Finding Extra Time in a Busy Day: Check Out 5 Time-Saving Tips

Are you constantly running from one place to another? Does your day fly by before you realize it? Do you feel stressed out almost all the time because you never seem to have enough hours in each day?

For most moms, this sounds pretty typical. After all, you are the core of your family. You are relied on for many things. If you never make time for yourself, though you'll eventually run out of steam. Start being nice to you. Here are some simple tips for finding more time in your busy day.

Tip #1: Wake up when your alarm goes off. Do you set your alarm clock thirty minutes fast just so you can hit the snooze button a few times in the morning? Don't do that! You're not fooling anyone but yourself. Set your alarm clock at a reasonable time, then wake up and get up immediately when it goes off. Even if you don't feel like it, get up anyway. You could save yourself 10-20 minutes every day! Give yourself those extra few minutes in the morning to start your day with a quiet cup of coffee before everyone wakes up. Time Saved: 10-20 minutes

Tip #2: Create a schedule for yourself. If you find yourself struggling to keep up with appointments, this will tremendously help you. Purchase a simple desk calendar or planner, then make a habit of writing down every appointment, event, practice, etc. in your planner. Make it your go-to spot for family planning. Knowing what time you're expected to be at every appointment can save you tons of time at the end of each day. Schedule a fifteen-minute break in your daily schedule, or a 1-hour getaway date every week. Time Saved: 15 minutes to 1 hour

Tip #3: Turn the ringer off on the telephone. Whether you realize it or not, the telephone is a huge time-waster. You're in the middle of mopping your kitchen floor and folding clothes when the telephone rings. You check the caller ID and it's your Great-Aunt Sue (her fifth call of the day, by the way). You release a big sigh, answer the phone, and spend the next thirty minutes listening to her complain about the neighbor's cat. By the time you finally hang up, the mop water is cold and half your kitchen floor is still dirty. Does this scenerio sound familiar? Before you start an important task, turn off the ringer on your phone. You'll complete the job quicker with no interruptions. Time Saved: 30 minutes

Tip #4: Assign housework chores to the kids. No matter how old your child is, there is something he can do to help out around the house. Younger children love helping fold clothes. Other things kids can do to help out at home are: sorting laundry, putting away folded clothes, cleaning off the kitchen table, dusting, running the vacuum cleaner, sweeping the kitchen floor. To make it even easier, make a chore chart for everyone at home so they can mark off each duty as it is completed. Time Saved: 1-2 hours

Tip #5: Organize a car pool. If you have children that are active in various after-school and summer activities, you most likely run a "taxi" service. With the cost of gas, this can not only eat up hours of time every day, but chomp away at your wallet, too. Get together with other parents and organize a car pool. Time Saved: 1+ Hours