How does a busy mom of several young children homeschool, work from home, be a homemaker, and a wife? For one, she doesn’t do everything all of the time, and she doesn’t do any of it perfectly!

The reality is that I can not do all of those things simultaneously … and while I may do some of them interchangeably, it doesn’t mean that I am superhuman. I have just learned to give myself grace during all of the hard seasons of life, manage my time well the rest of the time, and simply LET SOME THINGS/IDEAS GO.

That being said, I do have several productivity tips that I hope will give you some starting points in your own home. Every person/family is so different, but maybe you can tweak my ideas to fit your needs! I am answering the most common questions here!

My Best Productivity Tips – Q&A

What is one time-saving tip that you use personally to free up more margin for the activities and people you love?

• Just one? If I have to choose, I say that creating a natural routine for my family has been a sanity-saver for me. Almost everything is on auto-pilot in my home. This means keeping everything simple and repetitive – meals, homeschooling, chores, and my work schedule. It took me a few years of being intentional in this area, but we have a very productive schedule that is also flexible to allow room for medical/special needs life with doctor appointments and exhausting days.
• So my tip is: to create a natural routine – meaning utilize those things that already happen every day and anchor chores, lessons, etc. to them to be more productive with that time. Write down the routine on a calendar and keep it where everyone can see it until the routine becomes natural. 

What are your favorite productivity tools or services, and how do you use them?

• For homemaking: ordering fresh groceries online once a week with curbside pickup (my dear husband picks it up on his way home from work, so that helps me even more!) and ordering everything else online for home delivery is a great thing for busy stay-at-home moms, Instant Pot for batch cooking (quickly), and my favorite (physical) planner so that I can do a daily/weekly brain dump is a sanity-saver.
• For homeschooling: multi-grade/level curricula so that we can all work together on several subjects. We specifically do this for history/geography/social studies/literature using Tapestry of Grace. Master Books curriculum works great for all subjects/grades as open-and-go style textbooks, and Compass Classroom is great for video-based subjects that require more teacher involvement in high school.
• For working from home/online business: I use SmarterQueue for social media scheduling, ConvertKit as my ESP, hire the pros for techy needs, Canva for photo editing, Easy Product Displays for AD insertion, Lyrical for hosting, and TheHungryJPEG for clipart … to name a few!

What refreshing hobbies or self-care habits have you found that can be incorporated into a busy schedule?

• My morning Bible Study and planning time. I spend about 15 minutes studying the Bible with my husband before he leaves for work; that is a big “self-care” habit I benefit from. After that, I care for my youngest child (he is completely disabled and terminally ill with a feeding tube), make myself a bulletproof protein coffee, do my planning time, and then read the Bible to the older children while they are eating their breakfast.
• Writing is a refreshing hobby-turned-business for me. I thoroughly enjoy writing books, articles, and other content, even if/though it makes me money and is my business now. I work a minimal amount of time and only prioritize dedicated work time on Tuesdays and Thursdays because my family is my top priority.
• Date nights with my husband EVERY NIGHT. Yes, you read that right! We make time every single evening to be together. It’s never fancy dates or much more than sitting/cuddling on the couch, talking or watching YouTube clips, but making sure I have an hour or so to be close to my husband, unwind by laughing, sharing my heart/thoughts, and talking to an adult in person helps me stay sane! After 21+ years of marriage, we have learned what matters (praise the LORD!). These “date nights at home” are something our kids expect/respect (most of the time, ha! We don’t have perfect lives!), and they are put to bed to read/play quietly while we are having our evening date.

How do you use the small pockets of free time throughout the day?

• I grab a few minutes to journal in my bedroom, check my email/social media, or declutter/organize a drawer, etc. Or, sometimes I just use that “extra time” to read to my kids, because that is important to me!

What would you say to someone who feels guilty taking time for themselves, especially when there’s so much to do?

• I believe that we should be responsible stewards of our time, meaning that we shouldn’t indulge or waste our time in anything that is against God’s Word or that is purely to please the flesh/men more than God. So, I think this is an issue of the heart. If “me time” compromises biblical truths, then it IS wrong and we SHOULD feel guilty. However, if it is something that strengthens your faith journey, your role as wife & mother, and is glorifying to the Lord, then do not feel guilty! You can’t feel guilty if you are doing nothing wrong. So, seek the Lord’s direction about this, then rest in the Truth.

Read: How To Date Your Spouse Every Night With FREE Printable Pack 

Read: Homeschool Mom’s Routine Chart With FREE Printable

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