that can be delegated to colleagues, family members, or outsourced. This helps reduce your workload and allows you to focus on high-priority responsibilities.

Again pros and cons lists can really help you get clear about what you need to be doing. Good planning is ESSENTIAL.

Incorporating self-care into daily routines

Make time for self-care activities, even if it’s just for a few minutes each day. This could include meditation, exercise, reading, or any activity that helps you relax and recharge.

Some of our favourite self-care:

• Buying your favourite coffee a couple of times a week
• Doing a little skincare routine after the shower
• A 20-minute lunchtime yoga session or walk
• Making the effort to read in the evenings before bed even if it is for 15 minutes
• Finding time in your week for your hobbies or doing things that “fill your cup”

Technology Hacks for Working Mums

Best apps for organization and productivity

Explore apps like Notion, Goodnotes or Trello to streamline tasks and boost productivity. These tools can help you manage to-do lists, take notes, and organize projects efficiently.

Notion: The ultimate organisation portal, find life planner templates and start using them now!

Goodnotes: An iPad app that is amazing if you have an iPad and stylus… I recommend Flourish Planner for iPad planners.

Trello: A great block organisation tool!

Online tools for managing family schedules

Implement shared calendar apps like Google Calendar or Apple Calendar to keep track of family activities, appointments, and deadlines. These tools ensure everyone stays informed and coordinated.

By using the invitee’s option you are able to invite hubby straight away and inform any kids that need to know what is going on. It then shows up on your calendars and allows you to set super useful reminders to keep that “mum brain” in check.

Other Posts You May Like…

• The best menstrual cup for mums…
• How to study as a single parent…
• What are the challenges of motherhood?

Childcare and Parenting Hacks

Efficient morning and bedtime routines

Establish consistent routines for mornings and bedtimes to reduce stress and save time. Prepare clothes, bags, and lunches the night before to streamline morning preparations.

A good morning routine may include these things:

• Dressed
• Breakfast
• Teeth and hair
• Shoes on
• Final bag pack

A good evening routine may include these things:

• Shower/bath
• Teeth and hair brushed
• PJs
• Story
• Get kid’s clothes out with them for the next day
• Bedtime
• Pack lunches for the next day
• Mum’s time routine follows

Strategies for quality time with children

Prioritize dedicated, distraction-free time with your children. This could involve setting aside specific hours for family activities or incorporating one-on-one time into daily routines.

Even if it is 15 minutes in the evening playing ponies with your daughter, those 15 minutes will be invaluable to her.

Managing homework and after-school activities

Effective hacks for working mums involve’s making sure not only you are organised, but your children are to! Create a structured homework schedule and designate a quiet study area. Use a family calendar to track after-school activities and coordinate transportation efficiently.

Weekly family discussions where you discuss what is coming up for the week are a great way to make sure everyone is on board. We try not to have last-minute mad dashes around here!

Financial Management Hacks

Managing finances efficiently is crucial for busy working mums. Here are some practical tips to help you stay on top of your financial game:

• Budgeting as a mum is a really good way to see where your finances are going and what you are spending on. I swear by a Google sheet to do our family budget on. It is worth the price and let’s me see everything we are spending and saving on. Get yours now…
• Using a budgeting app is a great idea as well: YNAB is one of the most popular apps around.

Time-saving tips for managing household finances

Set up automatic bill payments and use online banking to reduce time spent on financial tasks. Consider using a digital filing system to organize receipts and important financial documents.

Strategies for saving money on family expenses

• Meal planning reduces your waste and costs
• Buying on special is a non-negotiable when on a budget
• Minimising subscriptions to those you need and use regularly
• Shopping at second-hand stores can be a great way to pick up brand-new clothes for so much cheaper

Stress Management and Self-Care Hacks

Taking care of yourself is essential for maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Here are some strategies to incorporate self-care into your busy schedule:

• Yoga can take 10 minutes and brings you back to earth gives your body a moment of love and helps you breathe.
• Walk outside, this is so simple but great for your mental and physical health.
• Implement some feel-good face care into your shower routine.
• Getting some therapy or counselling can be a great way to talk to another adult in a healthy way allowing you to lift weight off your shoulders.

Quick relaxation techniques for busy mums

Practice deep breathing exercises or short guided meditations during your commute or lunch break. Use apps like Calm or Headspace for quick stress-relief sessions.

Incorporating exercise into a hectic schedule

• Walk places even if it’s just parking your car slightly further than you normally would
• Get outside for a walk with the kids they will love it as much as you

Maintaining social connections and support networks

• Schedule regular virtual coffee dates with friends or join online communities for working mums.
• Consider starting a support group with other working mothers in your area.

Our 5 Top Tips

1. Make a plan! You can only be as productive as you remember to be, a plan, a to-do list, or a calendar set out day is going to help you be super effective during your days.
2. Have regulation techniques in place to allow you to keep calm in all the chaos. Whether you do yoga once a day or start the day before your kiddos with a meditation set yourself up for success.
3. Use financial resources to get your money working for you, not against you. When your money is sorted it frees up brain space and eliminates stress to allow you to be with your children.
4. Habit stack to make sure you get the things done that fill your cup daily. Like maybe you love to walk so incorporate parking your car further from work so you can walk for a while. Or walk in general.
5. Take a breath… the days are long but the years are short you are doing amazing mumma, take breaks as you need them!

Effective Hacks For Buy Working Mums

Implementing these hacks can significantly improve the quality of life for busy working mums. Remember, it’s okay to start small and gradually incorporate these strategies into your routine. Every small step towards better organization and self-care counts.

We encourage you to share your hacks and experiences in the comments section below. Your insights could be invaluable to other working mums facing similar challenges.

Additional Resources

• Recommended books for working mums on time management and work-life balance
• “I Know How She Does It” by Laura Vanderkam and “The Fifth Trimester” by Lauren Smith Brody offer practical advice for balancing work and family life.
• Links to helpful online communities and support groups for working mothers
• Join Facebook groups like “Working Moms Support Group” or visit forums on WorkingMother.com for advice and support from peers.
• List of productivity tools and apps mentioned throughout the article
• Notion, Apple Notes, Samsung Notes, Todoist, Google Sheets, YNAB, Trello, Calm, and Headspace are some tools that can help streamline various aspects of a working mum’s life.