7 time hacks for any mums

All mums I know want the same thing – more time.

There are days when I feel like I have enough time to do everything and other times I feel like I am in a giant hamster wheel – the faster I do things the more things for me to do! I have been thinking a lot about my relationship with ‘time’. I want to make time my friend, not my enemy. Often, I say to myself “I don’t have enough time” but the reality is that I do have enough time for the important things but not everything. I am continuously learning to prioritize what is important in my life so I make time for it. Here are my 7-time tricks for you:

1. Start with your time mindset. Watch what you are saying to yourself and others when it comes to time. Do you often say “I don’t have enough time”? . The reality is we do have enough time for the important things but not everything. I try to catch myself when I say “I don’t have enough time” and instead say “I did not make the time”, or “It’s not important for me to do right now”. When you switch from a poverty to an abundant mindset you will feel calmer, make fewer mistakes, be more efficient and focused. The end result? You’ll feel like you have more time!

2. Have a time affirmation. When I am feeling rushed and I am running around like a headless chicken doing errands, I mentally say affirmations such as “I make time”, “I expand time”, “Time is my friend”. When I say these affirmations, I feel calmer, less rushed and I am more intentional with my time which means I have more of it!

3. Make time by scheduling it in. I believe that the best way to make time is to schedule it in. We have a family calendar and we always write down activities that we will be doing together (e.g. play-dates in the weekend) and separately (e.g. yoga class for me). If it’s not on the calendar most likely it won’t happen! Similarly, I am scheduling in time to write my blog posts which I have neglected for the last few months.

4. Make ‘mini habit’ of self-care your friend. Even one minute of mindfulness practice or one minute of breathing exercise or stretching can be helpful to bring you pockets of calm in your day. Read about mini habit here.

5. Batch and do similar tasks together. We are more efficient and productive when we group similar tasks together. For example, pay all your bills at the same time each week or do all your online shopping including grocery shopping and shopping for your kids at the same time. When we get in a ‘roll’ with doing something, it’s energetically and cognitively easier to continue than to stop and switch to a different task.

6. Simplify your wardrobe and the kids’ wardrobe! I have been ruthlessly donating clothes that I do not wear so what is in my wardrobe is just what I love to wear. As mums we make thousands of decisions everyday related to ourselves, our children and our family. It gets very tiring so if you can make fewer decisions the more time you have and the more energy you will have.

7. Prioritize your self-care by doing it first thing in the morning. I have been waking up 30 minutes earlier than my kids in the morning so I can do at least 15 minutes of exercise, 5 minutes of mindfulness and have 10 minutes for myself. This has helped me to feel calmer in my day as I have filled my own cup first. Even if you set a mini habit of one minute of mindfulness every day, do this first thing in the morning when you wake up. Start your day by making time for yourself and you will have enough time for what is important!

I would love to hear your thoughts on these 7 strategies! Have you tried any of them? What has worked and what doesn’t? What could you implement today to change your relationship with time?

Want to take the next step and change your relationship with time so you make space and energy for you? I have an online course on just how to do that! Check it out here.

“How to reduce stress, get more time and joy as mums” online course 

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