<![CDATA[Efficient Time Management for Moms: 5 Hacks to Get Out of the House Faster]]>

If I can gift you one thing that will skyrocket time management for Moms, it’s to help you get out of the house faster with your kids!

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Busy Moms are constantly racing against the clock, and there is one thing that is ALWAYS especially challenging…

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Getting out of the house in the morning is a monumental task when your kids are involved. You’re trying to put out numerous tantrums, wrestle too-small and mismatched socks onto toddler feet whilst striving to keep everyone on time. Every day feels like the same old battle, am I right?

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Well, I feel you & I’m here for you, so let me share with you 5 valuable tips and tricks to help you streamline your routine and leave the house before you’re toddler has noticed you gave them the red snack box instead of the blue one. Let’s banish the morning chaos and embrace a smoother start to the day. Busy Mums like you and I can master the art of efficiency and conquer those early morning challenges, no matter what carnage your kids throw at you!

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Now, let’s dive in as I share with you my secrets of how to leave the house faster while holding onto your sanity amidst the total whirlwind of motherhood.

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1. Preparation is key.

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If you know where you are going in the morning then make sure you’re prepared the night before. This might mean setting school bags by the front door, filling water bottles ahead of time, and setting everything that YOU are going to NEED to get out of the house somewhere near the door in a safe place.

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Finding a place to set out your house & car keys, purse, or anything else that is essential for you to leave the house, and make sure they are somewhere your kids can’t reach. There’s nothing more infuriating than FINALLY being read to leave the house, only to find that your toddler raided the key pot and has squirrelled away your car keys (been there..!).

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2. Preparing for the unknown

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But what about the times when you want to leave the house on a whim? What about when it’s the weekend and everybody is going nuts and you just need to leave the house immediately and throw the kids at the park?

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Well, think back to the newborn days and the need for a changing bag.

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Designate a bag that has “the essentials” in; a bag that has everything your family needs to be “out and about” with ease. Keep this bag stocked! (And then keep it out of reach of your toddler to avoid it being decimated whilst your back is turned…).

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Things you may want to keep in this bag might include snacks, sun cream, a change of clothes for each kid, wipes, a first aid kit…. whatever helps your family have a smooth trip out, keep some in this bag and grab it on your way out the house, so that all you have to focus on is getting everybody in their shoes and coats (which in itself is no mean feat, I appreciate that).

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3. Routines for everything

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Speaking of wrestling everybody into their essential outer wear, let’s tackle that next.

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Always following the same routine when you leave the house will help young children know what to expect and reduce (I said reduce, not eliminate!) the likelihood of tantrums. Clearly this isn’t an overnight solution, as in order to build a routine it needs to be repeated numerous times to establish it and give your kids the predictability, but before long it will pay you dividends, so persevere with it!

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Decide the best place to help your child to put their shoes on, and always do it here. Decide the order in which things will be done, and always follow that order.

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Oh, and when I say ‘decide’, what I mean is, work with your toddler to discover what works for them, which may take a bit of trial and error.

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Like I said, this isn’t an overnight trick, but your efforts will pay off before you know it as long as you persevere.

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4. Make it fun

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If everyone is having fun then it doesn’t feel like hard work for you, and it doesn’t feel like being told what to do all the time for your kids. This is a more harmonious energy.

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It takes a bit of energy to be cheerful and excitable when you feel anything but, however it takes just as much (if not more) energy to feel frustrated with your kids and end up in an argument with them.

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You know your kids best, so whether you decide to make up songs for leaving the house, or funny little games, just be creative and tailor it to your kids- you got this, Mama.

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5. Fake deadlines

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Shift the clock forward by 10 minutes. If you know you need to leave the house at 9am, why are you aiming to leave the house at… 9am?!

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If you tell your kids (and yourself) that you need to leave by 08:50, you automatically get 10 minutes grace for things to go pear shaped. Being early is rarely an issue for anything, but being late is something that we all fear.

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If you are running ahead of schedule then you are less likely to rush your toddler trying to put on her own shoes, so she is less likely to have a meltdown, and you are less likely to react sharply in response.

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If you do this and you’re still finding yourself out of the house late, then aim to leave 15 minutes early instead, until you find your sweet spot. One day your kids will be old enough that you can start to reduce the amount of extra time you need in the morning, not add to it!

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So there we have it, I hope you can now start to give yourself some space and grace when you want to leave the house with your kids, whether you’re heading out on a whim or for some scheduled plans.

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We all know that leaving the house with kids when you are a busy Mum is a challenge, but I hope that moving forward, you can breeze it!

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