Moms

If you normally start your day with a huge to-do list just to end up with most of the tasks unchecked, you are not alone. The good news is that you can learn and apply these quick strategies to help you increase productivity.

I don’t want to waste your time so, let’s go over each of these three productivity strategies. Don’t have time to read it right now? Don’t worry, pin it for later!

Note: This post contains affiliate links. Read my full disclosure for information.

Increase Productivity: 3 Strategies to Get Results

Productivity Strategy 1 – Create an organized task list

To increase productivity, we need to start with the basics: create a task list.

The reality is that there will always be many tasks added to our calendars for our kids, family, friends, and even the community. The key is not to do everything that comes up but to take care only of the tasks that we really need to take care of and in the correct order.

Start by creating a list of tasks or projects that you need to tackle for the day, week, or month. Arrange those tasks in order of importance and urgency because it helps you stay on top of important tasks that require your immediate attention.

You are the only one who can determine the importance and urgency of the tasks. Once you finish grouping similar tasks together, you will be able to see what exactly needs to be done and when.

There are different ways to create a task list, so let me go over that with you.

These tools help you create a task list:

– Use a task list template

Creating an organized task list should only take a few minutes and can save you more time down the road.

The easiest way is to grab any piece of paper and write down all of your tasks. Just make sure to put those tasks in order from the most important and urgent to the least important and least urgent. You can easily do that by assigning a number or a letter next to each task.

I find it easier to use this type of master task list for different reasons:

• easier to group the tasks based on importance and urgency
• better to visualize all the tasks
• a faster way to add new tasks that you overlooked without having to re-do your list
• keeps all the tasks more organized!

– Download these task list apps

If you prefer to use your phone, here are a few task list apps:

• Todoist – In addition to adding your tasks, it has a feature called shared projects where you can delegate tasks. Plus, you can track your daily progress and access this app from different devices.
• Tasks – Not only can you add your tasks, but you can also add details to those tasks, organize them, prioritize them, and even sort them into lists.

Productivity Strategy 2 – Use the time blocking technique

In case that you haven’t heard of this productivity strategy before, let’s start from the beginning…

What is time blocking?

Time blocking is a technique where you block a period of time on your calendar to take care of a task or group of tasks. You have to treat all your tasks as doctor appointments, company meetings, or vacation and schedule them on your calendar too. In other words, every day you assign a time to each of your tasks or projects.

Although I am focusing more on tasks and projects, make sure to schedule some time to eat, sleep, take a break, and even have fun too.

It’s something that I used a lot while working in Human Resources. I scheduled a time to review resumes, process payroll, conduct regular meetings, prepare the material for orientations, create training modules, and more.

Sometimes as moms, we keep doing what’s on the to-do list and we don’t realize that blocking different times would help us manage our lives better.

Time blocking simplifies your days in different ways:

• It reduces the time spent shifting from one task to another

You already have a schedule of what needs to be done which means that once you complete the task, you know exactly what comes next.

• Time blocking puts limits to complete your tasks

It can help you reduce distractions, too. Since your time for each task is limited, you would not be wasting your time on other tasks that are not related to the task that you are working on. When you start working on a task, you should know exactly how much time you have planned for that task. This should help you reduce, or better yet eliminate, the amount of time wasted on non-related tasks.

• Helps you focus better

Your focus should increase due to several reasons. As I mentioned before, the limited time assigned to each task helps you reduce distractions and as a result, you should focus better on what you are supposed to do. Also, having a planned schedule stops your mind from wondering about what needs to be done and helps you focus more on your actions.

There are different ways to do time blocking

Some people set a few hours aside to take care of a group of tasks. In that case, your time blocking will look something like this:

Another option is to block time for each task which is the method that I use. In this case, you estimate the time needed to complete the task and then you block the time based on what you estimated.

Start adding your important and urgent tasks on your calendar. Then, continue adding those other tasks that are not as important or as urgent as the previous ones. That’s why having an organized task list makes time blocking a lot easier and faster.

Here is an example of a more detailed plan:

This is something that I do every night and it helps me have a clear picture of what I need to do the next day. Using time blocking gives me some sense of control and makes my day go smoother. Especially because I know that If I get behind on a task, it would make it more difficult to follow the rest of my schedule and complete my daily goals.

But, don’t get frustrated when something unexpected happens. If it happens, adjust your schedule as soon as everything goes back to normal.

Time blocking is great for overachievers who normally create a long to-do list to complete in a few hours. It helps you be more realistic when planning your days because you can see how much you can really accomplish based on your other responsibilities.

As with anything else, while performing time blocking, choose the option that works best for you.

Check out these helpful time blocking tools:

– Time blocking planner

Even though there are many planners out there, it’s important to use a productivity planner that can help you achieve your daily goals while also using the time blocking technique.

The planner that I have been using works great for me. It doesn’t have times printed on its pages but it allows me to customize the weekly pages based on my needs. Right now, I add a daily schedule from 7 am to 10 pm and I still have room for additional notes.

Examples of time blocking planners:

• inkWell Planner – I use (and love) the Classic weekly planner. Now, they launched their new 360 disc-system which allows you to customize it in the way you want it.
• Day Designer – it has different designs to choose from
• Panda Planner – It’s a popular planner and since it’s undated so you can start using it at any time.

– Time blocking template (printable)

If you don’t have a planner, the time blocking templates are a great solution. For example, this daily planner has several sections on the left side to help you decide what needs to be done on that day. Once you are done, follow the time blocking technique by scheduling those tasks on the right side of the printable. It’s that simple! Click here to see it.

– Time blocking app

• Time Tune

This time blocking app works as an electronic planner and helps you create routines, add daily activities, and set up notifications. You can also add your events very similar to the way you do it in google calendar. I like its features such as the daily timeline, tags, notifications, and reminders.

– Time blocking calendar

• Google calendar

This electronic calendar is a great option to stay organized and, in this case, to block your time. You can also set alerts and even color code your tasks by family members, importance, or task type. To stay on track, I use the Google calendar in addition to my planner.

• Trello

This tool is pretty much a combination of a time blocking app and a calendar. Even though it’s a tool intended for collaborations or people working together, you can still use it to organize different projects in your life. Its popularity keeps increasing due to its convenience, easy use, and modern features. Plus, you can access it from your phone or computer.

Productivity Strategy 3 – Keep a habit tracker

Forming a habit is another way to increase productivity. But sometimes, bad habits are hard to break, and new habits are hard to create too. Even popular habits such as drinking more water or doing exercises are hard (not impossible!) to commit to for a while.

To increase your productivity, you may also want to create habits such as using your planner daily, planning your day or week in advance, writing 500 words every day, completing your top three daily goals, or even creating products for your store on a regular basis.

Keep in mind that it’s easier to start with small or mini habits. This will keep you motivated during the process and increases the chance of forming a new habit.

In addition to starting small, make sure to track your habit. Tracking your habits is the best way to see your real progress and lets you evaluate how successful you have been. As human beings, it’s normal to overestimate our actions and think that our performance is a lot better than what it really is.

To successfully achieve goals or complete projects, we need to know how we are truly doing. A habit tracker can show us that information. And, of course, here are some tools for you.

These tools help you track your habits:

– Habit Tracker Printable

You can use a habit tracker printable to track your progress. To keep you motivated, choose a format that fits your needs. It could be weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, etc.

– Habit Tracker Apps

There are different habit tracker apps available too:

• Habits

The Habits app is very easy to use and allows you to set reminders. You can also see the history, strength, best streaks, and frequency.

• Habit Streak

This is another easy app that you can use to mark the number of days that you completed the habit. It has a free version as well as a paid option which includes extra features such as getting an analysis, exporting and importing history, sharing your progress, and setting reminders.

• Habit Bull

This habit tracker app is more colorful. You can set reminders and notes too. Unlike other apps, it sends you notifications that are more informal and even funny at times.

It’s your turn to increase your productivity

As you noticed, those three productivity strategies are not complicated or lengthy. Instead, they are quite simple and easy to follow too.

Applying those strategies in your life should not only help you increase productivity, but you should also see a difference in your “to-do list” at the end of the day. You should be spending less time between tasks and focusing more on the tasks that really matter to you and your family.

By the way, make sure to download the productivity guide that has more productivity tips for you.

Which strategy do you need to implement? Or, which other strategy are you using right now? I would love to hear about it. Let me know in the comments below!

Additional Productivity Resources

• Free Resources Library for Busy Moms
• 5 Common Productivity Killers for Busy Moms (and how to eliminate them!)
• Free 7-Day Goal Setting Challenge
• Top 35 Productivity Tips for Busy Moms (achieve more every day!)

Enjoyed it? Please share it with friends

and help them increase their productivity too!

You can’t add more hours to your day, but you can be more productive just by eliminating one productivity killer at a time. Remember that your time is something that will never come back.

Once it’s gone, it’s gone. Forever!

That’s why this post not only discusses five common productivity killers for busy moms, but it also provides you with solutions and resources to help you maximize your time and days.

As moms, we already have too many things on our plates. We help our kids with their homework, take them to extracurricular activities, attend games, and watch concerts, among many other things.

That’s why it’s so important to improve our productivity. That way, we can still achieve our tasks and goals.

Quick Note: This post contains affiliate links. Read my disclosure for more info.

Quick note before moving forward, as a Mom Succeeds reader you can:

Save 97% on this productivity bundle for busy moms!

Productivity Killers & How to Eliminate Them

Productivity Killer #1 – Believing the myth of multitasking

For years, we have been told to multitask but studies have shown that multi-tasking is not the best approach towards productivity. There are two main factors involved, focusing and switching tasks.

When you multitask, you are not giving your full attention to any of the tasks you are working on. That means that it takes longer to complete each task since your brain continues switching from one task to another.

A study shows that switching tasks can decrease your productivity time by up to 40%. In other words, if you are multitasking to be productive, you must realize that you are achieving the opposite.

Switching between simple and familiar tasks may not seem like a big deal. For example, you probably won’t notice it much if you are making your bed while on the phone having an informal conversation with a family member.

But, the story may be completely different with more complex tasks.

Just imagine calling your insurance company regarding an expensive procedure not covered by your plan while cooking a broiled double-thick lamb rib chops with slicked-up store-bought mint jelly sauce, for the first time! You would probably have to call the insurance company back or stop working on the recipe until you are done with the call. By the way, that’s a real recipe that you can find here.

After all, multitasking is a huge productivity killer. It takes you longer to complete tasks, your focus decreases, and the probability of making mistakes increases, affecting the quality of the results.

Before going to the solution, check out this short video about what happens to your brain while multitasking.

Solution:

Start by focusing on one task at a time. Once you complete the task that you are working on, then move on to the next one. Then, start the next task, complete and repeat. Plan your day (discussed under productivity killer #2) and keep a master task list to help you keep track of what needs to be done. A great resource is a book called The One Thing which covers the disadvantages of multitasking and the benefits of focusing on one thing at a time.

Learn more about The One Thing Book>

Productivity Killer #2 – Not planning your day

Not planning your day has several disadvantages. When you start your day without knowing what to do, it’s easy to get caught up on everything and any little thing that comes your way.

Life is not perfect and last-minute things will occur often. But, when I plan my day the night before, I achieve more. That’s because planning your day gives you purpose and direction so you can focus on what’s really important to you.

You may choose to plan your days in the morning, but doing it the night before gives you the advantage of knowing exactly what to do as soon as you wake up. There is no room for excuses. But, the times that I have tried to plan my day in the mornings, I got distracted by other things and ended up not planning at all (and wasting my time ☹).

I am a huge fan of productivity planners to plan your day. Plus, they are like your personal assistant keeping everything organized and in one place.

There are many cute paper planners out there such as the Happy Planner and Erin Condren. However, my favorite is the Classic InkWell Press Planner. I find its layout easier to customize, neater, and more organized. Especially now with their new 360 disc planner. You can take a look at it here.

But, the planner itself can’t do the trick. You must use your planner for it to work.

Motivate yourself, otherwise, you will end up not using it. Start by making it easy for yourself. Get a planner that matches your personality. For example, my brain pictures the tasks better when the week is arranged vertically. It looks more organized and it’s easier for me to quickly understand what needs to be done during that week. If you prefer a daily or horizontal layout, then choose that one instead.

Also, decorating your planner will probably motivate you to use it even more. Add family pictures to make it more personal and decorate the pages based on the season, holiday, and upcoming events. To make it easier for you, I have created a list of 130 free printable stickers to get you started.

Solution:

Get a planner and make it a habit to use it on a daily basis. It doesn’t matter if you choose the Happy Planner, Erin Condren, or the InkWell Press. What really matters is to plan your days.

Learn more about the InkWell Press Planner>

Productivity Killer #3 – Not tracking your time

When you are not tracking your time, you don’t know if you are on track to complete your tasks or meet your deadlines. Even worse, at the end of the day, you won’t know where your time went.

Tracking your time gives you a better idea of the tasks that are consuming your time. Knowing that allows you to make quick changes to be more productive the next day.

Once you start tracking your time, you might find out that you are spending a lot of time on things that will not help you reach what you want in life. For example, you might realize that you are spending too much time watching tv or playing on social media, instead of starting a blog as you wanted for the last two years.

Track your time with productivity apps

RescueTime can help you track your time and it’s available as an app and chrome extension. There’s also Brain Focus Productivity Timer. It’s a popular app that follows the Pomodoro technique.

If you are not familiar with the Pomodoro technique, it was created by Francesco Cirillo in the late ‘80s. The purpose is for you to focus on working on a project without distractions. After choosing a project, set the timer for a 25-minute session.

Once the session is over, you take a short break of 5 minutes. After the break, you start a new 25-minute session until it is time for another quick break, and so on. You have a total of four sessions before taking a longer break of 20 minutes.

Before starting a project, plan how many 25-minute sessions that project will require. By doing so, you are tracking your time and pushing yourself to meet a deadline. If you don’t set a deadline, you will find yourself moving from session to session without being productive.

In my case, I have noticed the difference from when I am tracking my time and when I am just looking at the time itself. I tend to focus better since I am on the clock. When I only check the time, I tend to be more relaxed and as a result, I take longer to complete the tasks.

Solution:

Start tracking your time. You can download one of the apps already mentioned, or you can do it yourself by using a regular timer. But, if you haven’t been tracking your time, I wouldn’t suggest the latter. If you want to learn more about the Pomodoro Technique, his creator just published a book. Click here to learn more.

Learn more about the Pomodoro Technique book>

Productivity Killer #4 – Lack of organization

This year, I am focusing on this productivity killer because there are so many things to learn and it is easy to start collecting articles, books, and magazines.

Disorganization has negative consequences.

That’s why recently, I got tired of a very disorganized area in my house and ended up transforming it into a simple command center for kids. Not only does that area look pretty and clean, but now my kids can easily keep all of their school materials in one place.

Disorganization highly affects your productivity time. Spending time looking for things won’t help you complete your projects on time. And it will get worse if you have to do the work all over again.

Not finding the required tools or materials can delay the completion of the tasks. And that may cause stress, frustration, irritability, and a decrease in motivation to complete the project.

Solution:

There are different solutions depending on your situation. First, go digital or paperless. If you are keeping many newspapers or magazines, try switching to a digital subscription. Make the point to only print what is absolutely necessary.

Second, transfer your documents to your computer. If you are keeping documents such as invoices, think about investing in a scanner where you can transfer those papers to your computer.

Another solution is to designate an area for every item which is something that I am working on right now. If something doesn’t have a “home”, then make a quick decision to sell it, trash it, or to donate it.

Productivity Killer # 5 – Not taking care of yourself

I am pretty sure you saw this one was coming. As moms, we take care of our kids, work, home, and anything else except for ourselves. Just remember, to be able to take care of others, we should take care of ourselves first. Not doing so may result in higher levels of stress, tiredness, and other health issues.

When I do yoga and meditation first thing in the morning, my attitude towards the day changes. I see myself more focused, patient and handling unexpected challenges in a better way.

Every day, set aside some time where you can get involved in activities that energize you. You could have a combination of reading, running, and meditation. Just make sure to include at least one activity that keeps you active.

Make it a habit to take care of yourself and follow through. Quitting after few days will just put you back where you started. It’s not enough to choose activities and schedule times, you should track them too.

A habit tracker allows you to see your progress. It motivates you to keep moving forward or shows you that you need to work harder. You can track your habits on your cell phone with apps like Habit Streak, Habit Bull, or Loop.

If not, check your planner for a more traditional pen and paper method. Some planners like the InkWell Press, have dedicated sections to track your habits regularly.

If you don’t have those type of planners, don’t worry because there are other options such as these printables.

Solution:

Decide how you want to start taking care of yourself. Specify the activities and the amount of time you will dedicate to each activity. For example, you could plan meditation for 15 minutes, reading for 10 minutes, and running for 20 minutes.

To make it work, try setting up a specific schedule (for example: from 7 to 8 am). Block that time on your calendar and start a daily morning routine.

As discussed in the book titled The Miracle Morning, having an early morning routine gives you time to take care of yourself and other important projects in your life. That allows you to be more productive before life gets in your way.

Learn more about The Miracle Morning book>

Get rid of your productivity killers

After understanding the five common productivity killers, it’s time to take action. Make sure to choose one productivity killer that you need and want to work on first.

Download the productivity guide and don’t forget to create a plan of what you want to achieve, along with the action items and deadlines.

Remember, not all your days will go as planned but they can be better if you have eliminated those productivity killers.

In the meantime, which productivity killer are you struggling with right now? Leave me a comment!

Additional resources to be more productive

• Awesome resources for moms who are serious about increasing productivity
• 3 Quick Ways to Increase Productivity (get daily results!)
• 35 Productivity Tips for Busy Moms
• Best 30-Day Challenge Ideas to Improve Your Life
• Free 7-Day Goal Setting Challenge