The Mommy Schedule

2 Quick Techniques to Getting Things Done as a Mom

I’m a mom of two beautiful little girls both under two years old. My sweet baby nurses often and my toddler is rambunctious and busy, as any typical 23.5 month old is. But I am more productive now than what I was when I did not have children. Why?

How can it be that I get more done now with two kids, than I did when I had no children, or even just had my first daughter. Impossible you think? Not at all.

As moms the ability to manage your time is critical. And I truly believe we improve that ability with each blessed addition to our family. Somehow the graces come from above that helps a mommy manage it all.

But of course not every day is perfect. Some days I am thankful to take a shower and we eat protein shakes for dinner. But more often than not, things are getting done well in the Whitford household.

Want to know what works for me and how you can do it too?

1. Big Rocks 1st

You may have heard of the analogy that your time is like a large container which you fill with rocks, pebbles and sand.

The rocks are the most important things in your life. They take up the most time. Examples include your marriage, your kids, your faith and your health.

The pebbles are the smaller things, but not as important. Examples include your friends, your hobbies (blogging), or extracurricular activities.

The sand, those are the least important things. Such as getting your nails done, having an immaculately clean house or finally organizing your closet.

But so many times we have our priorities upside down. We fill our container with all our sand first and then our big rocks can’t fit. It looks a bit like the image below.

Do not prioritize your life like the container below:

I neglected my health and crashed

Once I realized I needed to take care of the big stuff first, everything else fell into place. There were a few weeks where I sacrificed sleep (big rock) for blogging (pebble), and it took a huge toll on me. After a week of sleeping only 4 hours a night, I crashed.

I became sick, couldn’t hold down food and didn’t come near my computer.

I realized I couldn’t burn the candle at both ends. And living off 4 hours of sleep consistently was a terrible idea.

When I put my big rocks in my container first, I had space for the pebbles and the sand to fit in too. When I get more sleep I can workout and think more clearly. So when I do have my 1-2 hours of blogging  day, I am SO MUCH more efficient!

When my container looks like the one below, my life runs smoother.

Prioritize your life like the container below:

2. Focused Times

Secondly, I either use my Post It note schedule, or I use this simple method below.

Creating my to do list or schedule for the week needs to be simple and visual. Fancy apps and reminders work sometimes, but when I need to get things done, simpler is better.

I see my day in a series of blocks. And I determine what I can accomplish in each block depending on how much quiet time I’ll have.

For example, my typical day consists of the following time blocks:

• Before the kids wake up
• Morning
• Nap time
• Afternoon
• Dinner
• After the kids go to bed

I blog and work during two of those time blocks (before the kids wake up and nap time). If I try to write a blog post during other time blocks, I’m less efficient and become more frustrated.

The morning is reserved for cleaning the home, playing outside, working out, breakfast of course, and play dates.

In the afternoon the little ones take priority again. And when my husband comes home early from work, another quick workout may be done.

Dinner is family time. And the last time block, after the kids go to bed, is reserved for time with my hubby. If he wants to read a few blogs, I’ll be on the computer next to him discussing ideas. But otherwise we use that time for watching a tv show, chatting about our days and reading the daily mass scriptures.

I made a printable for you to use if you feel this schedule method will work for you too! The key is to have a goal during each of those time blocks. And to focus when you get there. Use the ‘Top 3 Must Dos’ at the top of the schedule to set your goals for the day.

Don’t go down every bunny hole and chase every shiny object. Close down Facebook, exit out of Pinterest, and concentrate on the task at hand. 🙂

Comment below if you like the Mommy Schedule!

What if the Mommy Schedule is too Simple for You?

If your kids no longer take naps and the Mommy Schedule does not work for you, my flexible Post It note system can be adjusted to your life. I use it whenever I have really intense weeks and need to get a lot done!