Time Management for Busy Moms

by Amanda on September 21, 2010

The following post is from Amanda of OhAmanda.com and Impress Your Kids:

productivity

This is the life of a mom.

It’s full of teeny tiny little events, activities and chores that fill up a day even before it starts. Most of these things seem insignificant, mundane and usually never-ending. We fill up our days with wiping counters, finding lost shoes and reading bedtime stories. In between breaths and during naps, we check email, update our Facebook and maybe even grab a cup of coffee.

productivity

But what about the important things of our day?

What about the big events? The big projects? The big priorities? Big rocks like: reading to your kids every day, being attentive to your husband, spending quiet time with your Bible or keeping your body healthy with food and exercise? Will they fit into our lives when we are overrun with all the little things?

productivity

Hardly.

In fact, as mothers we generally spend more time focused on others—school schedules, husband’s work and kids’ activities. And our big priorities? Our big rocks? An afterthought. An I-hope-this-happens-one-day.

productivity

But what would happen if you put those rocks in first?

What if you got up early and read your Bible? What if you stopped fretting about spotless floors and spent time playing ball with your kids? What if you shut the computer during breakfast and talked about your kids’ day? What would happen to all those little things that “have to” get done?

rocks jar

They’d fall into place. You’d have room to spare.

My pastor, Andy Stanley says, “Priority determines capacity.” I know, as a mom, I don’t have time for time management! But I do have time for priorities. I do have time to do the important. I do have time to focus on the good, big, significant things.

For me? My big rocks? Emptying the dishwasher before breakfast is done. Being awake enough to spend an hour or two paying attention to my husband before I fall into bed. Reading my Bible before the kids wake up. Taking a shower and getting dressed before breakfast.

And when I do those things, I find myself empowered to tackle more big rocks while still fitting in as many of the little rocks (Facebook, blogging, girls’ nights out and wandering through Target) as I want.

Spend a few minutes today identifying your big rocks. Then start putting them into your life’s jar first. You’ll be pleasantly surprised to see your life’s capacity expand!

What are your big rocks? Do you make room for them on most days?

Amanda is a stay-at-home mom of two who blogs at OhAmanda.com and Impress Your Kids. In her former life, Amanda was a Children’s Pastor — overseeing, organizing and developing ministry for kids in nursery through middle school, but now that she is a mom, her “skills” are used up on her kids!



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