Tips and Tricks for Mommy’s Schedules

As a mother of four, founder of my own company, wife, friend, and active member of my community, I understand the constant struggle of balancing it all.

That’s what drove me to start momAgenda, a range of stylish organizational tools meant to help busy women keep all of the pieces of their personal puzzle – family, career, home and social life – together. But we all know that even the most trusted tools sometimes fail you, which is why I have developed the following scheduling tips and tricks. These tips help me feel like I am in control of my schedule, rather than my schedule controlling me!

Spend 30 minutes per week with your day planner.

I set aside time every Sunday afternoon or evening to plan out my week. With four kids at three different schools, and everyone doing different sports and after school activities, each day is like a carefully choreographed dance, with each step planned in advance. When I am finished with my Sunday night planning, I feel like I am in control of my week — and my life.

Write everything down.

I carry my momAgenda everywhere in my bag, and write in play dates, appointments, doctor’s appointment, and school events immediately. If I don’t write it in immediately, I am guaranteed to forget. You may not have this issue, and if that is the case, I congratulate you. But for me, with 4 kids, a husband, and a business, there are simply no brain cells left over to keep track of random conversations that happen over the course of the day.

Set limits on after school activities.

After school activities can easily spiral out of control, if you let them. I sit down with my kids to discuss what activities they are interested in and why, and together we decide on one (or, at most, two) after school activities. I would rather my kids focus on one or two activities and try to do them really well, than to dilute their energy trying four or five different things. The activity(ies) they choose may meet more than once per week: for example, my son plays football and it is a four time per week commitment. But he is totally focused on football, and as a result he gets more out of it.

Schedule in your own time.

I really believe the old saying that you have to take care of yourself in order to take care of others. Set aside time for yourself, whether for a walk, a cup of coffee with a friend, a night out, a workout class, or a mani/pedi. These little treats make all the difference, because they remind us that we are whole people, not just moms! I try to do something for myself every day; it makes me a better mother, wife, and person.

I hope that you can incorporate some of these tips into your routine. After a few weeks they become second nature; trust me, I am at the point now where I would not dream of starting my week without my Sunday night planning session! When you are a mom balancing your own schedule and that of your children, nothing beats advance planning including the ideas mentioned above, for making your life easier.