Time-Saving Hacks for Moms

Whether you’re a working mom or stay at-home mom, it just seems like our jobs are never done. There’s always a room to clean, and meals to be cooked, or laundry to be done. Although those are important things to do, it’s even more crucial to spend as much time as you can with your children because you just don’t get this time back.

Occasionally motherhood can be summed up in a few words: wake the kids, make breakfast, get everyone dressed, leave, forget something, leave again, and that’s just before 10 am. The ability to navigate all of that – or better yet, navigate it all with dignity and grace and a pinch of sanity – is as much science as it is art. We all need to get better at managing our time and organizing our lives in order to maximize the small amount of time that we do have. Whether it’s spending a little more money for services that a load off of us, planning out our day better, or getting things done in advance, there are a few easy steps we can make to see what small changes give us more time with our littles.

“Life doesn’t come with a manual. It comes with a mother.”

#MomHacks

Here are some time-saving hacks that can buy you some extra time to spend with your family.

Have a daily schedule or routine

Especially if you’re a stay at home mom, you can let the time tick away and get away from you. Make and set a specific schedule for the day that you don’t let yourself deviate from. Set the alarm or stopwatch on your phone/microwave/Alexa, so you stick by these times for when to change tasks.

Outsources groceries + snacks

Everyone is running around from place to place during the school season, and sometimes you just don’t have time to make it to the store. Outsourcing snacks for those busy weeks ensure the pantry and fridge are stocked without having to spend an hour or more at the store.

Hello Fresh is a meal delivery service that comes weekly; you get to choose your meals, the amount of meal you get, and the portion sizes.

Thrive Market has healthy, top of the line organic products from groceries to supplements to clean supplies and beauty.

Place online grocery curb-side pick up orders so that you don’t have to go into the store. All you have to do is pull up while they load it all into your truck for you. The best part is you can add and edit your cart when the order is placed up until 24 hours before you go to pick it up.

When it doubt Amazon Prime has everything you’ll every need, from groceries to batteries and diapers.

Get Organized

I know this sounds simple for some, but the cleaner and more organized the house is, the easier it is for you to productive. Organizing your kitchen pantry with clear containers, bins and spice holders will make you feel superior when you’re trying to make breakfast, prepare lunches, and get that dinner preppier for after school. Bins with lids, storage units, and anything that allows a label is precisely what you need to feel put together. If you have all the items you need to use in organized bins or compartments and know where everything is, you will be more productive and less stressed.

Let technology take some of the mental load

You can automate just about anything with smart devices, and the tech is only getting better. Some of our favourites are Google Assistant and Google Home Hub- you can create reminders for everyone in your family, so you don’t have to. They can make phone calls for you, add items to your shopping list, read your instructions for a recipe, and numerous other things.

If you have an Amazon device instead, you can create morning routines for both you and the kids. With an Echo Dot Kids Edition, you can tell them breakfast is ready or customize alarms or checklists to guide them.

Meal Prep and Planning

Most people like use Sunday to do their meal planning and to prep. Make a schedule of your meals for the week with a list of ingredients. Prepare as much of these meals at the beginning of the week as you can so you’re not stuck in the kitchen for long. Try to make meals that overlap ingredients, so you’re buying less and enlisting the kids and husband to help out! This is an excellent time for your kids to start learning how to do chores and help out in the kitchen, and if you have toddlers, they just love imitating their momma. 

Sync calendar with your partner

Sometimes life gets SO busy, and the best of people can forget essential tasks, or you have to switch up schedules last minute, so your partner needs to pick up kids from daycare when you usually do. Find a way to manage a calendar that works for you both and sync it up every Sunday, so everyone knows who is doing what and going where. Paper planners and whiteboards in the kitchen are great, but we like doubling up with the digital calendars because it’ll send an alert or reminder.

Saying NO

You don’t have to commit to everything asked of you! Whether it’s a PTA meeting, a birthday party, or a gathering. Saying no to the extras to use your spare time to be with your family is always the right answer.

Establish a command centre

If you’ve ever spent an extra 20 minutes searching for your kids homework folder at 7 am or looking for your keys, you’re not alone. Mornings are often the craziest time of the day for any family. Set aside an area in common space that serves as a command station. Maybe it’s a mudroom, or you have a designated space in the kitchen. This is where keys, phones, chargers, homework, notes that need to be signed, and anything else essential needs to go. Get the family in the routine of putting everything in the chosen spot when they get home, so you never waste time looking for things. If you’re limited on space, an on-the-wall organizer like this is a great solution.

House Cleaning Services

Cleaning is never on the list of things to-do, there just isn’t enough time to clean toilets or dust the top shelf in your living room. Most of the time, many moms only have time for quick tidy ups, but definitely no deep cleaning. This is when hiring someone to come in and do the nitty gritty detailing of the house every couple of weeks is a great thing to do to give yourself extra time to do other things.

Reduce Screen/Social Media/Phone Time

We’re all guilty of wasting too much time on our phones and falling down a rabbit hole of social media. The new iPhone update even has a way you can schedule downtime from the phone and apps. You can set times of the day where certain apps and services won’t be available based on what settings you choose.

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Dates

– High in Disease-Fighting Antioxidants, such as flavonoids, carotenoids, and phenolic acid, which all have anti-inflammatory properties.
 
– High in fiber, which benefits your digestive health and promotes regular bowel movements.
 
-Eating dates helps improve brain function by lowering inflammatory markers, such as interleukin.
 
– Dates have the potential to help with blood sugar regulation due to their low glycemic index, fiber and antioxidants.

Citrus Fruits

Sweet Potatoes

Parsnips

LEMONS & ORANGES

Citrus Fruits

– Rich in vitamin C which is needed to form and maintain healthy skin, bones, blood vessels and connective tissue.
 
-Plays an important role in supporting the immune system and also acts as an antioxidant that might help protect cells against the effects of free radicals and fight inflammation. 
 
-Full of soluble fiber that can help lower LDL cholesterol, consequently reducing cardiovascular disease. 
 
– Abundant in multiple other nutrients, including potassium, folate, calcium, thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6, magnesium, and copper.
 

Sweet Potatoes

Parsnips

Kale

Parsnips

– Are highly nutritious, and supply many antioxidants, which are health-promoting compounds that help prevent oxidative stress and decrease damage to your cells.
 
– Parsnips are a great source of both soluble and insoluble fiber. Fiber moves through your gastrointestinal tract undigested, helping to get things moving and optimizing digestive health.
 
– Low in calories yet rich in fiber, parsnips make an excellent addition to a healthy weight loss diet.

Garlic

– Garlic is known to boost the function of the immune system and combat sickness, including the common cold.
– The active compounds in garlic reduces blood pressure.
– Contains antioxidants that may help prevent alzheimer’s disease and dementia because oxidative damage from free radicals contributes to the aging process.
– At high doses, the sulfur compounds in garlic have been shown to protect against organ damage from heavy metal toxicity.

Sweet Potatoes

– The fiber and antioidants in sweet potatoes are advantageous to gut health.
 
– Sweet potatoes offer various antioxidants, which may help protect against certain types of cancers.
 
– They are incredibly rich in beta-carotene, the antioxidant responsible for the vegetables bright orange colour.
 
– Full of vitamin A which is critical to a healthy immune system.

Parsnips

Kale

Garlic

Kale

– Kale is loaded with powerful antioxidants like quercetin and kaempferol. Antioxidants are substances that help counteract oxidative damage by free radicals in the body. 
 
– Kale can help lower cholesterol, which may reduce the risk of heart disease.
 
– Kale is among the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet.
 
-Very high in beta-carotene, an antioxidant that the body can turn into vitamin A.
 
– A great plant-based source of calcium, a nutrient that is very important for bone health and plays a role in all sorts of cellular functions.

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