Juggling the Busy Life of a Working Mom (and a bonus slow cooker recipe)

This week I have spent a lot of time thinking about Time Management!! As a full-time working mother I certainly have my hands FULL!!! I often sit back and think "how can I be more efficient at getting all of this stuff done?" Well today I'd like to share some of the things that I've learned.

On my weekly Beachbody Coach Call my coach asked us to split a piece of paper down the middle. On the left side write your priorites and on the right side list your daily activities. The point of this assignment was to really take a look at what we do on a daily basis that is helping us keep our priorities in line and what is keeping us FROM our priorities. Think about how you can better manage your time to get the most done but still be the loving mommy and wife you need to be! This was really an eye opener for me. It made me think about what really NEEDS to be done vs my need to cross things off my to-do list.

Think about some short cuts you can take to save you a TON of time...let me share a look into my daily routine and a few tips I will definitely be incorporating immediately.

There are certain things that MUST happen on a daily basis for me. I have made health one of my priorities so that means that I wake up each morning at 5am before my family so I can get my workout in. They are short but effective so I have no time to waste! As I start the DVD and let it load I throw in a load of laundry...This takes me literally less than a minute, I'm ready to get my sweat on, and I've already started my chores. Depending on the length of the workout, it's now almost 6am and the washer is done. Back to the garage to throw it in the dryer...again less than a minute. Now it's time to get ready for work...shower, get ready, make the bed, wake up the baby and breakfast for all. My amazing hubby has a later start time than me so this allows me to get ready while he entertains our son!! Now off to daycare and work. 5pm rolls around and it's time to pick up the baby and start the night time routine. I try to focus on my son at this time and worry about the rest of my responsibilites after he's gone to bed. So we play, build, go for walks, dinner, bath, stories and bed. Now its time to buckle down...I fold that laundry that's ready for me in the dryer, check in with my challenge groups, pack lunches for the next day, pick up the kitchen/dishes and living room. This is also the time that I use to spend a little time on my personal development, read a book, etc then it's off to bed to do it all over again!!

Here are some time saving tips that I've learned recently, many from other full time mommies, to help us keep juggling all the responsibilites we have.

* Get everyone to pitch in!!
-  Even the little ones. Try this cool tip...however old they are that's how many "chores" they have. The 2 year old (picks up toys, puts sippy cup in sink), the 5 year old (picks up toys, puts dishes in sink, puts clothes in hamper, picks up room and puts crayons away).
- Divy up the work with your spouse. In our household it works great because we have different schedules. I can run the dishwasher if its ready in the morning and my hubby can unload it when its done. Or he can start it when he goes to work and I'll empty it that evening. It's all about sharing the work and balancing schedules!

* Tips for the kitchen -

SLOW COOKER!!! This is one of my ALL TIME favorite things. There are a TON of clean eating recipes including the BBQ Chicken that I made last night, SO YUMMY! These are great because its a no brainer. Just throw everything in, turn it on and be on your way. Dinner is ready when you walk in the door. You should also use a crock pot liner...I used one this morning and there is absolutely NO cleanup. The liner kept all the liquid inside...LIFE SAVER!!!
                  
Preparation - Take about an hour on Sunday to prep for the week. This is a HUGE time saver!!! When I get home from the grocery store I wash my fruit and veggies, chop them and bag them in indvidual servings for the week. I portion out anything I need for the week such as almonds, hummus and cottage cheese. That way each night I can just grab what I need for the next day and throw it in my lunch box and go. I also use Sunday to bake any chicken I need for the week, make egg muffins or meatloaf muffins (both hubby and kid friendly!) prepare salads, etc.

* Tips for the household -

Laundry - YUCK...who wants to do this??? BUT it has to be done. So each night before I go to bed I sort the laundry. If there is enough for a full load I throw it in first thing in the morning while I work out. Again...a no-brainer! Once my workout is done throw it in the dryer and start my morning routine. When I get home in the evening I'll fluff it if I need to, fold it and put it away.

Morning routine - This can be a challenging time for many moms on the go. So each night before you go to bed make sure EVERYTHING is done for the morning that you can do ahead of time. Pack all lunches, lay out clothes/jewelry/shoes etc, pack diaper bag, pack gym bag, put the dry cleaning by the door that you need to drop off, etc Can you prep breakfast ahead of time? At least you can set out the cereal bowls and milk cups...you'd be amazed at how much time you can save by taking these little steps!

Other - Hang small dry-erase board or chalk board inside the linen closet and pantry. As you run low on toothpaste or tuna mark it down on the respective boards. When you’re ready to go shopping, check the boards, make your list and wipe them clean.

I hope some of these tips have been helpful and I hope that I've been able to show you how the busy working mom can have it all while still being the happy mommy and wife!! Make sure you make time for YOUR priorities. Don't forget to take time to focus on you and spend time doing what you need to do. Me personally I MUST work out to clear my head. This balances me and allows me to be the best I can be!

BONUS: BBQ Chicken Slow Cooker Recipe!!!

Ingredients:
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (mine were frozen when I put them in the slow cooker)

1 lemon, quartered

1 onion, quartered

20 ounce clean BBQ Sauce 1 can of diet cola

Directions:

Peel onion and cut into quarters.  Cut lemon into quarters.  Place chicken breasts in crock pot.  Place onion and lemon quarters on top.  Pour in BBQ Sauce and diet cola mixture.  Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.

If you are interested in learning more about how you can start your journey to getting fit please contact me at mel_svale@hotmail.com or visit my site for additional information.  www.beachbodycoach.com/mrsbez

I would love to coach you to your weight loss goals and help you transform your life today!