Productivity Tips For Working Moms

Being a mom is hard. Working is hard. Being a working mom is HARD! I had someone recently tell me they felt like I always had it together and got everything done. Oh gosh that's not true AT ALL! I feel like most of the time I barely have it together and I never get everything done. But I do think I have a good grasp on productivity tips for working moms, so today I am sharing mine.

Productivity Tips For Working Moms

1. Make lists: I swear I will mention this a million times because I think lists are very important in staying productive. I truly don’t know how people know what to do each day or remember tasks without them. Especially moms. We are SO BUSY. Trying to make sure everyone’s stuff is taken care of requires lists.

2. Talk to your partner: I think communicating with your partner about daily/weekly expectations, things coming up, things you need help with etc is so important for productivity.

3. Schedule EVERYTHING: I mean EVERYTHING! I schedule everything we do, anything I need to do, workouts, etc. It’s just so helpful to see it in a calendar. Especially during this time of lockdowns and quarantines. Making a schedule of our days keeps me sane and on track.

4.  Time block: I do this specifically for work. For example when I need to work on scheduling social media I will block out 45 minutes to find articles and schedule tweets. Then 30 minutes to pin, then another hour to write a blog post. etc. This is also helpful if you have a lot of household tasks that need to get done as well.

5.  Give yourself a break at some point: At some point you will you need a break. You have to fill your cup too. So this may mean a workout class, a walk around the neighborhood, sitting with a coffee and reading for 30 minutes. Whatever it is take a little break for yourself.

6.  Meal Prep/plan: I personally find that meal prepping and planning saves us SO MUCH time and arguments about what to have, what we need etc. We plan each Sunday night for the next week. Then on Mondays we grocery shop so we have our staples, and anything we need for meals. This also saves us a ton of money because since we aren’t wasting food.

7.  Delegate: This is something I am not great with. Usually I melt down and Amy husband is like “why didn’t you ask for help?” So I am trying to be better about telling him what I need help with, hiring a babysitter when I need a few hours to get stuff done, etc. Delegating is crucial to staying productive throughout your day.

I would love to know what productivity tips for working moms you have! Share below!

10 Things To Do When Your Are Stressed

I am not someone who deals with stress well. Yesterday I had a really stressful day. I lost my temper with my oldest (I still feel bad about that), I argued with my husband over something stupid (being in quarantine is getting to us) and just in general one there was one annoyance after another. That’s what gave me the idea for this post. I want to share 10 things to do when you’re stressed that you can stop and easily do!

10 Things To Do When You’re Stressed

 

 

Vent: I usually vent to my husband. When I am stressed I need to just get it out. Thank god I have the most understanding person in my life. My Husband’s first response is always “how can I help?” Ladies never settle, find a man who asks how he can help.

Meditate/Yoga: I love doing a 10 minute Yoga workout to calm myself down. My favorite on YouTube are from Yoga with Adriene. Her channel is fantastic.

Go workout: If you are able to just say screw it and go to the gym. Running, or lifting will definitely get you de-stressed.

Eat something comforting: I’m sure not everyone will agree with this but you know what made me feel better last Friday? French fries. Sometimes you just have to have the fries, or the pizza, or whatever it is.

Listen to a song you love: Having a great playlist of songs that get you in a great mood is so helpful! For me right now that’s ANYTHING from the 80s or this song right here. I just love it and it's on repeat all the time.

Listen to a podcast that will uplift you: You can find a bunch of podcast posts here. I love to listen to an uplifting podcast when I am stressed. Or even just a really funny one!

Read: I love to escape in a great book. Nothing is better than finding a new book to love. This is the one that I am reading right now.

Go for a walk: Fresh air, birds, sun. A long walk or even a short walk can help! Even if you can’t go outside sometimes walking around your office building, or even around your kitchen island (yep been there done that) can help!

Cry: Cry it out! Feel your feelings. Emotions are important and they must be recognized. Sometimes our stress can be so great that crying is the only thing that will help and thats ok!

Let it go: In the words of Elsa, just LET IT GO! You have to find a way to let it go and move on from the stress or find a way to work through it. If all of these things did their job that should help!

How do you alleviate stress?

24 Things That Make Me Happy

I feel like in times of stress it’s good to focus on things making me happy. It’s not always easy and sometimes it’s easier to focus on the bad or tough things in life. These things may seem silly or simple but they are easy things that are making me happy.

 24 Things That Make Me Happy

1. My kids
2. My husband
3. Being outside
4. Lemon water
5. The first sip of my morning lemon water
6. Marco Polo with friends
7. Zooming with friends and family
8. Fresh flowers
9. Painting my nails
10. Walks with my kids
11. Snuggles with my family
12. Spending time with my husband
13. Reading
14. Organizing and purging
15. Making a list of fun things to do when we can
16. Finding new ways to have fun at home
17. Watching my kiddos learn
18. Cooking and baking
19. Watching my oldest practice martial arts with her dad
20. Exercising
21. Going for drives
22. Listening to music and Podcasts
23. Watching documentaries and movies
24. Watching silly reality shows

I find that focusing on these fun, somewhat silly things can really help my anxiety. Being at home all the time can be rough mentally but focusing on the good and the happy helps a ton.

What is something making you happy?

Happy Homemaker Monday {5/11/2020}

Good morning friends! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend as well as a wonderful and relaxing Mother's Day. Today has been a busy but fun day. Of course I had to all of the homemaking chores, but when those were done, we played charades, and then took some walks on the beach in Hawaii, visited the Colosseum in Rome, then walked around Paris and visited the Eiffel Tower.  Of course all of this was done via YouTube but it was fun to do this the kids and husband.

Even though our state started reopening last week, my husband and I decided that it would be best for our family to stay in quarantine mode for a bit longer. It makes me nervous because in our area no one staying 6 feet apart and most are not wearing masks. 

Anyway, let's get to today's post! Enjoy!!

Weather:

Monday: 75 sunny
Tuesday: 75 scattered thunderstorms
Wednesday: 87 partly cloudy
Thursday: 91 partly cloudy
Friday: 88 pm thunderstorms
Saturday: 79 thunderstorms
Sunday: 83 partly cloudy

On the breakfast plate this morning:

We had homemade banana bread with some yogurt and a small glass of milk

As I look outside my window:

It's sunny with a few clouds in the sky

Right now I am:

I am making spaghetti for dinner and working on this post at the dining room table.

On today's to do list:

Hang out the laundry
Vacuum all rooms
Mop kitchen and bathrooms
Tidy all room
Change all bedding

On the menu this week:

Monday: Spaghetti and green beans
Tuesday: Hamburgers and fries
Wednesday: Potato soups and rolls
Thursday:Baked chicken with potatoes and carrots
Friday: Pizza and breadsticks
Saturday:
Sunday: Beans, fried potatoes, cornbread

Currently reading:

On the TV today:

I have been watching various TV shows on Hulu: Full House, Beverly Hills 90210, 7th Heaven, The Wonder Years, Designing Women....just to name a few. 

Inspirational quote:

How to Create a Successful Routine

Throughout the years I have created so many routines in my home to help things run smoothly. Today I thought I would share some tips for creating any routine and I will share what our mornings look like during this time of distance learning and quarantine.

How to Create a Successful Morning Routine 

 

(1) Look for inspiration. But do not copy. 

There are so many ideas online that you can use to help you form the perfect routine, and while taking those ideas is great, and honestly why people share them in the first place, you will also want to be sure you aren't copying a routine that will not work for your family. Take ideas and inspirations o help you form your own routine that will work best for your family.

(2) Write it out and don't make it too complicated.

I do best when brainstorming on paper, so I write things out. I take the tasks that I would like to complete within a routine, and the timing of when I typically am trying to plan, and then pair them up to help make the most of my time. Creating a routine that is unachievable will do no good. Keep you expectations in check, and be sure you are setting yourself up for success.

(3) Try it out before committing.

Not everything is going to work on the first attempt. Try out a nre routine before getting your kids involved and if you know it will not work, tweak it before committing  your family to it.

(4) It takes time. 

A new habit isn't going to stick on the first day. A new routine will take some time to get used to. Stick to it and make adjustments as needed.

Remember: it takes 21 days of hard work to set a new habit and 90 days for it to become a lifestyle change.


(5) Give yourself some grace.

If your new routine just is not working, don't continue just because you feel like you have to. Stop and re-evaluate the situation. Also do not think you have to have a routine if it's not needed. 

Morning Routine for Moms

7:00am- Wake up kids, breakfast, get dressed

8:00am- Distance leaning starts (A), reading with C, work on her letters and numbers.

9:00am- My cleaning routine starts. Start laundry, clean the kitchen, make beds, vacuum and mop floors

11:00am- Distance learning ends for A and it's quite time for A and C until lunch.

Now, this is just an example and not every day is the same. Remember to give yourself some grace an just be patient.

Refrigerator Organization

When it comes to organizing your refrigerator, it can be the center of organization and chaos all in one. With an organized and clean refrigerator you can,

(1) prepare healthier meals for your family
(2) utilize everything with less spoilage
(3) prevent buying duplicate meals

I find the best time for me to wipe down and organize the refrigerator is right before my big grocery shopping day so that I can see what I need to add to my ever growing grocery list. Keeping the refrigerator clean and organized will make it easier for your family to find what they are looking for. As well as maximize your food's self life.

It is important to have a system with your refrigerator and to put things back in the same spots. Older items should be kept in the front while newer items are kept in the back so your using what needs to be eaten/prepared first.  Keep the outside of the refrigerator clear and organized with limited papers, if you do have papers remove any outdated or unnecessary papers. Keep things off the top of the refrigerator and remember to wipe it down every night. You can put a basket on top to place loose items that you need to store there.

Here are a few suggestions that will help keep your refrigerator clean and organized for good.

(1) place healthy items that you need to eat more of in the front of the refrigerator and fatty food in the back to help you eat healthier

(2) keep a list of leftovers with date that it was prepared

(3) use clear, plastic baskets with handles to contain loose items that are constantly falling out when you open the door

(4) use a drawer in the refrigerator to store bottled water. This will keep the bottles from rolling around

What are some tips that you have for refrigerator organization?