As a mother, I find life with a little one can be overwhelming even on the best of days. One minute I feel in control of things and the very next I am losing my calm over some trivial matter. Add to that the endless list of tasks continuously doing its round in my head. In my desperation for some semblance of sanity, I resorted to trying out mom hacks. And after some trial and error over the past year, I have found the ones that make my days a tad more manageable in this season of life.
If you are or have been in the same boat as me, chances are that you have done your share of searches on mom hacks on the internet. The virtual world is a wonderful place, especially when it comes to finding solutions to our problems. But there is a catch. Most of the available advice has to be taken with a grain of salt. What sounds good in theory will probably not work in reality.
Related Read: New Mom- Make Your Life Easier With These 10 Apps
So How Are These Mom Hacks Any Different?
Well for starters, these are the 5 mom hacks that I do every day. I am speaking here from raw experience. I have tried many things and zeroed down on these because of 2 simple reasons-
- They are simple and do not require significant changes to my daily routine and,
- They give tangible results
Kind of like the 80/20 principle, you know.
1. Prioritize Sleep
Everyone knows how sleep goes to the back burner when you are a new mom. However, it is absolutely essential to be well-rested before you try to do anything. At least that’s how it is for me. I used to struggle with getting enough shut-eye. After my son went to sleep I would find myself mired in unimportant chores or simply wiling away my time scrolling. The result? A grumpy mama the next morning.
So the most important of the mom hacks I follow is prioritizing my sleep. Since I prefer waking up at least an hour before my kid does, I go to bed early. Another thing that I do is quick naps on days I feel I need extra TLC. I set my timer and nap for 30 minutes with my baby for that quick boost to my energy.
2. Quick Meal Planning
Next on the list of mom hacks that make life easier is meal planning. Now you do not need to go to extra lengths and meal plan like those pros that you see on Instagram. Just make a weekly list of the meals that you want to prepare for your family and do the groceries accordingly. This saves a ton of time.
I keep an excel sheet handy with my weekly menu and grocery lists. I share this with my husband, and then we do our hauls every Sunday. Here are some extra tips that I find to be extremely useful-
- Double your dinner recipes for lunch leftovers.
- Buy ingredients that can be used in multiple recipes.
- If you can spare 30 minutes on the weekend then do some chopping and prepping for the week. I usually chop my vegetables on Sunday evening and boil/steam them if necessary.
- Batch cook things like rice or pasta
- Overnight oats are a lifesaver!
3. Minimize Laundry
We live in an apartment unit with a common laundry area. Hence, I do not have the luxury of a dedicated washer/dryer. However, this has led me to the most unconventional of mom hacks. Even with a toddler, I do my laundry at most twice a week.
Previously we were in an apartment with an in-unit laundry system. I used to do my laundry almost every day. But the number of clothes I washed each time was not a lot. Now, I do laundry twice a week. Sure, the load is higher but it saves me so much time throughout the week.
And if there is an accident or some of my son’s clothes need urgent cleaning, I simply handwash them in the sink and then air dry them.
4. The “Less Than 15 Minutes” Approach
This one is my life mantra. If it takes less than 15 minutes, just do it now.
So often we postpone simple chores that result in a pile load of work at the end of the day. Put an end to that kind of procrastination in your life. If it’s a job that takes less time then just get done with it.
Moreover, this is one of those mom hacks where you can include your little one if they are able to help. Involve them in things like folding away laundry or emptying the dishwasher or even dusting your home. Little ones love to feel a part of things. And this can also be a good opportunity to teach them life skills.
5. Go-To Activities
Let’s face it. Kids tend to get bored. I remember when I was little I used to pester my mom with “what do I do now?” It isn’t really convenient when you desperately need some time for something while your kid is demanding your attention.
For this purpose, I have set aside some activities which I know my son loves. Now, this hack is applicable to moms with kids who are a little older and can spend some time by themselves. Depending on the age and temperament of the child, you can manage to get anywhere between 15 minutes to an hour of time for yourself.
Here are some activities that my 18-month-old loves-
- Playing with large blocks
- Looking at picture books
- Tinkering with his quiet book
If you are comfortable with it, then some controlled screen time also helps in this case.
In Conclusion
Life as a parent can be quite challenging, even on the best of days. A little bit of pre-planning and these mom hacks can make it a tad bit more bearable.
And remember that this season of life passes by too soon. Before you know it you will be missing these days of complete chaos. So soak it up all while you can.
Peace.
Do you have any related experience or story to tell? Please share in the comments below. I would love to hear from you.
