Here's a basic fact about mom life: It is BUSY. Between caring for the kids, handling our share (or more than our share, if we are being honest) of domestic tasks, having a job, trying to take care of ourselves, and trying to maintain and sustain friendships and something that looks like romance (and not just roommates) with our partners, it can sometimes feel impossible to get everything done.
Spoiler alert: It is impossible to get everything done, every day.
But that doesn't mean that we don't try or that we stop looking for ways to make the load a little easier. This is why we were psyched to get tips from other moms about the small daily habits that help make their lives feel a little bit more manageable. From finances to food to fitness, these are some smart tips from other moms that we are totally planning to steal!
More from CafeMom: It's Time To Stop Pretending the 'Invisible Work' Moms Do Never Wears You Down
Extra Bags for Gym Clothes
"Going to the gym is my major form of self-care so I make it easy on myself by having multiple gym bags all packed with clothes and shoes so I don't accidentally forget to leave my stuff in the morning rush. I keep one bag in the car, one bag at work, and one bag by my dresser. If I use the stuff in one of the bags, I put the empty bag right by my car keys so I remember I need to fill it back up and return it to either my car or the office." – Tisha S., Nebraska
Saying No to Breakfast Requests
"My kids' school has free breakfast and lunch for all kids, so one thing I do pretty much is say 'no' to special requests from the kids for breakfast or lunch. They can eat at school and I get 30 minutes back in my day. I do set out a bowl of cashews and some bananas for anyone who wakes up hangry and can't wait until school to eat. But I am fully out of the lunch-making game now and it is nice to have one less daily task to do." – Amanda S., California
Daily Uniform
"I wear a uniform every day: black pants, black shirt, and then something colorful on top and fun shoes (I have 20 pairs of Dansko clogs in all sorts of colors. They are kind of my signature). It makes laundry easy and is one less decision I have to make every day." – Leslie B., Vermont
Sleep is Non-Negotiable
"Sleep is not negotiable. I cannot manage on minimal sleep any more. I've learned in nearly 53 years that I can finish (fill in the blank) tomorrow but I will not be able to function without sleep." – Jessica G., Minnesota
More from CafeMom: 10 Tips To Building a Better Sleep Routine
Skip the Folding
"We are a blended family with six kids from 17 to 3 years old. One of my rules or habits, I guess, is that I don’t do laundry for anyone who is in middle school or older. Including my husband! I also don’t fold kid laundry. Their clean stuff stays in a laundry basket in their room and they can grab stuff out of that. It saves so much time, especially since laundry is a daily chore in a house of eight people." – Kim J., Arizona
Morning Me Time
"After I drop my kids off at school, I have about 20 minutes of extra time before I have to leave for work. I used to just go straight to work but now I stop at a local coffee shop, get a drink, and play my daily word games (Wordle, Connections, etc.) before I go into the office. It's such a nice routine and helps me relax between the crazy of getting kids out the door and the crazy of work." – Danielle R., Texas
Family Calendar Check-In
"This is weekly, but we use it daily. Every Sunday I write out everything we have happening that week on a posted paper calendar including what we’re having for dinners. We all check it in the morning and helps us all be on the same page and then someone can start dinner if they are home first. With five people and lots of activities, work — it is the one thing keeping us on the same page." – Colleen C., Minnesota
Run the Dishwasher Every Night
"We have a small kitchen so we lose all the counter space when dishes pile up. One habit I have is that we run the dishwasher every night, no matter what, and then my husband (who is the first one up) unloads it every morning before he leaves for work. That way we can always load dishes as we go during the day and the kitchen counter stays clear for meal prep." – Jenny R., New York
Move Every Day
"I'm a better human and mom when I get some movement in every day. I use my Peloton app every single day, whether it is for a 10-minute yoga class or a more intense workout. The app counts my streak of workouts and I like seeing that grow. I'm currently on a 184-week streak!" – Jessica F, Colorado
The 10-Minute Timer
"After dinner, I set a timer for 10 minutes and everyone has to clean something up. That could be loading the dishes or cleaning the table or wiping down the counters or picking up toys in the living room. Nobody gets dessert until the timer dings! It just helps to keep the daily chaos in control and makes sure that everyone knows that keeping the house together is everyone's job, not just mine." – Rachael M., Ohio
Making the Bed
"This is a small thing, but making my bed every morning is one of my best daily habits. It makes me feel like my bedroom looks tidy and makes the bed more inviting at night. I also sometimes end up taking Zoom calls in my room, so I never have to worry about it looking messy in the background." – Casey C., Washington, DC
Hydration Station
"I have this pack of glass refillable water bottles and I fill them up each night before I go to bed and aim to drink five of water and one of green juice every day. I feel taken care of when I open the fridge and grab a new cold one throughout my day!" – Wren T., California
Daily Self-Love
"Literally the ONLY time I'm ever alone in the house is the 15 minutes between when my kids leave for the bus and I have to leave for work. I take advantage of that and have a standing daily check-in with my vibrator. Starting the day with an orgasm is the way to go, honestly. I'm more relaxed and start the day in better mood and I can get myself off in five minutes or less, so I still have time for a cup of coffee afterwards." – Name withheld by request
Making the Drive Better
"I have a pretty gnarly commute to work. Between dropping the kids off at school and then getting into the city, it can take me close to 45 minutes on a good day and over an hour on a bad day. I used to listen to the news and then I realized that it was kind of a bummer to start my day hearing about all the worst things happening. Now I listen to an audiobook instead, and my mood is so much better. It makes what can be a stressful part of the day into something I actually kind of look forward to." – Patience H., Georgia
Skipping the Drop-Off Lane
"The parent drop-off lane at my daughter's school is a circle of h—. People don't follow the rules, it can take forever to get through and back out of the parking lot, and I end up wanting to flip off other PTA mothers who are taking a million minutes to say good-bye to their kids. I solved this problem by letting my daughter out of the car a block away from the school and skipping the drop-off lane entirely. She's 10 years old; there is no reason she can't walk a block and save me 20 minutes of aggravation!" – Robin C., Iowa
No Shoes in the House
"I have a very strict no shoes in the house policy, so I had shoe racks installed on our enclosed front porch. Not only does not letting people wear shoes in the house cut down on how dirty my floors get, it also means that we don't lose shoes. Everything from soccer cleats to snowboots are on the porch, no exceptions. I will note that during the summer this sometimes means my porch smells like feet, so I do light a candle or spray some Febreeze out there almost every day." – Olivia T., Minnesota
