11 Tips to Master Being a Hard-Working Multi-Task Mom - Motherhood Life Balance (2024)

If there’s one thing a busy mom knows, she rarely has time to focus her full attention on a single thing. Or a hundred other variations!

Most of the time, you’ll be monitoring the kids while cleaning, checking homework progress while preparing dinner or handling phone calls to see if the kids are doing their household chores.

Being a multi-tasking mom is a part of life, but how do you master it? These tips on being a hard-working multi-task mom will help you make the most of how the human brain works while handling what moms need to handle.

Is Multi-Tasking Good or Bad?

Studies show that multi-tasking can reduce productivity by as much as 40% in some people. While this might be the case for people working full-time jobs, it is something that many moms will be familiar with. There needs to be more time in the day to dedicate all your attention to a single task. You might be doing things slower and less efficiently than you would with a single task to consider. But often, there needs to be a real option involved.

Multi-tasking is inevitable, whether you are a working mom or a stay-at-home mom. The important thing to do is to have a plan for the work you need to do and how to make the most of your time. That way, even if you are multi-tasking, you are following a process that will get the most done quickly. And at the end of the day, that’s all that matters.

Tips to Master Being a Hard-Working Multi-Task Mom

Work on Your Mindset

One of the most important things new mothers learn is that your mindset is a massive part of being a good mom. If you have the right mindset, you will be more in control of your home life and have a better chance at managing your mental health and all of the jobs a mom needs to do.

An important task is to create space in the day for self-care and calmness, where you can step away from all the busyness and take a moment to collect yourself. You’ll also work on the idea that you don’t need to do it all and that you can get help. Even something like a life balance planner can be crucial to organizing what you need to do.

Master Your To-Do List

To-Do lists have fans and people who hate them, but there’s no doubt that they are the best way to handle the demands of your family members and everything you need to do around the house. There’s no right or wrong approach to them, and you can use something like a habit tracker to help you build good habits around your routines. Or a simple notepad and pen will work.

Have a Logic Order to Your Jobs List

Suppose we don’t set ourselves strict rules on what jobs get done when there’s always the urge to do the easy stuff first and leave the hard stuff. And while it is good to tick items off that To-Do list, there’s the risk that the harder stuff never gets done. Time management is essential for the working mother and the stay-at-home mom. So deciding what jobs need doing and creating a logical order for them is very important.

Combine Physical and Mental Tasks

One of the reasons people need help with multi-tasking is that they choose the tasks to do together poorly. Instead, combine physical and mental tasks, such as watching a video tutorial while folding the washing or making a job list while eating breakfast. You can even do things like watch the kids on their bikes while you make a quick phone call to sort out a utility bill or other issue.

Work on Self-Discipline to Follow Your List

Logically making a list is one step, but you must also cultivate self-discipline to ensure you follow the list! It won’t work well if you make a logical to-do list and then randomly pick things to do. Instead, ensure you only focus on a new task when you have completed the one before. A great way to hide other tasks until the current one is completed, so you can’t sneak a peak at what’s next and skip to it.

Cut Out Unnecessary Distractions (Unless They Help!)

Many people love to have the TV playing while doing jobs around the house or maybe have headphones on to listen to music or a podcast while busy with their work day. But make sure that these distractions aren’t interfering with your work hours; if you think they are, cut them out. Make some quality time later in the day to watch your favorite show but avoid it while working on your job list.

Set Yourself Boundaries for How Long Things Will Take

Frequently, you’ll have a good idea about how much time a task will take. Little things can slow it down, or sometimes you get it done quickly. But you can set your goals with confidence in what you get done. Consider how much time you can dedicate to a specific task alongside these goals. This might seem like a lot of effort, but it will allow you to manage your time better.

Work in Small Sessions to Avoid Overtiredness

Everyone has ideal work patterns, and finding yours is essential. Short sessions, such as 15-20 minutes, is a popular option for many but experiment with different time blocks to see what works. Aim to keep them relatively short because this will help you avoid overtiredness.

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help

You may feel that as a strong woman, you must do everything yourself. But you don’t! From your partner or spouse to family members or even close friends, you can ask for help and still be a good mother. That’s because you recognize when you need help and take steps to get it.

Don’t Forget to Leave Time for Yourself

Quiet time when you aren’t multi-tasking is a crucial part of being happy and healthy as a mom. You need to leave time for yourself in your daily routine so you can rest, change your pace and do something you enjoy. Even if you can’t dedicate big chunks of time to it, make sure you give yourself some time each day away from mom and domestic duties.

Move Your Body

You don’t always need formal exercise like going to the gym to move your body, although this is great if it works for your time and household budget. But try to find ways to move around during the day. This will help you stay focused and also has a positive impact on mental clarity. In the end, this can help you get more done.

Mastering the Multi-Tasking Urge

Moms are natural multi-taskers who have a lot to do and know that they need to do more than one thing at a time. But there are still things you can do to improve your abilities and organization so you master it even more. Then you will have more time for yourself to make sure you complete the other important part of being a mom – taking care of yourself!