10 Time Saving Tips For Busy Moms

As the mother of a preteen, a toddler and a baby, I have very limited time to get things done. Add to that a marriage, a household to manage, and a blog that I invest full-time hours in, and it's amazing that I can stay afloat at times! I will admit, I don't get a lot of sleep,lol. It can be difficult at times to deal with the demands of my busy day. There seems to always be something that needs my attention, and I rarely get a moment to catch my breath some days. There are babies to feed, diapers to change (and wash!) kids to read to and play with, chores to be done, dinner to be prepared, bills to pay, and then I have the blog to worry about as well. I know just how stressful and overwhelming being a mom can be, and I would like to take this opportunity to share 10 Time-Saving Tips that make MY life just a little bit easier! Try them out! You might be able to squeeze in that bubble bath, after all!

1. Ask for help when you need it. As women, we tend to try and take on the whole world single-handedly. If you're swamped, enlist the help of your friends or spouse to take the kids off of your hands for a bit so you can focus on whatever task you need to complete. Let Dad change a diaper or give a bath. Drop the kids off for a playdate. Do so without guilt! We all need help sometimes, and it's okay to admit it!
2. Involve older children in day-to-day household activities. My son has an interest in cooking right now. He is a pre-teen and can make simple things like macaroni and cheese, spaghetti, and grilled cheese. I allow him to make his own snacks and lunches (with me in plain sight) when I am bogged down with other things to do. This also comes in handy since he can fix simple meals for our toddler as well! He is excited to do it, and it saves me time!
3. Come up with a chore chart that assigns different chores for each family member every day. For children, reward their successful completion with stickers, small toys, or other little treats!
   
4. DVR. Set your favorite TV programs to record. You can watch them later, and still get things done in the meantime.
5. When practical, turn off the ringer on your phone. It is distracting and and can easily get you off track. The wonderful thing about the phone is that you can see who is calling and if it's not urgent, you can call them back when you're not tied up.
6. Go shopping at night. We shop at WalMart, and we go after 7:00 PM. The store is MUCH less crowded during later hours, and you can get in and out much more quickly than during peak hours.
7. Menu planning! Decide in advance what meals you'll prepare for the week, and do as much prep work as possible in advance. You can also plan meals to include leftovers from the night before. Have a baked chicken? Use the leftovers for chicken quesadillas!
8. Achieve things when the kids are asleep. This may not always be easy, cause moms get tired, too. But the vast majority of the my work is done while the babies are napping or asleep for the night.
9. Shop online when you can. I buy a good 80% of my household needs online. Not only do I save gas money and the time it takes to go to the store, I often find much better deals online, too!
10. Stay organized. Make lists. Prioritize. It is always easier to get things done in a timely manner when all your to-do list is right before your eyes. Plus, you'll feel a sense of accomplishment as you cross each item off your list!

Being a mom can be tough, but the rewards far outweigh the sacrifices. We have little bodies to hug, we get baby kisses, and there is no better sound in the world than "I love you, Mommy." By utilizing time saving tips, you'd be amazed at just how much more time you can devote to these simple pleasures.

What tips do you have? I would love to hear them!

***Disclousre: I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Starbucks blogging program, for a gift card worth $30. For more information on how you can participate, click here.***