It’s not easy being a working mum! Juggling work and family life can be stressful on many levels, especially when it comes to planning meals, saving time or money. But don’t worry because help is at hand! In this article, we will cover how you can make life easier as a working mum by saving time, money and stress in your life.
How to make life easier for yourself as a working mum
I’m a single working mum and I have two young boys. I’ve created a life for myself where I can work from home, which makes it easier for me and the boys. There are countless ways in which you can try to make life just that little bit easier and below I’ve listed my favourite ways on how to make your life easier as a working mum.
Making meal planning easier as a working mum
There are so many things to think about when you’re a working mum, from work to family, and from housework to errands. Meal planning is often just another thing on the list but it doesn’t have to be. Playing around with meal prep can save you a long list of tried and tested meals. As the name suggests, this is not a recipe based section, this is about trying different ideas, all with a view to making your life as stress-free as possible. Think about it, if meal planning happened before the chaos of everyday life, you wouldn’t have any stress as a working mother! Having an hour or so free to throw in some tasty recipes isn’t rare at all. So stop stressing out about it all. But take a little time to plan ahead by planning a few sample meals, try some new recipes and save yourself some stress on busy mornings.
You could even try batch cooking meals or using a slow cooker. There are so many possibilities when you take the stress away from the kitchen and mealtimes.
Saving time as a working mum
As a working mum, you need to be smart about the way you use your time. Here are a few things you can do to save time during the day:
1) Use your commute to get a head start on the day. Instead of turning on the radio, listen to podcasts or audiobooks during your commute.
2) Set up a cleaning schedule. I find doing a little bit each day means by the weekend the house has been kept pretty clean and tidy. It also means you are not spending your weekends or any days off spending it tackling chores.
3) As mentioned above organise your family meals which will save you time overall. Have breakfasts and lunches organised and if your children are old enough they can then grab everything they need and even put their lunches in their school bags. Doing this will allow you the chance to focus on more critical tasks such as completing tasks, writing reports, making decisions and weighing up options.
Saving money as a working mum
As a single mum, there is only me to manage the house, kids, work etc. I have to do the school run, the dinner, the cleaning, and the washing. It is pretty much a full-time job, and then you have your work/own business on top of this. Saving time and money can be the key to saving some money.
Meal prepping can really help save money too. How? Well, if you decide on your meals and then go shopping (online or in-store) you have fewer chances to just pick up food you don’t actually need and cut your shopping bills down.
For other ways to save money as a working mum, you should sit down and look over your finances. Can you save money by switching bill providers? Or by making your own lunch instead of buying lunch while at work. All these little things can add up to a decent amount of savings.
Yes, it can be a pain to sit down and sort through things but once it’s done you could check bi-yearly to see if any more savings can be made.
Stress relief for mums who work outside the home
If you’re a mum who works outside the home, here’s a stress relief tip: take a walk around the block with your baby (or by yourself). Studies have found that even a two-minute walk helped cut short the high levels of daily depressive symptoms. Previously, the researchers found that walking helped mums feel better in the immediate aftermath of childbirth.
Any exercise and movement in general works for the body and mind — after all, it is essential for feeling better. But there are sounds and colours you can try to create positive feelings which make life so much easier: This one is the easiest to do but the quickest — just print a motivational poster. You can hang it on your fridge or kitchen cupboard and add a cute, cheerful quote to boost your mood. At the same time, you will also feel better in your body and mind.
Do something you love, get a babysitter or take a break during your working day to have some self-care and take care of YOU! You won’t regret it and it will stop you from getting mum burnout.
There you have it, several ways to make life easier as a working mum. You are strong, so let’s hustle!
Are there any things you have done to make your life easier as a working mum? Let me know in the comments below.
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