Having the right productivity tools in your toolbox will help you gain momentum in crushing your goals. Here are my favorite productivity tools for moms and a special FREEBIE to help you gain some quick wins.
Bullet Journals
After spending almost my entire life using paper planners that just didn’t work for my planning style and wide range of eclectic responsibilities, I finally landed on the bullet journal. Moms (and especially homeschool moms) will find that the bullet journal mimics life – flexible, DIY, customizable and unique.
Bullet journals are a combination of calendars, brainstorming lists, important information, mind maps, habit trackers, and whatever else you need it to be. You can see some examples of my bullet journal and how it the pages are organized. Learning to use one bullet journal instead of multiple planners, to-do lists and calendars will up your productivity as a mom.
Trello
I know that not everyone loves to be a paper planner. That’s where Trello really shines – especially when you’re managing multiple kids in your homeschool. Trello also works well if you’re managing a team of employees or volunteers.
Trello is a free online list and task tracker that allows you to keep checklists, assign deadlines, and keep all of your data (including graphics or files) all in one place for each job.
We use it to manage our homeschool schedules and my kids love it. It takes less than one hour to plan for our entire homeschool year with Trello and less than 5 minutes every Friday afternoon to reset it for the coming week.
Time Blocking (or Batching)
If you’re not scheduling out your time in blocks, then my guess is you are responding to what’s urgent on any given day rather than moving toward your goals. I think we all have a tendency to do the urgent but not important tasks – especially when we’re the moms, the problem-solvers, and the household managers.
But don’t do it! Don’t get to the end of your day and wonder where it went.
Start becoming a time blocking expert. My favorite book on this topic that will reshape your mindset is 168 Hours (see recommendation below) and once you learn how to block your time, you’ll never look back. Even homeschool moms have time to spend on hobbies, work, volunteering, and more if they become time blocking ninjas. You can too!
Podcasts
While you’re doing mindless tasks like folding laundry or making dinner, listen to podcasts that will give you more strategies for productivity.
Here are my current three favorites in the organization and productivity niche:
Productivity Paradox with Tonya Dalton – It’s not you – it’s the systems that are failing. Productivity Paradox is a weekly podcast specifically designed to give you ACTIONABLE strategies and exercises to help you create a life centered around YOUR own personal PRIORITIES.
Organize 365 with Lisa Woodruff – Lisa Woodruff is a home organization expert,productivity specialist, and author of The Mindset of Organization, Take Back Your House One Phase at a Time. Lisa believes organization is a skill that is developed over time and changes with each season of life.
Before Breakfast with Laura Vanderkam – Start your morning with productivity advice that will take your day from great to awesome. In each bite-sized, daily episode of Before Breakfast, Laura will share a time management strategy or an answer to a listener’s schedule question. The mission is to give listeners practical tools to feel less busy and get more done.
Books
Most of our productivity problems come from having the wrong mindset about time. We complain (myself included!) that if there were just more hours in a day, we’d be able to get it all done.
It’s just not true. If you’re ready for a total mindset makeover when it comes to your time and productivity, then you should get your hands on these two books: 168 Hours and Deep Work.
In 168 Hours, Laura Vanderkam shows that we all have more time than we think and also teaches practical steps for analyzing your current time allotment and then making strategic changes going forward.
In Deep Work, Cal Newport shows us the myth of multitasking and makes a case for getting into a concentrated mental flow to get your best work done and work toward your goals.
Half of the battle is shifting your mindset, the other half is putting it into practice.
Want some help in analyzing your productivity? You can grab a FREE Productivity Analysis Guide at 4onemore.com
Training & Workshops
If you’re ready to take your productivity to the next level, then the New Year, New Beginnings 2020 Conference for Moms is just what you need!
Join us as 50 expert speakers present over 80 practical and encouraging workshops to help you make 2020 your best year ever! The engaging and dynamic workshops will encourage and equip you in the following areas of your life:
- marriage
- parenting/motherhood
- goal setting
- planning/time management
- health/fitness
- finances/budgeting
- household organization
- homemaking
- meal planning/prep
- faith
- family life
- self-care
- and more!
This unique conference is 100% ONLINE {yay for no travel costs or logistics to deal with}. This means you can watch and learn from your home {or anywhere that you have internet access}, in your pajamas, at a time that is suitable for you. Attendees also receive LIFETIME access to ALL conference workshops! This means that you don’t have to feel stressed or pressured to watch as many workshops as you can right now! Watch what you want, when you want, and know that your workshop videos will never expire.
As if all of that isn’t great enough, all conference attendees receive a digital swag bag valued at over $400 which is stuffed full of tools to help you make 2020 as wonderful as you hope it will be.
This conference totally sounds like exactly what you need to make 2020 different than all of your previous years. The conference officially kicks off on 1/6/20, but early bird registration {and the lowest price!} is happening right now!
Find the New Year, New Beginnings 2020 Conference for Moms HERE.
The Ultimate Productivity Bundle
The Ultimate Productivity Bundle 2020 is live today – but only until 1/8! You’ll get access to 12 eBooks, 30 eCourses, 29 workbooks & printables and 2 membership sites worth $2837.06 – but only pay $47! That’s 97% off!
How much is your time worth? What if you could streamline your routines and productivity to gain several hours back into your week! I would say that’s worth $47 or more.
The Ultimate Productivity Bundle will help you in all these areas:
- shifting mindset
- time management
- review & reflect
- overcoming obstacles
- goal setting
- planners
- getting organized
- building routine
Learn About The Ultimate Productivity Bundle!
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Abby is a former public school teacher, now homeschooling her five children. She’s in the trenches just like you and knows it can be challenging to be home with your kids all day while you struggle to keep up with the housework and educate your kids (and maybe even work on the side!). She blogs over at www.4onemore.com and hosts the Homeschool with Moxie podcast.
