So just over a year ago I became a single mum of 2 children under 3. It was a minefield! And initially I struggled. Every day was tough, but I somehow managed to get through it…

Move forward a year and I am now a full-time working mum and blogger, living with my partner, up to 6 children to contend with and a live-in nanny. My house has over doubled in size and the laundry pile is never ending!

Bizarrely, I am the calmest I think I have ever been in life! I stay on top of the housework and the laundry, and keep track of what all the children are doing. So how have I achieved this? Here are my top 10 tips for busy mums…

1. Start each day with meditation. It has taken me a whole to find something which works for me, but I have finally found the perfect morning meditation which motivates me for the day.
2. Take your time to plan your day. I will give myself 10 minutes in the morning to write up a short “to do” list, which gives me focus for the day, clear goals to work towards that stops me from stressng towards the end of the week when I worry I have got nothiing done. I can space all my tasks out allocating smaller tasks on known busy days and longer tasks on lighter days. This also allows me to group tasks together
3. Action your most difficult task first! If you want to give yourself a boost and proove to yourself you can achieve everything you planned on doing today, then start with the hardest. It’s always the one you want to leave, but if you get it out of the way then it’s done right? No need to stress or distract yourself then for the rest of the day. You can really focus and get the rest of the day done
4. Break the day down into time slots. Some people do this in hourly, some 2 hourly, me I vary it depenndant on my day. I don’t chart it either, like some people do. However I do mark down all my appointment for my day and block the times inbetween that to key tasks. This is similar to the pomodoro method, however I don’t just give myself 20 minutes per task.
5. Don’t try to multi-task. One thing this year has definitely taught me is the less I multi-task the more productive I have become.. I know this may sound a litttle backwards, but by foccusing on one thing at a time I complete more work rather than doing things half heartedly and not really getting anywhere.
6. Stop for lunch!! Have a break more than anything. In having breaks you give yourself a chance to recharge your batteries. If you work and have children, having spare energy is ALWAYS necessary!
7. Take time off social media. I know this can be hard but it is vital! This can be time spent reading, or watching television. Just take the time to recharge a bit
8. Have mealtime with your family. Meal times together I found is so important! It’s a great time to catch up with the chilldren and find out what they have done that day. What is going on at school and with their friends etc..
9. Ensure everyone has a suitable bedtime routine, and that includes you! Yes the children need to be in bed at a certain time, but ensuring you also give yourself enough rest is key. Your planning and productivity throughout the day should allow for a much more relaxing evening and time for you to unwind and set your own routine for beedtime
10. Journal your day out. I always take time to note down and reflect on my day. I now use an app called Youper, and I love it because it has a bit of a conversation with me so I can get my feelings out. I can take the time to be mindful, practise gratitude and log my emotions. I then end my day feeling good about what I have achived and this allows for a much bettter night sleep.

I hope these tips help you make your busy day more productive. If you wish for me to explain any of these tips in more detail then do please let me know and I will do my best to do this moviing forward. Also, I hope that you can see that in the background it is clear you have to put yoursef first because by doing this you can then provide your family with the energy and attention they deserve and need from you.