Being a first time mom is NOT easy. Heck, just being a mom is not easy!

Here are a few strategies you can use to save you time (and sanity, because we all need it).

1. Get up 20 minutes before baby does

If you are like me, and have a small baby at home who does not sleep through the night, this idea may seem unattainable due to the lack of sleep you’ve been getting. However, I promise you it will change the way your entire day will flow.
I get up 20 minutes before baby does so that I can have time to myself. As a new mom whose husband travels 100%, you might as well call me a single mom who also works full-time. To keep my sanity, I wake up 20 minutes early to have “mom time” which includes sipping my hot coffee during sunrise, but more importantly, allowing me to truly be in the PRESENT. Being in the present, and focusing on yourself for that mere 20 minutes to think about everything you are grateful for, or how on earth you have the sweetest baby in the world when college seems like yesterday is so important. It will automatically give you a different perspective on your day rather than waking up to a hungry baby, and focusing all of your efforts on your baby and work.

In that 20 minutes, you can also pick up your house, organize your closets, or do anything you need to that will eventually save you 5 minutes later!

With a clear mind comes a clear day.

2. Pump while getting ready or feeding the baby

This was HUGE for me as a new mom. I was SO tired from pumping, then bottle feeding, then pumping, then bottle feeding that I barely had enough time to wash those (godforsaken) bottles.

I finally figured out a way to hit two birds with one stone. One morning, I woke up, and literally had 45 minutes to get ready. Knowing that feeding took 30 minutes and pumping took 15 minutes, I would be going to work in my pajamas.

In a desperate attempt to save time, I put my baby in the bouncy chair on my bed, sat by him and hooked up the pump, and bottle fed him while I pumped. And guess what? I still made it to work on time.

To tell you that I was AMAZED was an understatement. That pure trick right there gave me 4 hours of time back in my week! Boom.

3. Tell your time what you want it to do!

Uhm excuse me? Life is not happening to you, it’s happening FOR you. Make time work for you!

In that 20 minutes of morning “Mom Time”, I RPM my day. In simple terms, I have an 8×11 sheet of paper that I write down every single hour in 30 minute increments.

I then pencil things in to each 30 minute time frame of items that I would like to get done, or accomplish.

Guess what? You now have a snapshot of your ENTIRE day and how it’s going to go. You are in charge of your day right then and there. You just told your day what you are going to do instead of going to bed that night wondering where in the hell that day went.

I also copy this schedule into my iPhone calendar and set alerts to notify me of when I need to be completed with a specific task. So handy!

Go momma, go!

4. Dedicate People to Do Things for You

How often do you tell yourself “I don’t have time” or even hear others say they don’t have time? I absolutely hate that saying. You ALWAYS have enough time, suck it up, Sally. But, time is money, right? Take 30 seconds and ask yourself “how much time did I have to take last week to clean my house/go grocery shopping/meal plan/mow my yard?” If your answer is “too much”, then you better be hiring someone to do that work for you.

I hadn’t realized how much effort I was putting into this until after my husband was traveling 100%. He was the one in charge of keeping the outside of the house looking nice, and I was responsible for the inside of the house (cooking/cleaning/groceries). With him being gone Monday-Friday, we found ourselves taking 10 hours on Saturday to do all of that, and that took time away from investing in us, as a married couple, and in spending time with our little baby.

To get those 10 hours back, all we had to do was pay $100 for a house cleaner ($50), grocery delivery ($12), and yard mower ($40).

What have been the best time-saving strategies for you? Please share in the comment section!