How to Be More Productive as a New Mom
By: Maheen Gulzar
Tags: Motherhood, Productivity, Productivity Tips, Time Management, Moms

Photo by Diana Polekhina on Unsplash

Life as a new mom is full of surprises. It is one of the most exciting times of your life but it comes with it’s own challenges.

It takes time to adjust to your new life with your little bundle of joy. Some days it can feel so overwhelming when there are dirty dishes piled up in the sink, laundry needs to be folded, house is a mess, baby won’t stop crying and you are unable to function properly due to lack of sleep.

My life with a newborn was a chaos too but with time I made some lifestyle changes that helped me become more productive and manage my time in a better way.

I’m sharing some of the productivity tips that I picked up after doing a lot of research, reading many blogs and talking to my friends who are mothers as well.

Have an early start

Mornings are so underrated. I believe how you spend your morning determines what kind of day you are going to have so it’s important to start your day right.

My first tip is to wakeup atleast one or two hours before the baby wakes up so that you can make most of the early hours. You can workout, have breakfast in peace, gather your thoughts and make plans for the day before things start getting crazy around the house.

Even some days when you don’t feel like doing anything, just having some quiet moments to yourself, curling up on the couch, reading a few pages of your favourite book or sitting silently and sipping a cup of tea works like therapy.

Wakeup to a clean house:

It really helps if you wake up to a clean house so that you can have a fresh start the next morning without having to deal with any mess of the previous day.

I hate waking up to a messy home. Dirty dishes in the sink spoil my morning like nothing else, so when I put baby down for the night I try to dedicate at least half an hour to cleaning up all the mess aound the house and meal prepping breakfast. I also put all the things I might need first thing in the morning somewhere accessible.

Make a To do list:

As you are still learning to adjust to your new life with your baby or toddler, that demands your attention 24/7, your mind is all over the place. You keep forgetting things you need to do. Making a to do list of all the tasks that need to be done saves you from so much stress. By transferring all this extra information from your brain onto a piece of paper saves so much of your mental energy that can be used in some other creative activity.

Prioritise tasks

When you make a to do list try to write down all the tasks, even the most mundane ones like doing the laundry, then priortise them according to their importance and urgency. It keeps you from wasting time and energy on tasks that add no value to your life.

Minimise use of devices

A few months back I used to waste so much of my time and mental energy on social media. Every ten minutes I felt an urge to pickup my phone. I was easily distracted by any new message or social media notification. All this extra information that I was feeding my brain on daily basis was so overwhelming and was adding no value to my life.

Minimising use of devices was a major lifestyle change for me. It made my life better in so many ways. I was able to focus on tasks that were actually important. I still use social media, watch movies and play video games but only during the short breaks I take every other hour.

Stay hydrated

Sometimes when we are busy we forget to have enough water which can lead to dehydration resulting in headaches, muscle cramps, lack of energy and fatigue, so make sure to have at least 8 glasses of water per day. Try to have at least two glasses of water first thing in the morning. You can also download a water reminder app to keep your water intake in check.

Ready to go out

When you are exhausted from handling a baby all day then even a task as simple as getting dressed up to go out might feel daunting. So It helps to have 2–3 formal and casual dresses always ready in your closet in case you have to go out.

When you are in a hurry to rush out the door, having a handbag ready ahead of time with all your essentials might come in handy as well. You can also find a makeup look that you can put on in 5–10 minutes.

Eat healthy food

No matter how busy you are don’t forget to take meals on time. Avoid foods that are high on calories but don’t have any nutritional value. Try to go for healthier options like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein meat. Eating healthy has a positive affect on your productivity as well. It improves your sleep and increases your mental energy and alertness as well.

Audiobooks and podcasts

If you love to read and hardly find time for it now, try listening to an audio book or podcast. You can listen to an audiobook while doing any mindless tasks like cooking, laundry or even when you take baby out for a stroll. It makes a task even as mundane as washing dishes kinda enjoyable and if you are prone to anxiety or depression it is a great way to steer clear of any negative thoughts and boost mood.

Self care

Last but not the least, make time for yourself . Ask your spouse or any other family member to take care of the baby for a bit so that you can take some time off to relax. Moms are big worriers so it’s a must to have some down time.

Final thoughts

Motherhood is a beautiful journey, enjoy it without the stress of becoming a perfect mother. Try implementing simple tips like these into your daily life. It takes time to adjust to this new life but you will get there for sure.