12 smart ways to boost your productivity as an ambitious, busy mom
Being an ambitious, busy mom can be challenging, but it's possible to boost your productivity without burning out. Discover 12 actionable and smart productivity tips to help you work smarter, not harder, and make the most of your time in both your personal and professional life.
Written by Nadine Stille
You’re trying to balance ambition with the demands of being a busy mom, and end up constantly juggling the demands of your career, family, and personal goals, often wondering, How can I be more productive? or What is the best productivity tip that actually works?
The key to thriving in both your personal and professional life lies in maximizing your productivity—working smarter, not harder.
This blog is here to provide you with 12 tried-and-tested strategies designed specifically for busy moms like you, aiming to help you boost your productivity quickly and effectively. Whether you’re looking for smart ways to streamline your daily routine or seeking that one go-to productivity trick, these tips will empower you to take control of your time and achieve your goals with confidence.
Start with the Right Mindset
1. Set 3 Priorities for the Day Ahead
… and do that the evening before. Why?
You want to avoid starting the day making decisions which of your many tasks need tackling first. By having your priorities set the day or evening before, you can use your full energy and focus the next morning to dive right into the most important tasks and get the right things done.
Keep identifying your top three tasks for the next day (or even week) for more clarity and focus. This will reduce your mental load and boost your productivity. Review your schedule regularly, adjust it where needed, and stay on track.
2. Align All Areas of Your Life
Our productivity can be positively impacted and also totally derailed by how we are set up with our routines, schedules, and even the timing of certain activities in all areas of our life.
If you’ve got a regular work call set up for the hour before you’re meant to finish for the day and leave no room for follow ups, planning for the next day, or last minute urgent emails, you’ll likely be running late or are rushed which might mean you won't be as present and calm as you might wish to be around your family.
Take a moment to go over your home and work routines and schedules to see how you can create a more harmonious schedule to boost your productivity and focus.
3. Wherever You Are, Be Present
Being torn between your family and work world can be such an energy, time, and productivity drainer as you’re neither here nor there and cannot show up fully to satisfy all.
How can you be more mindful in the moment, whether that’s with your kids or at work?
It might likely need some practice and boundary setting but seeing work fully as work and family time as family time can be a real game changer for your productivity.
And yes, we love flexibility, especially when you get to work from home but disruptions during times of focus and productivity will essentially mean you’ll take much longer to get something done.
Instead opt to time block and have dedicated intervals or breaks for either a family related or a work topic. See more below on time blocking.
Further reading:
‘‘Exhausted Mom? 5 Ways to Boost Your Body's Energy Levels.’’
Effective Time Management Strategies
4. Time Blocking with Flexibility
Time blocking in your calendar is a powerful way to structure your day, helping you focus on specific tasks and make the most of your time.
Instead of a vague task like 'work on project ABC,' break it down into precise steps, such as 'research options for ABC.' This approach ensures that each block of time is purposeful, making you more productive. Use different colors to easily identify activities and tasks for separate areas such as me-time, family time, work, appointments, etc.
As a busy mom, it's important to build in flexibility. So, leave some buffer time to handle unexpected changes or interruptions. This way, you stay on track while allowing for the realities of your day.
5. Work Sprints with Scheduled Breaks
Have you heard of work sprints or specifically the Pomodoro technique? It’s a simple time management approach to boost your productivity.
You’ll have more motivation, find tasks less daunting, increase your willpower and accountability, make planning easier, improve your attention span and concentration, break the habit of multitasking, prevent mental exhaustion, and improve the quality and quantity of your work (Source).
Sold? Here’s how to do it:
Simply have short, focused work sprints of ideally 25 minutes, followed by short 5-10 minute breaks, before diving right back into the next work sprint.
As an additional productivity trick, try to minimize any distractions that can keep you from being productive, write down exactly what you’ll be working on for the next 25 minutes, and concentrate on getting that particular task done or making good progress.
6. Identify Your Most Productive Times & Locations
Are you a morning person who can get tons done before the kids even wake up? Or are you a night owl who’s usually most productive once the kids are asleep?
Identifying when you're most productive during the day means you can be more mindful and schedule your most important tasks during these peak productivity times.
Similarly, look at the locations of where you are usually most productive for which tasks and adapt your location for an additional productivity boost.
Smart Task Management
7. Mini Tasks for Under 5 Minutes & Fun
Tackling small tasks in between larger ones can help you maintain momentum, reduce your to-do list significantly over time, and calm feelings of overwhelm.
And why not make it fun too?
First, pick a mini task. Second, pick one of your go-to happy songs. Then do the task for the duration of the song playing.
Ta Da! You got stuff done and had fun doing so.
8. Multiply: Do Several Things in One Go
What about combining a few tasks and multiplying your productivity?
You could use commute or travel time to mentally plan your day, week, or projects, jotting down ideas in a note-taking app, or use waiting time (like at the doctor's office or in line) to update social media, reply to messages, or engage with online communities.
9. What Can You Do With and Without Your Kids Around?
Identify which tasks you can do while your kids are around and which require focus and calm.
With those insights at hand, optimize your schedule as much as possible to boost your productivity. your activities Provide tips on identifying tasks that can be done with your kids and those that require focus.
Creating a Positive Feedback Loop
10. Rest
Repeat after me: Rest is productive!
‘Instead of asking ‘Have I worked hard enough to deserve rest?’, I’ve started asking ‘Have I rested enough to do my most loving, meaningful work?’’ - Nicola Jane Hobbs
Often it’s easier said than done and it’s a habit we may need to learn by scheduling in downtime. The payoff is often significant. When we’re rested, we:
end up being more productive,
can reason better, and
come up with more creative and resourceful solutions to daily challenges we’re facing (Source).
And it’s not all about napping or sleeping more and better. Resting can fall into the physical, emotional, and mental categories, with social rest being another significant area.
Plus, rest doesn’t have to be static either as walking outside in nature for instance counts towards being rested in an emotional, mental, and social way.
11. Align Tasks With Goals And Values
By working on the things that truly matter and make a difference to you, you’ll end up being more productive as you notice the positive impact your activities have.
Take a look at what’s on your list of action items and see if they:
align with your bigger picture,
are essential so you’ll get paid, stay safe, fed, and happy,
get you closer to your goals and align with what’s important to you.
This is where you set your people pleasing and perfectionism tendencies to the side and edit your to-do list to prioritize, delete, delay, delegate, or add.
12. Celebrate Wins
Celebrating your wins, no matter how small, is crucial for staying motivated and enhancing your overall satisfaction and happiness with life.
Research shows that acknowledging these successes triggers the brain’s reward system, releasing dopamine and reinforcing positive habits.
This creates a powerful sense of accomplishment, boosting both your confidence and belief in your abilities making it more likely for you to get back to your to-do list and approaching the tasks with a sense of enthusiasm. This in turn has a positive impact on your productivity levels.
By taking a moment to recognize your achievements, you’re not only fueling your motivation but also setting yourself up for even greater successes. It’s a positive cycle that keeps you moving forward, one win at a time.
Conclusion
As an ambitious, busy mom, balancing all your roles and seemingly never ending to-do lists is no easy task, but with the right strategies, you can boost your productivity and make the most of every moment.
Remember, it’s not about working harder; it’s about working smarter. Experiment with one or all of these smart productivity tips and you’ll be well on your way to achieving your goals, both at home and in your career. Stay focused, stay flexible, and trust in your ability to create the life you truly want.