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“One night, my 3-year-old asked me if she could sleep in my bed. I told her no. She said, “That’s not fair! Why does Daddy get to sleep in your bed?” READ MORE
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12 busy-mom tips The new year can slow down, with planning The term "busy mom" sounds pretty redundant to most moms. Is there any other state of motherhood? Seems like the to-do list never ends, the calendar stays full and every minute finds you multi-tasking. Sometimes the idea of saving time just ends up as a line item in your planner. "I have so little time, there's not much to save!" says Lisa O'Neill-Hill, a Fullerton working mom of a 3-year old. But every day doesn't have to leave us exhausted and overstimulated. While moms can't manufacture more hours in a day, they can take a few, or all, of these 12 tips to help make the most of each minute. 1. Use your commute. Forget the news and traffic report. Drive time is catch-up time. Hook up your hands-free device and rev up that cell phone. I use my commute to catch up with girlfriends, make doctor's appointments and return phone calls. 2. Good morning before good night. Prepping for the morning routine keeps the schedule on track in the O'Neill-Hill household. They pick out her daughter's clothes and pack her lunch each night. And mom also readies the espresso machine before turning in so she need only flip a switch in the morning. 3. Online banking. It may seem scary to trust a computer to pay your bills, but it works...and it's a serious time-saver. Schedule recurring payments each month from your bank's website. And set a reminder in your calendar to pay everything else on the first and 15th of each month. In a few clicks, you're done! 4. Get online for more time. Once you pay your bills, hop over to some other sites to buy stamps, schedule the US Postal Service to pick up a package at your house (no more waiting in lines with usps.gov!), rent a movie at Netflix or Blockbuster.com and schedule a grocery delivery (we like Vons.com). 5. TV on your time. We all have our special shows, but they often come on at inconvenient times. A digital video recorder (think TiVo) lets you schedule recording of your favorite show for an entire season! No remembering to set the VCR, and you can fast-forward through commercials to turn a one-hour program into 40 minutes! 6. Closet on wheels. Being prepared isn't just for scouts. I travel with a small closet in the back of my car, with extra hats, socks, jackets, shirts and diapers at all times. Plus, I stay stocked with bottled water, sunscreen and snacks. Not having to stop home for a jacket or at a busy store for sunscreen on the way to the next outing saves close to an hour sometimes. 7. Rethink meals. Marcy Smith of Huntington Beach spends Sundays cooking and shopping...for the week. Sunday's large roast chicken provides meat for Monday's tacos and Tuesday's soup. She chops up vegetables for the week and makes pasta that lasts several days. Also consider some of the prepared foods that grocery stores stock, which can make a Wednesday or Thursday night meal quick and easy with little cleanup. 8. Not your mother's crockpot. Consider investing in a good crockpot book - they even come with low-fat recipes. Letting the pot do the cooking for you can give you 45 minutes of your day back...and a healthy meal with limited cleanup. 9. Buy gifts in bulk. Find a great set of kids books at a store? Buy three of them. Notice that your child loves a new toy you ordered from a catalog? Stock up on several. Keeping gifts, wrapping paper and cards in reserve saves the last-minute rush to the store or the time-consuming hunt for the perfect gift. 10. Delegate. Yes, free yourself for perfection and let others help you. Does your husband work near a shoe repair place or dry cleaners? Can a friend on her way to the mall pick up a gift you need? Are you enforcing chore time with your kids? Everything may not be handled just as you would, but the trade-off is, it's off your list. Your time is just as valuable, so let the guilt go when delegating. 11. Prepare for maximum multi-tasking. Take a moment to consider your schedule for the next day or week. If your child has soccer practice, keep an extra pair of jogging shoes in your car and several pairs of socks so you can walk the field while watching. Keep a stack of greeting cards in your planner or trunk for some quick notes or thank-you's while you're waiting at the doctor's office or sitting at the car wash. 12. Keep on schedule. That quick phone call with your friend or visit to the mega-store can often go 20 minutes longer than you expected, leaving you battling a snowball effect of late appointments and pick-ups. Stay disciplined by letting those you're talking to know you just called for a quick catch-up, or keeping a close eye on your watch when shopping. And be realistic with your to-do list. There is really only so much you can accomplish in one day, so set yourself up for success with the right expectations. Busy moms know you can't "make" more time, but with some forethought and creativity you just might end up with some time to "set aside" for family fun and maybe even a few relaxing minutes to yourself. Jennifer Leuer is a new mom who has time-tested these tips. |
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