The Best Simple Tips To Be Productive In Motherhood
Productivity Before Motherhood
One day we are living our lives at what feels like the maximum level of productivity. Our days consisted of checking tasks off of our to-do lists and having time to sit and plan what’s next. It feels wonderful to accomplish and achieve. Then we enter a new phase in our lives-where our lives aren’t our own. Where we feel like we get nothing done. If you’re a new-ish mom, you may be wondering if this lack of productivity, this haze, lasts forever. It doesn’t. You may wonder if things will go back to that normal feeling of doing and achieving that you had before becoming a mom. For me, it hasn’t. It can be even better.
Before I became a mom, I was what I’d consider to be a very productive person. My days were filled with working a full work day in my small pottery business, running a few morning miles with my dog, and having lots of quality time with my husband, my best friend, in the evenings. For the most part, things ran smoothly. I felt proud of myself when I would get something accomplished. Admittedly, I was a bit naïve and thought that having a baby wouldn’t change much other than add a precious soul to the family. We don’t know what we don’t know, ya know? Granted, these are just my own experiences, but motherhood seemed to change everything about what I once did-what I once was.
While it is easy to fight change (I did- tooth and nail), and to grieve a loss of the accomplishment that we once knew, perhaps all we need is a simple perspective change. What we actually need, is to embrace a change in heart. Give both yourself and your little ones lots of grace. Productivity is not lost after you join the ranks of busy moms. It just looks a little (okay, a lot) different. With a little bit of elbow grease, a TON of flexibility, and a love that surpasses all, we can find that productivity is not out of reach. Grab that cup of coffee and let’s get into a few simple changes you can make in your daily life that will have you feeling more productive at the end of the day.
Adjusting to Motherhood
If you are a new-ish mom, a newly minted stay-at-home mom, or a mom entering an unfamiliar season, give yourself time to adjust to motherhood. You might be an expectant mom on maternity leave, a new mom getting used to those early mornings, a working mom that decided to stay home to homeschool your littles-whatever part of the motherhood journey you are in, you are more than likely going to have to make some adjustments. Real life is messy. Motherhood is chaotic. Allow yourself time to welcome or make changes where you need to. Believe it or not, accepting the fact that life now looks like a lot of tiny changes at every stage is the first step to learning how to channel your productivity again.
1. Accept What You Can’t Control
One of the most difficult parts of the transition into motherhood, at least for me, was accepting what I couldn’t control. When you are a very goal oriented person, it can be very difficult to put your own aspirations or goals aside. The world paints our personal goals, achievements, and growth as something that is of the utmost importance. Society tends to champion us living for ourselves. It is quite the switch going from being all about your own interests to fully laying your life down for someone else. I’d even say that a lot of people view this as a demeaning or subservient role, the role of motherhood. This simply isn’t so. You may not feel as “valuable” or “productive” on the world stage, but what you are doing is so much greater than that. You are doing the kingdom work of raising and nurturing a sweet soul, a tiny disciple, someone made in God’s own image.
Jesus himself took up his own cross to sacrifice for others. The Son of God laid down His own life to serve. Motherhood can truly be a trial by fire experience, but it can also be one of redemption and sanctification. If laying our own interests and goals aside helps us to be more like Jesus, then isn’t that so much better than anything that we were trying to be or achieve before?
Albeit, it is anything but easy to die to your own desires. No one understands that better than me. Laying down your life to serve your family and God doesn’t mean that you aren’t going to be a productive member of society anymore. It is going to look different, and far more beautiful than you could ever imagine.
To fully embrace your particular circumstances and embrace this season where productivity looks a lot different, you need to start by accepting what you can’t control. If you find yourself frustrated with your daily routine, or lack thereof, take a few deep breaths. Life will not look the same everyday. Time may feel like it is passing so slowly. You miss the days of checking off the boxes on your to-do list and are struggling with minimal sleep and what feels like zero cognitive function. It sounds counterintuitive for me to say “give in”, but that is exactly what we have to do sometimes.
Giving in is not giving up. It is accepting the moment you are in. The less you fight your circumstances, the easier it is for you to learn to adapt and do things differently. Your children’s needs are now your top priority. They are your ministry. Take the stress off of your mental health by allowing yourself to live freely and unexpectedly in these seasons of motherhood. Letting go of old ideals is hard, but God is replacing them with beautiful blessings you may not see just yet. If acceptance is as hard for you as it was for me, be sure to incorporate this into your daily prayer. Ask the Lord to give you a heart like His. Ask for guidance and help as you learn to serve differently than you once did. Ask for strength as you learn to love someone more than yourself.
Motherhood will change shape as long as we are living. Our productivity will grow or shrink, change forms or even disappear altogether in some seasons. Everything is a season, though, and things don’t stay the same forever. Redefining success and productivity in our own minds can help us thrive in motherhood and still be productive when we need to be (or when we are able). What we achieve doesn’t define us. Even motherhood doesn’t define us. Our identity is found in God and he always provides what we need- even time to be “productive”.
2. Do A Lot With A Little Bit
Now that we’ve discussed the spiritual changes that we must make to be productive as moms, let’s talk about things you can control! It is amazing what a little planning can do to help you chip away at any goals or tasks that need tending. Plan to use those tiny time slots you have when your little one is occupied to do your work. If they are playing with other family members, if it is their nap time, or even if they are self entertaining for a measly ten minutes- use those time slots!!!! This tactic has been such a game changer for me.
Believe it or not, I have had to use several pockets of time across several days to write this blog post. I snuck in a few paragraphs while boiling pasta for dinner, running a bath for my toddler, or while my husband and son played outside. Being productive is still possible for moms. you just have to change the way that you view what is “productive”. We probably won’t have a lot of time to do things at one sitting, but so much is possible if you utilize those little pockets of time. Find those tiny margins of your day and fill them with something that makes you feel like you’re accomplishing something, even if that something is throwing a load of clothes in the washing machine. A fun challenge is to set a timer for five minutes, and see what you are capable of accomplishing! You’d be surprised!
When you are able to find those little time slots between motherly duties, it can be a help your productivity immensely! You just have to set realistic goals. If you know before you sit down that you may, in fact, get interrupted or your little one may not sleep his or her entire nap time, then you are able to minimize the frustration that comes with a shorter time to get things “done”. While household tasks, work, and our own goals or creativity is important, the most important work is our children. When we keep that in mind and couple it with the heart change that we discussed above, we can more efficiently serve God in the areas that He has given us to work in. Honestly, reducing the amount of time that I have to spend on work or other goals has actually helped me to work more efficiently. I waste far less time than I did before becoming a mom and I actually am able to get a lot of work done! You don’t have to have a ton of time. You just need to have intentional time.
You don’t have to be a morning person who gets up at 4am to workout and get all your chores done to be a productive mom. I have a very bright toddler who was a TERRIBLE sleeper the first two years of his life. Do you think I got up at 5 after sleeping two broken hours? No ma’am! I allowed myself to sleep when I could and carved out those little pockets of time for my other tasks because I needed to lean in to my circumstances. Eventually, those circumstances changed, I sleep a little better, and my pockets of time have expanded slightly.
3. Batch Work Similar Tasks
One of my favorite ways to get a lot done in a limited time is to work on similar tasks. For example, maybe you are vacuuming all the rugs in your home at one time or painting a few different paintings at once- like tasks can be worked simultaneously to get a lot done in a pinch! If you are in the early days of being nap trapped, or you’re awake in the middle of the night feeding the baby, you may be thinking that there is no way you can get anything done. I completely get that! It is extremely possible to check off a few to-dos in the haze of that season as well.
As I mentioned before, my little one was not a good sleeper at all. Contact naps were the only rest that we got so I was either napping as well or just sitting holding the baby while he slept. Believe it or not, I actually was able to do a lot of secretarial work that needed tending like ordering groceries online, filing my taxes (YUCK), or even writing. I actually started this blog in the wee hours while taking care of my little one which is why it is called the MIDNIGHT Mustard Seed.
Whether these tips seem too simple or too complicated, just know that you can be a productive mom. Chances are, you already are one! The fact that you are reading this post alone means that you want to be productive, yes, but in the midst of motherhood. You are not abandoning your role as a mom to get other things done. You are trying to accomplish more while fulfilling your God-given role of being someone’s mom. You are caring for your sweet little loves, nurturing your family and those around you.
Being a mom is carrying such a wonderfully heavy load. It looks like wearing ten different hats in the span of just a few minutes. Rest in the fact that even if you don’t get anything “extra” done, you are accomplishing so much. I know you want to be productive on your own terms, but we have to keep our eyes up. We have to look at the big picture. Lean on the Lord in all circumstances, because the truth is, whatever we do or accomplish will never be “enough”, but He is enough to sustain us in all seasons.
I hope these simple tips find you wherever you are and bless you on your motherhood journey. While these tips work great for me, they may not be for everyone. Don’t be afraid to be flexible and try different things. I know you will find that sweet spot where you feel like the productive mom you dreamed you’d be! I’m right there with you in the trenches. What a beautiful gift this journey is.
