If you are here, then you may be feeling overwhelmed and looking for help on how to get it together. The pressure to have it all. Balancing the domestic load alongside the professional workplace expectations is seriously taxing!
I have searched (well, Googled) high and low for tools and techniques on how to organise my day, my week and my month, so that I can maximise productivity.
I have read several excellent books on the subject.
I have installed (and uninstalled) several apps on my phone to solve this problem.
I have also been naïve in purchasing several diaries and calendars which all promised to organise my life for me.
These resources cover different elements; but the majority of information out there is targeted for stay at home mothers or working professionals.
I have then taken some of these techniques and adapted them to create my own schedule which has worked for me, as a working mother. If you are reading this, I hope it will help you too.
Let’s start with the basics – getting the right mindset.
Please accept the following:
1. We all have the same 24 hours to juggle essential tasks for survival (cooking, eating, showering, sleeping, childcare, work) as well as additional activities (shopping, emails, classes, gym, socializing, assisting others, entertainment). However, our energy and motivation levels are limited. With endless demands on our time, fitting everything into a day or week seems nearly impossible. Yet, through an organized system and the key ingredient of consistency, it becomes achievable.
2. We are about to slow down the speed at which we are living life but I promise with consistency, you will have better control and results over your life.
3. Less is more.
Now, here is what we are going to do: First of all, grab a pen and a piece of paper. Let’s create our Master List. Write the sub-headings below.
- Work Deliverables
- Home– domestic chore
- Home – long term tasks
- Children
- Health & Fitness
- Event/appointments
- Hobbies
- Goals
- Misc
Under each one, do a brain dump of what’s in your head right now. Just simple words. It is incredibly relieving transferring your thoughts onto paper. If you already do this, you’ll know. And if you don’t, trust the process! We are going to keep this master list and refer back to it when allocating the tasks to our week (the second task).
Now for the second task that should bring order to your life. This is where we practice splitting each day into 4 parts! The idea is that if one part doesn’t go well, we don’t let it affect the other. Essentially, the target is to achieve 3 things at work every day and 3 things at home from your master list. That’s it. Anything you don’t get done, add it to another day.
I have put together a guide for you to use:
| Before the Workday · Allow 1.5 to 2 hours for this. · This is from the moment you wake up, whether it be 5am or 10am. These two hours are for you, to get ready, exercise or read, to get your children ready and 15 minutes (yes, just 15 minutes) for home chores. · This includes making your bed, putting on a small load of laundry and cleaning the kitchen dining table and sink area. Everything else can wait till later in the day. · This includes extra time in case things go wrong or you are delayed. |
| At Work (AM/Before Lunch) Here is what I want you to do when you get to the ‘Office’ (be it at home or in your organisation’s office): 1. Where you can, arrive 15mins earlier than you are due. Set up your space, switch on your computer, make that tea/coffee/get a glass of water. 2. The first 15-30mins – clear your inbox. Respond to the ones you can. 3. Start your biggest task of the day – work on this for the next 2 hours. Prioritise those tasks which are fee earning / biggest impact for your team. 4. Have lunch – do not skip this. Your brain and body need this break! Believe me, the law does not make this a requirement out of the goodness of their heart, it is there because it is necessary. Eat some food, drink a glass of water, get some fresh air (or the best air you can get if you’re in the City). |
| At Work (PM/After Lunch) Now you’re back at your desk – complete the task from the morning. Start a new task. Work for the next 1hr 30mins. 5. Have a break. 6. Now work on two easy tasks of your choice. 7. Wrap up 30mins before you are due to finish for the day. Plan the next day’s schedule. This will allow you to switch off when you leave the office or switch off your PC if working from home. The above isn’t set in stone, however, with consistency, it will get easier. Some days, you will be overloaded. Communication and setting boundaries in the workplace is important. |
| Late Afternoon/Early Evening (4pm to 8pm) · This is the most busiest part of our day. · Allow the next 3 hours to be for helping the kids with their homework, cooking dinner (unless you’re super smart already and meal prep); feeding your children said dinner, eating dinner yourself, baths and bedtime. · Set aside another 15 minutes to clear up, put away the laundry, and ensure ironed clothes are available for the next day. |
| Evening (8pm to 10pm) · These two hours are your own. Watch mindless TV, study for a course, scroll social media, whatever you want. |
You will see from the above, where you are able to fit in the items from your brain dump list. Schedule everything in: meals, showers, hair, nail appointments, school admin, household bill admin, housework. None of this is rocket science. The majority of mums who are working mothers are using calendars at work, we need to extend to our personal lives too.
Very quickly you will be able to see where your time is spent and when you need to rotate tasks to different days. With consistency, there should be structure and routine and you can actually be organised again soon.
I hope the above is useful for you and helps you prioritise your commitments and goals both at home and in the workplace.
Bonus Tips:
- Overestimate how long something is going to take you, add 10 to 30mins to the task.
- Allow 45 minutes solely to connect with your kids, rule of thumb is 15mins for 1:1 every day minimum (seriously helps)!
- Allow 20-30 minutes of housekeeping/cleaning time every day so it does not all build-up.
- Send the other half with a shopping list for grocery shopping / arrange delivery if you can to save some time.
- Don’t cancel plans with friends (easy to do with hectic schedules), going for a meal or coffee is excellent therapy. These are all non-negotiables for me now.
See the template below:
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
| Early Morning | |||||||
| Working Day (AM) | |||||||
| Working Day (PM) | |||||||
| Early Evening 4pm to 8pm | |||||||
| Late Evening 8pm to 10pm | |||||||
| Meals | |||||||
| Misc – notes/reminders |