Three Things for Moms to do Daily for Productivity, Find Confidence and Save Sanity

Every mom understands what it’s like to feel overwhelmed. We are responsible for so many things, and we can’t keep track of our priorities. Why are we so busy, but we still feel like we just can’t get anything done?

Momming is hard.  It’s all the time. It sucks the life out of us, and we don’t know how to get relief. Rest seems only to come when they go to bed.  But even then, we don’t go to bed ourselves or take the time to refuel. Me? I play catch up on the laundry and then fall onto the couch and turn on Netflix until my eyelids are heavy. Currently on the series Private Practice.  Highly recommend. I updated this post while adjusting to a new baby (my third!) I needed to get back into a routine, and this post was a great reminder to help me confidently get back on track. I was glad to find the three things I need to do daily to save my sanity and feel productive.

1. Write down your tasks.

Are you a list maker? Unloading your brain and crossing things off is gratifying and helps to keep you on the ball and get stuff done. 

Or do lists annoy you? They can be another overwhelming reminder that you have too much stuff to do, not enough time, energy, or help. Maybe you’d rather have a glass of wine and light that list on fire for ambiance.

I’m somewhere in the middle.  Like, on the journey of becoming organized but still the sexy train wreck.  I have found the trick is making small lists.  You’ll feel much more confident knowing you only have a few things to do rather than twenty. Another hack: write down things you already did, just so you can cross them off! So satisfying.

2. Get specific and only pick three things.

Do this before you go to bed: make your to-do list for the next day.  List your top 3 priorities. Leave that list in your kitchen or office or somewhere other than your bedroom. Now your thoughts should be somewhat straightforward, and you can confidently close your eyes until morning or until a screaming child wakes you. I also recommend keeping a pad of paper by the bed if something pops into your head as you’re trying to sleep.

But what if the next day, that top 3 get derailed?

This is a frequent story in my life:

Top 3 for tomorrow:

1. Get work done

2. Laundry

3. Workout

Reality:

1. Got work done

2. Laundry Played referee with children all-day

3. Workout Fed offspring and kept them alive

This was defeating.  I would end my day in tears, begging my husband to put them to bed without me so I could go for a walk by myself. Then, when all was quiet, and I had nothing left to give, he would ask me, “How was your day?”  What a freaking loaded question. 

I would unload about my crumby day where I yelled, sent children to time out at least three times, was exhausted from getting up twice last night with the toddler (something my husband heard for the first time because he had slept through).

And then he would hug me and thank me for the beautiful supper I made.  And thank me for getting the dog out for a walk. And he was glad that I went for a walk and took some time to refresh me.  

Unloading all the disappointment went from me venting about what went wrong, into him celebrating that things that went right. For my sanity, I needed to focus on something different than what wasn’t getting done.

3. I counted my wins.

I had gotten my work done.  

I had made all the meals.  (I am not shaming takeout or premade. We try to limit ourselves both for health and for the budget.) 

I went for a walk with the dog (Triple threat: exercise, dog exercise, time alone)

I got the garbage and recycling out on time. 

I spent some quality time on the phone with my sister that day.

I also vacuumed the main floor. 

So instead of feeling defeated about the two things I didn’t get done, I felt empowered about the 6+ things I DID get done.  

How often do you respond like this?  

• Get down on yourself for what you didn’t get done.

• Feel defeated because you didn’t live up to some expectations.

• Focus so much on that defeat that you gave up.

Let’s shift. Let’s look at all the beautiful things you did right today. 

Apply it in your own life: Take out your phone or your journal or planner or whatever you do in your life to record information. Make your next-day list. Narrow down to your top 3 priorities. Record your wins every day.  

And if it has indeed been a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. Suppose there was a death or trauma. Or no possible way you can look up. Hang in there. Let’s start again tomorrow. 

If you feel like you have more bad days than good and you need someone to cheer you on, book a free call with me. Let me be on your side. I will be your cheerleader.