Time Management Tips for Busy Moms

Moms are always busy running errands, taking care of the children, cooking, cleaning and other wealth of responsibilities that can overwhelm a mom. To help understand common mistakes busy moms make when it comes to managing their time and for time management tips for busy moms, I have interviewed therapist Michelle Risser.

Tell me a little bit about yourself.
"I am a licensed social worker providing mental health therapy in the Columbus, Ohio area. I currently see clients at two locations: an area non-profit organization and my private practice. I am also a mom."

What are common mistakes busy moms make when managing their time?
"Many moms come to therapy seeking balance between work and family. For many moms, balance is more like juggling. They feel that they have to maintain perfection in every area of their lives; be fully present and available for their families, excel in their career, keep a perfect house, maintain an incredible figure and look perfectly put together at all times. Then there is the kids' schedule: soccer practice, piano lessons, swimming, gymnastics, etc and mom is providing transportation and snacks. There is also growing pressure to do all of this is a way that is environmentally friendly and natural, and while this is a good thing, moms now expect themselves to do all of the above plus have a natural home birth , use cloth diapers, nurse as long as possible, make their own organic, local baby food, you get the idea. No human being can sustain these expectations."

What are some time management tips for the busy mom?
"Make sure you allow time for yourself. Even a half hour a day of quiet, uninterrupted time to read, meditate, or do whatever you find nurturing is a must. You need this time to allow your body and mind to decompress. It may sound counter-intuitive, but taking this time will actually make you a better, happier and more productive mom. Even a five-minute stress break to close your eyes and focus on your breath is helpful.

Instead of the daily to-do list, I like to make out a plan for the week. Plan meals ahead of time based on the schedule for each day, and make the grocery list accordingly. When you have a little more time, make food in large batches and freeze half for a day when you aren't able to cook. Prep food or the week ahead of time like cut veggies for snacks, grilled chicken breasts for salad or pasta and cooked rice.

When making your to-do list for the week, group errands together on days when it makes the most sense based on location and length of time. Plan small chores or projects on days that are the least busy. And last but not least, prioritize! Ask yourself, what absolutely needs to be done today? What are the consequences if I don't get to it? If there are none or they are minimal, let it go."

What type of professional help is available for busy moms that have a difficult time managing their time?
"A skilled therapist can help you identify and work through your unique barriers and challenges in terms of time management, as well as deeper concerns like perfectionism, expectations, codependency or a need to control. Many of these underlying factors stem from negative core values we form about ourselves early in life.

If you are noticing symptoms like a significant increase or decrease in appetite or sleep, recurrent negative thoughts or obsessive/ compulsive thoughts and behaviors, these can be signs of a chemical imbalance, which can be treated with therapy and/ or medication. If you ever have thoughts of hurting yourself of others, or have disturbing recurrent images of something bad happening to yourself or your family, seek help immediately.

There are some great books out there as well. Steven Covey's ' The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People ' is a must read."

Thank you Michelle for doing the interview on time management tips for adults. For more information on Michelle Risser or her work you can check out her website on michellerissercounseling.com or call her at (614) 559-1977.

Recommended Readings:
How to Reduce Stress Simply

Is Stress Keeping You Awake at Night

Do You Have Panic Attacks? Try Stress Management