Let’s be real here. One of our superpowers as a mom is being able to manage everybody’s schedules. It takes a lot of time and energy to make sure that your kids are where they need to be and collaborate with your spouse to prevent needing a sitter. You feel like you are constantly problem-solving. Here are some tips to stay organized and help you tame the chaos.
1.Paper vs. Digital
The first step is to decide if you want to use a paper planner or if you want to keep it all digital. I have personally tried both and I have found it easier to use digital so that I can sync everything together and I can sync it with my husband’s phone.
There are paper planners for monthly, weekly, and dailies. You can even personalize planners to meet your own needs. If you can’t find a planner that you like there is always the option of creating a bullet journal that focuses more on the to-do list but it is completely unique to your needs.
Digital calendars are just as varied. There are a large number of apps out there for you to choose from. I personally use google calendars and the Keep app to sync all my calendars and to-do lists together. I like the portability of having it all in the palm of my hands and being able to check it at any time.
2.Color Code
I have found it so much easier to color code all of our events and tasks on my digital calendar vs my paper planner. I did not like the idea of carrying a bunch of pens or highlighters around every time I needed to add an event or task.
I have a color for each person in the family and a family color for when we have an event for the whole family. I also have our bills on our monthly calendar, so that has a color of its own as well.
By color coding, it makes it easier for me to go in and see who has what going on. My husband and I look at the calendar at the beginning of the week and decide who is going to karate and who is picking up kids from daycare based on our own schedules. By having the color coding it is easier to see who is free during the kids’ events and who is busy.
3.Keep Everything in One Place
I have found that it is much easier to keep everything together. If you use a paper planner it is much easier to keep your schedule and to-do list together in your planner then to have a planner for your schedule and a notebook for your to-do list.
If you use digital I recommend finding one that you can merge your calendar and your to-do list together. It makes it difficult when you have to go into several apps to find what you are looking for and things can easily get overlooked.
4.Check Schedule Twice a Day
A good habit to get into is to check your calendar regularly. Figure out a time that works for you each day and go through your calendar and to-do list on a regular basis. This will help to keep you from accidentally forgetting something.
I have found that if I check my calendar in the morning and in the evening I overlook things less. I am able to see what my day looks like in the morning then double check my to-do list in the evening to make sure I did not forget anything.
5.Don’t Wait to Put Things in Your Calendar
A mistake that I always make is not putting things in my calendar right away. If I do not put it in my calendar right away then something comes up and I totally forget. This is where having a digital calendar helps out because it let’s face it most of us have our phone on us over 90% of the time.
6.Keep a To-Do List & Notes
My husband makes fun of me for all the lists I make. But, if it is not on my list it does not get done. When you are trying to manage your schedule, your spouse’s schedule, and your kids’ schedule it can be difficult to keep all those tasks straight. So when you think of something that needs to get done just jot it down.
7.Plan Meals Ahead of Time
I like to look at my schedule at the beginning of the week and see which days we are really busy. Then I try to plan meals that I can prep ahead of time or plan a day that we eat out. This helps us so that we aren’t spending a bunch of money on eating out and we know what we are making ahead of time so we have the groceries and we aren’t stressing after a long day trying to figure out what to make.
8.Schedule Time for You!
This one is very important. We focus so much on everybody else and making sure they are where they need to be. As moms, we need to make sure that we are getting some TLC too. Take some time for yourself and do something you enjoy. This will help you relax and be ready to tackle your crazy schedule the next week.
If you have any more ideas or tips comment below. Let me know what works for you and what doesn’t work.
Mommy Wonder Woman 