Why all Work-at-Home Moms Should try Time Blocking

With the joys of motherhood, come the challenges. You have to run around the house chasing your toddlers and on top of it the usual chores of the house. Even if you have an older kid, it does not get entirely easier either. The work does get a bit lighter, but not much to make you feel absolutely relieved. So, in a nutshell, motherhood is challenging and time-consuming. There are a million chores and not enough time to get them over with. 

But just as there’s a dark side to everything, there’s a brighter side as well. By the brighter side, I mean the tricks and hacks that can make motherhood manageable and convenient at the same time. 

What I have for you my friend, is the time-blocking trick. To start with the basics, the objective of the time-blocking trick is to schedule and structure your day. It is to divide your day into intervals or sections wherein you focus on one task or multiple tasks of similar nature.  

Having said that, the Time blocking technique (Let’s call it TBT for a while) is packed with benefits. I am going to talk in length about these benefits to give you all the many reasons to use the technique. 

So, let’s begin!

Why all work-at-home moms should use time blocking technique

1.     It keeps you focused

It’s a fact that when you have ample tasks on your to-do list, your attention is bound to be divided. You will do

one thing, and once you are headed towards another one, you would have to wire your brain again to develop different thoughts concerning the new task. Consequently, your focus would get affected, and it may also reveal itself in your output. 

However, when you use TBT and schedule all tasks of similar nature in one slot, you would not have to rewire your brain and thought process. In other words, there will be no break in the chain, and you will continue to perform your best with one chain of thought. 

2.     You have your priorities straight 

Be it in your life, or work, you need to set your priorities straight. As a mother, you have hundreds of things to do in a day. But let’s be honest, you are just a human who can do just enough. In other words, you cannot do

everything and anything. You have to decide what is more important to you, and take them up in a manner in which time allows. The approach makes it easier to know what you need to do first, before doing anything else or doing everything at once.

You can start by evaluating the importance of a task. Ask yourself, can you go by skipping this task for the day, and take it up for the following day? Is it that important? Would the earth come crashing down if you don’t do it for a few days?

Accordingly, set priorities, in fact, make a chart wherein you number the task based on their importance and deadlines. Now what you would have, is the order. (Do not forget that you have to regroup them as well on the nature of their similarity.)

3.     You know when to say no 

The world’s most uncomfortable two-letter word is NO. No one likes to hear it, and it is probably why as mothers,

or as individuals, we are afraid to say it. But just so you know, by saying yes all the time, you are just adding up to your burden. Moreover, you are giving an impression to people that you are gullible and easy, which can make them take you for granted later. 

Just remember that your goal must not be to make everyone happy. You cannot; you have to say no and that might hurt the person, but your desires are as important as theirs, and you cannot always undermine them for the sake of others. 

However, even after this motivation, if you find it hard to say no to people, TBT can help you in this very light. It’s simple, when you have grouped your tasks in intervals and sections, and have a schedule ready accordingly; you cannot pick tasks that would ruin the pattern. In this case, there’s no choice but to say NO.  

4.     Fewer distractions 

We could have been our most productive selves only if we had it in ourselves to toughen up against distractions.

But being vulnerable, lazy, and unfocused, we submit to the distractions and that’s how everything gets sabotaged. 

Well, not anymore. Thanks to TBT because it limits our propensity to get distracted by keeping our line of thoughts aligned. Consequently, we focus and concentrate on what we are doing for a longer time. In addition to that, when we have our priorities straight and know that we have a limited time to get done with the task, we don’t stretch our hand to reach our phone, or whatever it is that distracts us. 

5.     More motivation

When you follow TBT, you have a plan and system, and there’s some kind of satisfaction to work according to our will. This means you are automatically motivated to get done with your goals.

You’re full of enthusiasm, you have that fire to tick–off all the tasks from your To-Do list, you don’t go easy, you don’t feel sluggish; in short, you get done with your tasks without any procrastination.

6.     You no longer try to become a perfectionist 

As they say, perfection is a myth. But even if it’s a reality, it’s not at all sustainable. In other words, you can only

do things perfectly just for a while. You are bound to get exhausted and lose stamina sooner or later. 

However, when you are using TBT, your approach is not to be a perfectionist. You know you cannot go on doing all the tasks at once. You are a realist, and hence you continue doing your tasks according to your priorities. 

In a nutshell, your target is not to do everything perfectly, but to do everything you have planned realistically. 

7.     You push yourself

When you follow TBT, you don’t settle for less. You push yourself to meet your daily targets. Even if it gets hard for a moment, you say to yourself, “No, I have time blocks already set, and I cannot go astray. I have to give all I got.”

Consequently, it helps you everywhere in life. You learn to control your mind and emotions and do not let your thoughts dictate you. You know what you want, and you are firm with it. And you don’t let anything, anyone, or your own brain pull you down. Moreover, it helps you see the bigger picture. When you envision yourself meeting your goals, and eventually do it, you realize it was all worth it because it got you results. 

 

We have now reached the end, but before I ask your leave, dear moms here’s a tip – Don’t be hard on yourself, be flexible. If you did not manage to do everything on a certain time block, it is okay! Move to the next set, and come back to the unfinished one later. 

Feel free to share your experiences with everyone in the comment section. I’d love to read them!