I would like to thank Huggies for sponsoring today’s discussion. All opinions are 100% my own.
You’ve probably heard the term, “Work smarter, not harder.” It is one of those saying that I have tried to incorporate into all areas of my life. If you have kids, and especially if you have multiple kids, then you know that time is one of those things that there is never enough of. We are always on the run, always trying to get things done and always feeling behind. Today I am sharing 5 Time Savings Tips Every Smart Mom Should Know that I have discovered through 10 years of raising my very busy boys and through observing other Smart Moms.
Becoming a Smart Mom
1-Save time and money by shopping online
Smart Moms save time and money by shopping and paying bills online. With the availability of the internet, things that used to take a lot longer can now be automated to do online. I live in a small town and I really don’t always have the time to drive an hour to make purchases of items that I know we’re going to use every month such as diapers, wipes, and formula (although we don’t use formula anymore. 😉 ) But, you can save a lot of time and stress by purchasing these items online. We love buying Huggies Snug and Dry Diapers and they are the only diaper brand I have used with my boys. I love that they keep my babies clean and dry and that they come in cute Mickey Mouse designs. Because, Mickey just makes everything better. One great online service for ordering diapers is Diapers.com. If you have never ordered from Diapers.com, they have more than 1,400 items and great prices without lines, traffic, or heavy boxes/bags to try and juggle. You can have them shipped right to your door.
2-Delegate tasks and ask for help
There is absolutely no possible way that I could function without asking for help and delegating certain responsibilities. My husband travels for work and a lot of the time I am on my own. To say it is hard would be the understatement of they year. I constantly feel short on time and that I am always behind. It has not been easy for me but I am slowly learning how to ask for help and realizing that I can’t possibly get everything done on my own. I’ve also learned to delegate things to others, mainly my boys. I have let go of some of the control I normally have over situations and have had to let my boys take on more responsibility without correcting them when things aren’t done the way I would typically do them. But that is how they will learn and, like I said, I can’t do everything.
3-Learn to Say No
This one is brutal for me! I am awful at telling people no when I have been asked to help out with something. About a year ago I discovered that not telling people (including my children) no could be really detrimental to my health as I had taken on WAY more than I should have and found that I had made myself very sick. So, it is a little easier to say no now, knowing that my health is on the line but it is still a challenge. And…sometimes telling no to my boys is a challenge as well. We want our kids to be able to be involved in all of the activities that they enjoy, but there comes a point where that just isn’t possible and they have to make a choice. And, I think that is good for them.
4-Plan out meals in advance
This is the one tip I have learned from watching other moms that I am HORRIBLE at. I try to plan out meals or I’ll go to the store with certain meals in mind but it seems like every night I find myself scrambling to get something to eat on the table. The moms that I know who plan out their meals seem to be much more organized and I’m sure their evenings run a lot smoother. This is one tip that I want to be better at doing.
5-Daily Brain dump
Have you ever heard of the “Brain Dump”? This process has changed the way I deal with things and made my life a lot less stressful. I used to carry around all of our to-dos in my head and it would get to the point that I couldn’t focus on any one task because I had so many other things floating around in my head. Once I learned to do a Brain Dump, my life just feels more organized and I am more efficient with the time I have. So how does it work? Basically, get out a big piece of paper and a pen. Now just write every possible thing that has been on your mind down. Even if it is something that will be happening way down the road. Keep that paper out where you can see it throughout the day because I’m sure you will add to it. Now, once an item is on your list, forget about it for now. Come back each day and cross items off of your to-do list. If you are no longer carrying them around in your head, your head is more clear to focus on the essential things that have to get done today and since you are more productive, you actually end up having more time left over.
What time saving tips can you share? What has helped you become a Smart Mom? I’d love to hear.
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