Time Management Systems for Busy Moms
It must be nearly universal for moms to feel like there are not enough hours in a day. Between work, housework, drop-offs, pick-ups, appointments, errands, and for me, homeschooling, there is always far more to do than can be done. If you can relate, read on to find out the three systems you NEED to manage your time.
I refer to these as systems for a reason. Here’s the dictionary definition of system.
system (noun): a set of principles or procedures according to which something is done; an organized framework or method
Three Essential Systems to Manage Time Effectively
The three essential systems for managing your time well are a calendar system, household task system, and a system for capturing and storing information.
Perhaps you are using a calendar, you think slightly ahead about what’s for dinner, and maybe you have a spot on the table to dump mail and school papers. That’s a great start, but to calm the chaos of mom life, especially working mom life, you must have systems to capture, sort, and store the endless details needed to manage your time productively.
As you read about the three systems, consider what would be most helpful to you right now. For most busy moms, it’s not feasible to overhaul your entire life in a weekend.
Choose one system to work on and implement one small change at a time to make progress toward your goal of being productive with your time.
In each section, you’ll find links to articles that dive deeper into each of these systems so you can get more tips and suggestions to help you take action on all three aspects of managing your time productively.
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Calendar System
This is the big one. Most moms use a calendar in some way. Maybe you write your kids’ sports schedule on a wall calendar in the kitchen or use an Outlook calendar to keep track of meetings. But to manage your time effectively and productively, you need a calendar system.
The type of calendar system can be tailored to what works best for you. Paper planners work well for those who like to write things down. On the other hand, digital calendars are best for sharing with others, as well as allowing access at all times.
A calendar system provides a place to track all time-sensitive tasks. This includes appointments, meetings, vacations, kids’ classes and activities.
Your calendar system can be used for additional planning and time management purposes if it helps keep you on track. This would include time blocking for specific activities such as household chores, errands, or general work hours.
Having a calendar system provides a place to keep track of where you need to be and what you need to do at specific times. It’s a point of reference for planning your days and weeks.
The most important element of a calendar system is that you use it consistently. This means putting important time-sensitive information into your calendar system and checking your calendar daily to stay on top of what’s coming up next.
How to Manage Time Effectively: A Busy Mom’s Guide to Calendars
Household Task System
The next essential system for busy moms is a household task system. These are the tasks that seem never ending, like meal prep and planning, cleaning, and laundry. I put household tasks into two big buckets: meal planning and household chores.
Meal Planning
You’ve probably figured out that your family wants to eat…over and over again! While it’s easy to grab takeout and fun to try new restaurants, frequent eating out is expensive and generally less healthy than cooking nutritious meals at home.
The problem is figuring out what to cook, when to prep, and how to get dinner on the table in between work and kids’ extracurricular activities can be daunting.
A meal planning system used in conjunction with a calendar system will provide structure for what you should make, when you will prep, and the logistics of feeding your family even in the busiest seasons.
Read: How To Manage Your Time Effectively—A Busy Mom’s Guide to Meal Planning
Household Tasks
At least eating is fun. Most of us don’t get the same enjoyment out of folding a load of laundry as we do sitting down to a delicious dinner. However, a system for handling household tasks like cleaning and laundry is essential to managing your time.
There are many helpful household task management systems to choose from, and you’ll need to experiment a little to determine what works best for you.
In the simplest possible terms, you need to make a list of everything you need to do, assign everything a time block, and give someone responsibility for it.
Step 1: Start by making lists of your household tasks
- daily tasks
- weekly tasks
- monthly tasks
- less frequent tasks
Read: Realistic Cleaning Checklists for Busy Moms
Step 2: Choose a time of day, week, and month to complete those tasks.
Example:
- Load the dishwasher (daily after dinner)
- Unload the dishwasher (daily before breakfast)
- Clean bathrooms, vacuum, wipe cabinets (weekly Saturday morning)
- Wash sheets (weekly on Tuesday)
- Sort through mail (weekly on Sunday afternoon)
- Vacuum under couch cushions (last Sunday of the month)
This step will take the most trial and error. You’ll need to discover whether you prefer working for shorter chunks of time daily or for a longer period of time all at once.
Step 3: Assign someone to be responsible for each task
You’re a mom, not a maid. As soon as possible, get your kids to pitch in with household tasks. The earlier you make this a habit, the easier it will be to make it a habit. (Ask me how I know 🙄.)
There are lots of options here. If your kids are old enough to participate, have a family meeting (don’t forget the snacks) and seek their input. Let them know how much you need their help. Ask whether they want to choose chores that are assigned to them for a month at a time or if they want to rotate chores weekly.
Make a chart or use an app (OurHome is a popular one right now) and provide praise and positive reinforcement for a job well done. And with kids, maybe even a job just done.
Read: How to Hold a Family Meeting (Free Printable Template)
Information Capture System
How often are you able to find the information you need within a minute or two of looking for it? Are you laughing right now? Most moms are completely inundated with information. Your brain is full of dozens of to-dos, ideas, and don’t forgets.
You need a system to capture all those bits of information and store them efficiently so they can be retrieved as needed.
Capture Information
There are three types of information you need to capture: physical papers, digital information, and thoughts.
Physical papers can be captured easily by having one inbox, or place to put everything you must review in some way.
There are a variety of tools to capture digital information, and you will need to be intentional about limiting your methods of capture.
Here are some common methods of capture:
- email folders
- screenshots
- note-taking apps such as Evernote
- saved folders on social media platforms
- native apps such as Notes on the iPhone
- browser bookmarks
Thoughts are the trickiest to capture, and I recommend having only one or two methods of capturing this information. A journal or pad of paper is great to keep on your desk or nightstand for this purpose. Digital tools are quite useful for capturing your thoughts, as most of us always have our phones nearby. The simpler the better here. For example, the native notes app or voice memos on your phone is an easy way to capture your ideas and reminders.
Don’t rely on your memory for this. We’ve all experienced having a lightbulb moment in the shower that we’re sure we’ll remember…until we’re halfway through our busy day and realize that we cannot recall any part of our brilliant idea.
Store Information
Capturing your papers, digital files, and thoughts is a great start, but the biggest challenge is storing that information systematically.
The first step is to create a routine of reviewing and sorting information on a regular basis.
Choose a daily or weekly time to review everything you have captured and make it a routine. Without the habit of reviewing your captured information, it will quickly overwhelm you and the capture process will be no help in managing your time effectively.
This is fairly straightforward for physical papers. Go through your inbox or wherever you decided to capture physical papers, determine what action needs to be taken, and toss or file the paper.
Storing digital information can be a bit more tricky, but the overall process is the same as for physical papers. It’s important that you choose a time to regularly sort through what you’ve been capturing and saving. Decide on whether an item needs action taken or will be saved for future action. Email folders, browser bookmarks, and task management systems are examples of places digital information can be stored for future reference.
Finally, go through whatever physical or digital records you chose to use to capture your thoughts—journal, voice memo, notes app—and decide on the appropriate action step.
You may find some thoughts should be added to a task list, some need to go on your calendar, and some should go on a list for the future (books to read).
How to Manage Time Effectively: A Busy Mom’s Guide to Information Overload
Systems Every Mom Needs to Be More Productive
Whatever specific tools you use for your calendar system, household task system, and information capture system doesn’t need to be set in stone. As your stage and season of life changes, it’s normal to make adjustments to your systems.
The beauty of having these three systems in place is that it provides a starting point. When you find yourself overwhelmed and realize you’ve been neglecting to utilize your systems, you have a frame of reference for figuring out how to get back on track.
As you get into the habit of keeping your calendar up to date, creating weekly meal plans, and developing a routine of sorting through the information you want to remember, you’ll spend less time reacting to emergencies and more time intentionally on the things you want to enjoy and accomplish.
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