If you’re feeling overwhelmed by motherhood, here are a few ways to simplify your life and prioritise your time.
By Natalie Bascur
Life is unpredictable, even more so when you have kids – so I don’t blame you if you’re feeling overwhelmed by motherhood.
It’s time to simplify your life lady, and prioritise your time so there’s not too much on your plate [even when it feels like everyone is piling more onto it].
You may not be able to avoid chaos altogether. But with these time-saving tips, you can maximise your time and make the most of each precious minute – and stop feeling overwhelmed by motherhood. Yay!
1. Make a list
Here at MD® HQ we are list maker obsessives, with Post-It notes stuck to any surface. Write a list of everything that needs to get done each day, then write numbers from 1-3 in order of priority, 1 being the most important, 2 important, and 3 for the not so important things. You can use one of the many to-do apps available to help you. The goal is to pace yourself, set-it-up to achieve it all, but not be hard on yourself at the same time. Those 3s can always be the things that get rolled over to the next day. And don’t write a list of 10 things as it won’t be achievable and then you’ll feel like you’ve failed.
2. Be ruthless, mama
Know your worth. It’s important to look closely at how you spend your time. Experts say that most people spend up to an hour a day on tasks that could be either put on hold or completely eliminated from their schedule. Learn to say ‘No’. Let go a little.
3. Me time
To be the best mama/woman/super errrythang you can be, it’s vital to take time just for you. Allocate at least half an hour (ideally an hour) to yourself every day. This could be spent going for a run, getting your nails done, or sitting down with a coffee and a Tim Tam or two reading a guilty pleasure. By allowing yourself time, you are actually empowering yourself to refresh and recharge so you will have more to give to others.
4. Simplify aka streamline
Look for ways to delete steps from a task or cut the amount of time you spend getting ready. Basically, keep life SIMPLE. Cutting your routine down to short, manageable steps will have you feeling less pressed for time. We’re not saying to mercilessly sacrifice quality. Just be mindful that overcomplicating things tends to waste a fair quantity of time.
5. Pick your battles
Decide what you can live with and what really gets under your skin. Maybe you can’t stand a messy bedroom, but you can live without the throw cushions being #interiorinspo perfect.
6. Multitask
Learn to consolidate jobs and get things done during downtime. Pay bills or go over your child’s homework in the ad breaks while you’re watching your favourite reality show. Put your phone on loudspeaker while doing chores to talk to those friends and family members that love to chat.
7. Ask for help
To be a supermama you don’t have to do everything yourself. Reaching out to others shows strength and helps keep your sanity in check. Consider bartering with another mum: she can run some errands for you one day and you can take over when you have a less demanding day. You get it, they get it, we get it – many hands make light work.
8. Always be ready to go
Have a bag packed with essentials and keep it by the door. Fill it with baby wipes, snacks, a diary, a bottle of water, colouring books, band aids, perfume, a phone charger etc. – whatever will make it easier for you to run out the door.
9. Make extras
Whenever you cook a meal, always double (or triple) the recipe and freeze the extras. A bolognaise sauce can be stretched to being eaten as a pasta meal, to a meat pie filling, to burritos with added kidney beans and chilli flakes.
So there you have it, next time you’re feeling overwhelmed by motherhood, take a deep breath and know that YOU CAN DO THIS!
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