Being a mom is hard work – it’s the most amazing job you’ve ever had, but also the most exhausting. It’s deeply rewarding as well, but there are days when you’re simply running on a very low battery. As a working mom with not much spare time, you could feel as if you’re failing at many things, even if you’re not, and even the toughest among us aren’t immune to burnout.

With so many things to do and accomplish, any type of life-saving hack is very welcome! So, here are clever tricks that can make your daily life easier and more manageable.

Set achievable goals

However difficult things may be, it’s important to dream big, but the way to great goals is paved with small stones. Take baby steps and set achievable goals – break them down into doable tasks that will allow steady progress. Otherwise, you will get overwhelmed and start feeling trapped in a cycle of never-ending exhausting routines.

Smaller, more reasonable goals allow you to celebrate each accomplishment and realise how far you’ve come. In return, you’ll feel recharged and motivated to keep moving forward. Instead of feeling like a failure, you’ll be setting yourself up for triumph!

Reduce clutter to streamline housekeeping

Less clutter automatically means less cleaning up. Especially with kids in the house, stuff piles up quickly. So, be more selective when it comes to what stays in the house and what can go. You may not want to go full minimalist, but a major decluttering twice a year will help you reduce the number of possessions and streamline your housekeeping. Whatever you do, just don't allow things to rule your family life. Adopt the "less is more" principle and only keep the stuff that is of the highest quality, most loved and needed.

Establish easy-to-follow routines

Well-established routines can make family life run much smoother and more organised. It’ll also relieve you from the bossing duties. If you install certain habits with your kids early, such as getting up with their alarm, brushing their teeth, and getting dressed, the entire morning routine will run smoothly.

You can do the same with an afternoon routine that would include doing homework, cleaning up the kids’ rooms, and playtime. Kids function much better when there’s a predictable structure, and on the plus side, it will save you a lot of energy.

Get help with meal prep

For most working moms, one of the most burdensome aspects of family life organisation is daily meal prep. There are always some days that are more hectic than others, and you know you won’t have time to cook. It’s frustrating but it’s perfectly fine. Instead of getting frustrated and simply giving up on your meal plans, simply rely on chef prepared meals that will be delivered to your address.

For instance, if you know at the beginning of your work week that you’ll be super busy on Wednesday, pre-order some frozen meals prepared by expert chefs, and enjoy it later with your family stress-free. Your family will still consume quality food instead of unhealthy fast food, and you’ll make it happen without any extra work.

Order groceries online

Many moms swear that the online grocery ordering system has literally changed their lives. Once you try it, you’ll get hooked! First, you’ll be buying less because you’ll be able to track how much you’re spending as you add stuff to the cart, so no more impulsive buys! You’ll be saving both money and time by having your groceries delivered to your home or using online pick-up-in-store ordering.

Create a shared family schedule and calendar

Modern-day family schedules have somehow spun out of control leaving almost no empty slots or downtime. It’s certainly tempting to sign up your kids to numerous educational programmes, but be wary of the effect of it all. Kids need free time to relax, play or simply do nothing. So, leave some empty slots in their schedule, it’ll help the whole family distress.

Another helpful hack is having a shared family calendar. When you share the calendar with your spouse, then you both can see the upcoming events, even if you’ve forgotten to tell each other. You can reserve some slots for self-care and family bonding time such as game nights or family trips. All in all, it’ll help you communicate better and stop you from overstretching yourself to manage everything by yourself.

When you become a parent, it’s important to pick your battles, or you’ll simply burn out. Not everything is worthy of your endeavour. Use the hacks listed here to get as much help as you can, stop wasting your efforts, and devote the extra time you get to your loving family!