Money Saving Mom®

Guest post from Tanya of Blogelina.com

Have you ever followed a blog and wondered how a mom can possibly manage to find the time to run a successful blog on top of everything else that goes into being a mom? I know I have – and so I set out to find some answers!

It has been an honor for me to be able to interact with so many amazing blogger moms, and get their insight into how they manage working from home and family life!

My Biggest Take Away…

It’s really a simple concept – but one that I fail to do so often… Write down what I need to do.

So many of these mom bloggers said that the most important thing that boosts their productivity is making a list for each week and each day of what they need to accomplish that day. Having your tasks written down (and even better – prioritized!) will give you so much focus as you make choices throughout your day on how to spend your time.

Here are 19 other time-management tips from busy blogging moms! 

1. Integrate Family Life With Work Life

I’ve heard of that concept before: instead of trying some time for both, it makes sense to try and integrate the two commitments one into another…

Here’s an example: When my child was a few months old, I spent a ridiculous amount of time outside (because she slept best there), so I purchased the smallest laptop I could find and worked outside.

It was both healthy and enjoyable. I still have good memories of that time and by the time we got home, I had some of my work items done.

I learned to work while she was crawling around paying attention so that she didn’t hurt herself. I’ve learned to work in my car while my husband was driving us to a family trip. I have developed lots of little habits that made combining motherhood and work actually enjoyable.

I haven’t missed a day of my kid growing up thanks to that. Yet, I was also following my passion and building my business online! – Ann Smarty, InternetMarketingNinjas.com

2. Use Your Early Morning Hours – And Don’t Over-do it!

I get up at 4 a.m. every single day (even on the weekends!) Those early morning hours are always my most productive, and by the time most people are getting started, I’ve already put in almost a full day of uninterrupted work.

I am a firm believer in written goals — yearly, monthly, weekly, and even daily, and then having those goals posted somewhere I can refer to them often. Writing them down makes them real, and once they are real I can’t ignore them.

The biggest thing I am working on right now when it comes to time management is learning to say no, and letting the people I trust — my husband and team — help me make decisions on where to focus my time.

I have a habit of overloading myself and wanting to say yes to every opportunity, but becoming more vigilant about guarding my time has allowed me to stay focused on the big picture. At least most of the time! -Ruth Soukup, LivingWellSpendingLess.com

3. Watch For Time Zappers.

I’m all about streamlining processes. Whether I’m cleaning my bathrooms or working with my blog’s social media, I try to use systems that make the most of my time.

One big way that I keep my life uncluttered is to limit my time on social media. I know that, especially as a blogger, being on social media is a must, but I’ve found that if I’m not careful, it can be a huge time zapper, too.

I like to use timers. I set a timer for a set amount of time on social media and find that this really keeps me on task. I’m much less likely to end up on some tangent that ends up eating an hour of my day. – Tanya, Blogelina.com

4. Have Dedicated “Blogging Hours”.

Hands down, my top time management tip for mom bloggers is to have dedicated “office hours.” I have found that designating time to work helps me live in the present moment and get a lot more done — whether it be writing, managing the business part of my blog, or completing a load of laundry.

When I first started blogging, I worked in the cracks — in little snippets when my girls were napping or watching a movie or after they had gone to bed. While it was necessary during that season in my life, working “in the cracks” of life is not sustainable long-term.

When I stick to regular office hours, I am a better business owner and a better wife and mom. -Erin Odom, TheHumbledHomemaker.com

5. Use A Good Task Management Program

The best thing I have ever done to wrangle the issue of time management was to install a task management program (my favorite is Nozbe, but anything you like will do). I am able to enter tasks for projects and for reoccurring daily items, but the biggest plus is being able to get stuff off of my mind.

When I think of something that needs to be done, I don’t stop and do it. I simply add it to the list. This frees me up to think about the important things, without losing track of all the little details. -Kim Sorgius, NotConsumed.com

6. Create A Weekly Plan.

My best time management tip is to create a weekly plan. Schedule a time every weekend to decide your top goals and priorities for the upcoming week (self-care, family time, home management, business projects, appointments, etc.) and then schedule those tasks into your calendar.

Every night before you go to bed, review your goals and plans for the next day and then refer to them throughout the day as you work.

Having a plan relieves stress, increases your productivity and ensures that you are living your true priorities. – Kimberlee, ThePeacefulMom.com

7. Plan For More Time Than You Think…

Time management is no easy task to master with children. You always have to expect the unexpected and buffer your schedule accordingly.

The first thing I ask myself before accepting any blog work is, “How long will it take me to reasonably complete this project?” Then I add a few extra hours (or days) to ensure I can deal with the last-minute school project or tummy ache and still make my deadline. -Barb Webb, RuralMom.com

8. Batch Your Tasks

Be more productive by time chunking. In short, do like tasks together.

For example, instead of preparing one blog post from start to finish and then moving on to the next, spend one chunk of time outlining multiple posts at once. Then, carve out another chunk of time to flesh them out, and another to edit them.

Prepare your images all at once, create your social media promos at once and so forth. Think assembly line – a picture of efficiency. – Amy, AmyLynnAndrews.com

9. Delegate (aka. Don’t Try To Do It All!)

Working together for the good of the whole is a great family lesson to teach at home. This is what delegation is all about – dividing up the work to share the load.

As moms we often feel we have to ‘do it all’ which is a complete lie and will exhaust us. Determine what other family members can contribute and allow them to participate in making your house a home! – Susan Heid, TheConfidentMom.com

10. Use Your Smartphone

Take advantage of that tiny computer in your pocket!

When you get home from running errands and the kids are miraculously asleep in their car seats, when your teething newborn wants nothing more than to be rocked quietly for the next ten hours in the rocking chair, when one kid’s coloring and the other’s quietly playing with his Legos. That’s your golden ticket to knocking out a quick blog post on your smartphone’s WordPress app!

It may not be a post that’s perfectly tweaked for SEO, but it can help keep you from going ten months without writing a thing.  -Steph Calvert, HeartsAndLaserBeams.com

11. Freedom@Will

Finding and keeping focus while being a stay at home mom can be extremely difficult. My quick “get in the zone” tip, is to ensure you have a prioritized daily to-do list (make this the night before). That way, when a free moment hits, you can jump right to it.

My second favorite tip is to use Focus@Will! It is designed to get you focused immediately, which allows you to tackle that to-do list in just a portion of the time. You may even complete your list before nap time is over – then you’re left with a few precious moments to yourself. Enjoy them! – Jillian, BabyDoodah.com

12. Prioritize.

Make a to-do list that prioritizes by urgency. Start with your top 3 tasks that must be completed and then any additional tasks can be carried over to another day if you don’t get to them the first day. – Janel Case, AMomsTake.com

13. Don’t Be Too Hard On Yourself!

My number one tip for time management is forgiveness.

Never be so hard on yourself about not getting everything you wanted to get done in one day that it stresses you out and sets you up for a bad day the next day.

Be proud of every little bit you get done in a day and approach each day with a smile.  You get a lot more done when you are in a good mood, trust me. -Eschelle, Mumfection.com

13. Eliminate Distractions (As Much As Possible)

One of the most important time management tips for me is to focus in on what I am working on at the moment. The top thing that kills my productivity is distraction.

I close all browsers that don’t pertain to that task and I turn off all notifications on my phone. It is amazing what I can get done when I am focused on one task at a time! -Kelly Hancock, FaithfulProvisions.com

14. Jot Down Memories In Your Day Planner

As a busy working mother of two, I find it nearly impossible to keep up with a baby book or scrapbook similar to what my mother created for me. Still, I think that kind of memorabilia is really important.

So, I’ve started jotting down whatever I would typically add to a baby book directly into my day planner or online calendar. It is so much easier to sit down once every six months (or even once a year) to add all that has been compiled.

It removes the guilt of not keeping up with something I cherish as a mother and takes mere seconds to do. -Karri-Leigh Mastrangelo, DirtyLaundryandDirtyDiapers.blogspot.com

15. Use Apps To Manage Your Social Media

A lot of my blog traffic comes from social media platforms, and scheduling those shares is important. However, I often get “sucked into” scrolling through Facebook or Twitter, or checking my email.

I now do all of my scheduling through apps or plugins (I use Ahalogy and CoSchedule) and try to focus only on the task at hand (no tabs open with any other websites or email). I also do this when writing blog posts. Otherwise it’s too easy to get distracted! -Ruth, VivaVeltoro.com

16. Learn To Count Backwards

If you struggle with being punctual, counting time backwards is an excellent way to get where you need to be on time. Start with the time you need to be somewhere and continue to subtract blocks of time for each individual activity that needs to happen before you get there so you know when you need to leave.

For instance, things like getting dressed, stopping for coffee, going to the bank, finding parking, texting a friend, etc. Most people make the mistake of not allocating enough time for these types of activities so be generous and give yourself buffer time too.

The more realistic you are with your time budget the more likely you are to be on time! -Laura, Orgjunkie.com

17. Schedule Specific Tasks Each Day

To manage my blogging time efficiently, I set up times for different tasks.

For instance, from 8 a.m.-9 a.m., I go through my emails and reply as needed. From 10 a.m.-11 a.m., I work on pending blog posts. I take a break for an hour or so, then for the next hour, I take photos for upcoming projects (this happens to be the time with the best lighting at my house). I take a quick lunch break and a short walk, then get back to the grind!

I break up the afternoon by hours, making sure I take a break in between tasks. I do my social media promotion, check and reply to emails emails again. -Jennifer Regan, EightyMPHMom.com

18. Get The Kids Involved!

When it comes to cleaning the house get everyone involved, have fun, and make it a contest so that the time files. With more people working it will get done faster. For example I will give each of my children a taste and yell go to see who finishes first. We always crank up the music and have fun!

When it comes to blogging, set aside specific times like work and focus on what you need to do to get it done. This lets your children know when mom is working, let her focus. When she is not working it is time to play!

If you have older children get them to help out when you can, for example I have my children do their own laundry which cuts down on what I need to do. -Colleen, ShibleySmiles.com

19. One Final Tip:

Consider taking Crystal’s Make Over Your Mornings Online Course! You will be amazed and encouraged to see how just a few little tweaks to your day can completely change your outlook on life; and how productive your day can be.

What Time Management Tips Do YOU Have?

Tanya Peterson earns a full-time income working from home as a blogger. She blogs at Blogelina.com where she follows her passion to help other moms build money-making blogs. Her popular online class, Profitable Blogging For Beginners, has helped hundreds learn what it takes to start and maintain a successful, profitable blog. While blogging on the side, Tanya is also a homeschooling mom to four little ones, loves hosting gatherings in her home, and just recently has become obsessed with her new hobby – chalk paint!

photo source

Guest post from Laura of Life as a Loewen

I’m a girlie girl. I enjoy having my hair look cute and makeup on, even if it’s not totally perfect.

As a mom of 3 little ones, I don’t have much time to primp… but just as Crystal said that getting dressed in the morning does wonders for her attitude and productivity in her Make Over Your Mornings Course, I think the same is true for putting a little makeup on.

I’m no beauty blogger, but I do love feeling and looking put together, with minimal effort (and cost) to match my lifestyle.

Here are some ways I’ve found to save money on cosmetics, so that you’re not pinching every penny just for a swipe of lipgloss:

1. Know what colors look good on you.

Before you can go about purchasing the cosmetics, it’s important to know what colors will be flattering for your particular coloring. What you see on someone else won’t necessarily look right on you, so it’s important to do a little research to save you time and money.

You can take fun and easy online quizzes, like this one, that direct you to some great choices for your personal coloring, skin concerns, and look you’re trying to achieve.

TIP: most quizzes like these will ask if you have cool or warm undertones, which is key in discovering which colors work for you. Looking at the underside of your wrist, if your veins appear blue, you have cool undertones. If they appear green, you have warm undertones. And finally, if you see both, you’d be considered to have neutral undertones.

I have fair skin, dark brown hair and blue eyes. I now know I can’t wear all the same colors that my olive skinned, brown-eyed friends can wear.

When I embrace how I was made and work with it, I can find shades that are much more flattering on me and waste less money constantly purchasing makeup that seems a little “off” on me.

2. Set up a date.

With a professional, that is!

Many cosmetics places are more than willing to help you find just what you need, whether it’s the right mascara formula for your lashes or a total beauty look; the beauty professionals at a lot of makeup counters/stores are trained to help you look your very best.

When I was looking for the perfect shade of bright red lipstick, I went into a Sephora store and asked a lady working there to help me find it. She was super nice and helpful, and gave me multiple options to try on, while giving me honest feedback if a shade of red wasn’t quite right for me. I ended up purchasing a lipstick that I felt really good in, and it only took a few minutes of my time!

3. Keep practicing

I’ve found that watching beauty bloggers’ videos online is super helpful in learning new makeup tricks or how to put together complete makeup looks. I take what I want from them and then leave the rest.

Pretty much all makeup brands have articles and videos online that will help you learn things like how to do a smokey eye or apply lipstick so it lasts all day.

Using these tips and tricks, the key is to keep practicing! You’ll feel more confident with the makeup you do have as well as the color and formula choices you’re making, thus enabling you to spend a lot less on your makeup!

TIP: While the jury’s still out about this, I’ve found that primer seems to help my foundation look more streamline and stay on longer, and a bit applied to my eyelids, along with some concealer, really helps keep my eye-shadow in place.

You don’t need to spend a fortune on expensive makeup to look put together, but it will help if you’re armed with some knowledge to work within the budget and life you have!

Laura is a mama of three littles {and in the adoption process}, delighting in the Gospel of grace. Attempting to be genuine and raw, Laura seeks to find the humor in everyday life. She shares her journey through faith, motherhood, and marriage at LIFE AS A LOEWEN blog. Passionate about issues of social justice, and always up for a Motown dance party, Laura seeks to live with spirited intentionality.

The following is a testimony from Deana of Redeeming the Days

I have always lived life with unbridled positivity.

For the past thirty-one years, I’ve prided myself in the fact that I can find a silver lining in just about any situation. That’s why the last six months have hit me so hard.

Back in late January, after much prayer, my husband and I realized a long-time dream of adoption when we adopted our fourth child through our state’s foster care system.

As we prepared to welcome our new son, I was sure that I could find a silver lining amidst all the hurt our new son had experienced in his seven years. Yet, as soon as he walked through the door, I struggled. The emotional grief of the losses he bore were heavy. And it wasn’t easy to help him carry those griefs.

It was hard to find the silver lining to his gray clouds of loss. Before I knew it, my usual positivity was nowhere to be found, and I felt emotionally down.

It’s been a difficult climb out of that valley, and I doubt that I’m completely out yet, as there is plenty of grief still to walk through with our little guy. But one day, during my daily check of MoneySavingMom.com, I saw where Crystal wrote about her Gratitude Journal and how much that daily discipline had affected her life.

I decided to give it a try. Every day, I would write everything I was thankful for in my journal. Little by little, I began to notice that instead of feeling down so much, I was intentionally looking for things during the day that I could write in my blessing journal. The tough things of my day just weren’t shining as brightly against all the blessings I had.

The practice of the Gratitude Journal has been a lifesaver.

As I got to thinking about how much I had benefited from the Gratitude Journal, I began wondering if my kids would enjoy it as much as I did. I didn’t want to invest much into the idea, just in case they hated it, so I went to the grocery store and bought them each a fifty-cent composition book. Every morning they start our Bible Time writing their blessings in their Gratitude Journals.

I had no idea how healing the practice would be to my children, but every day, each of them spend about 15 minutes working on their journals, writing, drawing, and counting their blessings.

The other day, I almost couldn’t contain my heart when our adopted son shared his blessings and said, “I am thankful for my mom and dad and my brother and sisters.” That was truly a special moment that would not have happened without our Gratitude Journals.

My positivity is no longer unbridled. It is forever tainted with the hurt, loss, and grief that my son has experienced and that my family and I now are very much willing to help him carry.

Through the practice of daily gratitude, I’m learning that even suffering isn’t all bad. Through life’s struggles, we learn qualities like perseverance, endurance, and trust. And we learn that God is always good, no matter what.

Deana is wife to Tim, and a homeschool mom to four beautiful children. She loves bird watching, front porch-sitting, and time spent in God’s Word. She writes about homeschooling, adoption and foster care, and her faith at her blog, Redeeming the Days.

photo source