Working from home now and need some tips to be productive? I’ve got 5 tips to help you be productive as a SAHWM (stay at home working mom). Almost all of these tips are great for anyone currently working from home.
I’ve been a stay at home mom for almost 13 years now. During that time I have babysat for friends, while starting and growing 2 successful businesses. Being a fire wife, I am also the single parent the majority of the time while my husband is on duty or at his second job. Over the years I have learned how to be productive and accomplish everything I need to do. Here are my secrets on how to be productive, whether running a business, raising a family or just being you!
First tip: Be organized
My main secret to being productive is being organized. I am insanely organized and have passed this along to my kids (well, not all of them, I still have some work to do!). There are chalkboard walls all over my house, I have 2 planners plus an online app our whole family uses, I have post its with reminders and I use colored pens for each family member. I am over the top organized: I write everything, activities, meetings, grocery lists; I mean everything!
Second tip: Plan
Planning! This is a big deal for me. My husband has to choose his limited vacation weeks in December for the following year. Since we have been doing this for so many years it kind of started my planning process. We plan the vacations, which then turned into planning the entire year. Next, I sit down every Sunday and spend at least an hour, sometimes more planning out every detail of my week. Carpool details, grocery store lists, dinners, workdays, and tasks. I even plan out my finances for the week. You can grab a weekly printable planner here, one that is great to begin with and continue to use.
Every evening while I watch tv, I spend about 20 minutes planning out the next day. I look at the tasks on hand and lay them out when they will get done. Every minute of my day is laid out and planned. I keep my to-do list reasonable. I don’t put too much on the list, otherwise, I find myself getting stressed because I’m not accomplishing things; then I start to feel unmotivated, resulting in less productivity.
Third tip: Find a routine that works
I have found over the years that routines help planning and productivity. Create yourself routines, including even when you get up each day and when you go to bed. I do certain things each day, laundry, bible study, prayer and more. When you establish routines, planning out the day, and getting through each day is easier. When you have a routine, you know what to do, it becomes a lifestyle and things are done easier and faster. Find a routine that works for you, including the things you enjoy, like your meals and breaks!
Fourth Tip: Designate Days
Designated Days! This is an important one. For years I spent everyday working, spending hours upon hours in the hours doing nothing that was pleasant for myself. I found that in order to be productive I needed to do things that brought pleasure to me! Even though I run a business I don’t work 5 days a week. I work hard on the days I do work, I get a ton done and I believe that’s because I look forward to my days off. However, I designate days to personal time to spend with friends. I designate days to lazy days too! This is important especially during the summer when my kids are home with me.
Fifth Tip: No!
Learn to say no! For years I said yes to everyone and everything. And because of this, I found I was trying to do things that I didn’t have a passion for, that filled up my time and took away from things I loved, and let’s be honest I didn’t have the time to do that. I learned a great word, NO. Saying no is not as hard as you think, and you don’t have to come off as rude. I found that this made more time for things I really felt passionate about. Productivity level went up and in the end, I found I was getting more things done in a day.
Find out what works for you as a mom
Each SAHM/WAHM is different. Finding your own routine is important. I shared with a blog colleague, Kristen from This Routine Life my routine and she did an amazing roundup post with a number of other moms. Check out her post to get some ideas about what other moms do each day.
Everyone is different. My five ways to be productive won’t be the same five ways for you to be productive. This has been a process for me and over the years I have perfected it. Take time to find out what works for you and make sure you stick with it. They say that it takes 21 days to form a habit, so take the time to work on yourself. I know that not everyone is a SAHWM, but I believe that being productive in life leaves room for more fun and less stress. In a life where our kids are busy, our lives are nonstop thanks to our electronic devices in our hands, we need lists and times and when to know when to shut it all off. Use my steps, find what works for you and what doesn’t and make your life more productive. Enjoy!
