72 Moms share their best productivity tips

It’s mammoth!!! All Mommas rock!! We are over whelmed with the response we have got to this epic round up post. A big thanks to all for sparing their valuable time and becoming a part of this post.

Some quick facts of this post: 6000+ words of content (tips actually), 72 Mom Bloggers have participated. We have included a few non mom bloggers to moderate the taste of this post as we all know excess of everything is bad!!. 

We are still getting responses from Moms. If you think you have missed, you still got an opportunity. Just send us your tip to tywatson(@) mamaof3munchkins. com alongwith your name and website and inform us in the comments section below, we will update this post after some days and include your tip.

Few takeaways:

We have made great connections with fellow bloggers.

Number of Moms have thrown up different ideas to work jointly on something bigger. If you have got an idea, send us and we will try to work out a way where we can grow together and get benefited both.

A lot of Moms have agreed to write a guest post on our blog and allowed us to have a guest on their blog. If you wanna do the same, please email us.

If you liked our effort, kindly share it, link to it and talk about it.

Sarah , The Healthy Home Economist http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com

My tip is if you are up in the middle of the night with a young child for whatever reason and you cannot go back to sleep after settling the child, then write an article! Some of my best articles were written at 3am, or you can also read some information on https://www.stdaware.com/stds/hsv-1/treatment which will help you span your knowledge as well.

Cindy VegetarianMamma.com

It is all about balance. Having office hours as a blogger helps to keep me on track and keep a solid divide between work time and family time!

Jennifer http://www.kidsemail.org

Make a checklist of things you want to accomplish at the beginning of each day. Crossing off things on your list can be satisfying and help in making sure you get things done.

Andrea Woroch http://www.AndreaWoroch.com

Designate a space just for work. If you’re working from your living room or kitchen or have a desk in your bedroom, there’s no barrier between your personal and work life. By creating a specific space just for work, you’ll be able to withdraw yourself from the rest of your surroundings while increasing your focus.  If you have a family who is always bugging you while you’re in your office, it’s important to set the understanding that when you are in your office you are off limits. Consider placing a sign that says “Busy” or “On a Conference Call” during important meetings.

Get dressed for “work.” When you don’t have to worry about appearances, you’re more likely to roll out of bed, get kids ready for school and begin typing away for hours before realizing you are still in pajamas come 2pm. While that sounds like a dream to those who put on a suit everyday, it actually has a way of making you feel meaningless and sluggish. Dressing up as if you’re going to an office will motivate you and make you feel confident.

Diane MacEachern http://www.biggreenpurse.com

Use a kitchen timer to keep track of how much time you’re spending on a task to avoid wasting time. Set the timer, vow not to get up until the timer goes off, and focus on the task. It’s a great way to get work done and not get distracted by social media or anything else!

Scarlet  http://familyfocusblog.com

My best tip is prioritize.  Start you your list with what is most important for you to get done today in case you can’t get to everything.  If two things are equally important do the easiest one to get done first so that it will feel rewarding to cross something off your list. Save the mornings for the hardest most important things when you are freshest.

Janel Case  http://www.amomstake.com

Work in batch mode – bake a bunch of recipes at the same time, then take all the pictures in one session, finally write the posts in one sitting. By doing the same tasks for a couple of posts grouped together you can save a lot of time.

Jennipher Walters, co-founder http://fitbottomedmamas.com/

Our biggest productivity tip is to source out as many tasks as you can. Running your house and a blog can take a lot of time, so don’t hesitate in hiring someone to clean the house, mow the lawn, a virtual assistant … anything that can help give you some time and let you focus on what’s most important to you. Oh, and coffee. Lots of coffee!

Brett Martin http://www.thismamaloves.com

Schedule times for things.  EX: I schedule an hour every Monday to scroll through FB for things friends and pages have shared that are getting lots of interaction. Those I schedule for the week on MY fan page.

Also: turn OFF messenger on FB. Friends are fun but messenger can be a big time suck.

And- schedule time to close the laptop. Close the office door. Put the phone on a charger and walk away. It’s hard to do but it’s so worth it. We used to live without social media and it’s good to refresh and just BE without it so we can be more productive when we get back on.

Dr. Jessie Voigts http://www.WanderingEducators.com

Write first thing when you get up. Don’t check your email, don’t hop on social media, just set aside 15 minutes (or more) to write. This distraction-free time will get your creative juices flowing, and set you on a path to a productive day.

Do the yucky things first. Make a list of what you have to do, and finish the dreaded ones first. You won’t be worried about it all day, or keep putting it off. Then you can enjoy the rest of your day without that stressor.

Ginger  http://gingersnapcrafts.com

My tip is to unplug. 🙂  After I get all my blogging things done and scheduled in the morning, I will literally unplug our router. I find when I have more internet free time that I get so much more done. I’m more engaged with my kiddos, my household chores get done & I have more time in the day.

Chelsea http://www.somedayilllearn.com

Bulk work! I know people who like to set timers and work in 15-minute increments, but I’m the complete opposite. It’s challenging for me to arrange distraction-free time for myself, so when I do manage to get “in the zone” I need to STAY THERE! I arrange for the kids to have one full day out of the house with friends/family/sitters each week, and I have a housekeeping service come right before that. With that clean space and absolute quiet, I can dig in and get everything done all at once. I’m sure this will morph as they enter their elementary schools years, but with four kids 5 and under, this is the only way I’ve kept my head on straight.

Emily Leary http://www.amummytoo.co.uk

Tackle the jobs you want to do least, first. Worrying about things you don’t want to do uses up valuable space in an already stretched brain, so clear the toughest tasks first and you’ll have a much more productive day.

Lesli http://www.365AtlantaFamily.com

In order to balance life with kids and blogging, I make sure to schedule everything I work on. I use Google Calendar, with time blocked out to work each day. I fill those slots with specific deliverables….writing that article about Great Wolf Lodge, returning 15 emails, photo editing the Zoo Atlanta pictures, pitching 5 brands, etc. Once I started doing this, I learned not to underestimate the amount of work that goes into blogging. Now, when someone makes a request, I log into my calendar and set the date. “Turn an article around by next week? I’m sorry, I can’t do that. But I can get it to you on the 12th.” My clients appreciate a realistic date, the kids appreciate having my full attention during “non-work” times, and I appreciate the benefit of boundaries.

Mandi Welbaum http://www.momentswithmandi.com/

My best tip for being productive as a mom blogger, or any kind of blogger, is to know that it’s okay to block out social media while you put your head down and focus on your to-do list. Posting to FB/TW/IG/Snap can wait for a few hours, you don’t need to browse them constantly. Put your phone on silent or do not disturb, set an alarm, and get to work. I know that scheduling posts to these platforms is widely done, so this is a bit harder then but turn off chats and messages if you can, use a timer, and only be on there for what you have on your to-do list.

Taking an hour or two away won’t hurt anything, and you’ll find that you can really tackle a lot when you focus and turn off the distractions!

Melanie Wilson https://psychowith6.com

My best tip is to create an Ideal Day Schedule. Imagine that you have $24 and have to spend the money on the most important parts of your life, leaving your blog for last. The amount of money you have left over can be eye opening as well as a huge help in getting things done.

KELLY STILWELL http://kellystilwell.com/

Have a list every single day with all you hope to accomplish. Write it ALL down. If you don’t get it all done, just move it to the next day. Include posts that need to be done as well as social shares. And don’t forget to include classes for learning new things (whether you have bought one or you’re taking one of the MANY free classes.)

Amber Guetebier http://redtri.com/

I work from home and this might sound counter-to-popular belief but my best tip is to actually not multitask. As moms we are constantly doing more than one thing at a time or we feel like we are “wasting” it. I find if I single-task I get through each task way more efficiently. I often do work on more than one article during one time period to keep my ideas fresh, but I certainly can’t worry about laundry, dishes, the call of my beautiful garden, other personal writing projects, in-depth emails or phone calls. And since all of my meetings are remote and done either over the phone or Skype, I resist the temptation to check emails or text reminders to myself during the meeting, because by single-tasking and staying in the moment I get more out of the meeting (and so do my colleagues). I save multi-tasking for the mundane activities, like binge-watching This Is Us and folding laundry after my kiddo’s bedtime. And I don’t feel guilty that at the end of my work day the house is messy or the dishes unwashed, because if I had gone to an office this would be the case anyway!

Katie Sexton http://www.mommykatie.com/

Scheduling and time management. I have a editorial calendar that I use for scheduling posts then for emails and other communication that I have to engage in when it comes to working with companies I have a set time each morning where I go through the emails. I also set aside time each Sunday for taking photos, delivering review items to my contributing bloggers, and creating videos when needed. From there, I have a time set at the end of each month where I go over invoices, the set up of features and guides and discuss content coverage and delegation for postings with my contributors.

Jamie Jeffers http://www.mediumsizedfamily.com/

I am most productive when I have a plan.  Each evening before bed, I do a brain dump.  It’s a double benefit for me, because it allows me to sleep without stewing on problems.  And it also gives me a plan to tackle the next morning.  I fix things that were bothering me, write posts, and any other tasks that come with blogging.

I also try to spend a little time each day on a social media channel.  Mondays tend to be for Pinterest and Saturdays for Twitter (for example).

Anjanette Young http://mommayoungathome.com

As a Mom of 6 kids and a blogger for over 8 years, I have learned lists and planning are important.  Create a list of things you would like to accomplish throughout the week related to both home and blog.  Do your best to accomplish those things.  If you can’t get them done, don’t beat yourself up about it.  Life has a way of throwing curve balls, just add them to next week’s list.

Scott Eddy http://www.mrscotteddy.com/

To be honest, my best tip has nothing directly to do with your blog. It’s much more with your daily surroundings, make sure your immediate circle of friends are positive, and support you strongly. Because if that is not the case, it affects everything you do, as well as the quality of your content.

Kerry http://noahandthegirls.com

I really struggle with productivity. I think the problem is that when you’re juggling being a Mum with working for yourself, there are lots of plates to keep spinning and it can quickly become quite stressful. It sounds counter intuitive, but I have found that taking a step back when things get too much can help.

When I get burnt out, my perceived workload is generally far greater than it is in reality and taking a step back helps me to calm down, before coming back to it with a fresh mind. Recognizing when I need a break is so important to my levels of productivity.

Kim Miller http://www.lifeinahouseoftestosterone.com/

There are tons and tons and tons of software and products and apps out there to help you be more productive .. But if you don’t USE them they aren’t any good to you! My personal favorite – since it is my “go to” program on the laptop is my Microsoft Office Home suite of apps. I have Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Mail, People, Calendar, Tasks, and OneDrive all in one location. It’s easy for me to sync the items across multiple devices and I pay $10 a month to have all of that at my fingertips with 1TB of space for OneDrive. Everything I need is handy to do my blogging and keep track of projects that need to be done and such – just makes life easy to manage when everything is in one central location, you know?

See Vanessa Craft http://www.seevanessacraft.com

Learn how to say no. If your ‘yes” doesn’t align with your business goals or even your family goals, you should pass. I’m still learning how to be comfortable with saying no, but I’m much more productive when I’m trying to balance a million things on my plate.

Rachel Lister BusyMommyMedia.com

As a work at home mom with 6 kids, my biggest tip is to focus on the most important task first. The most important task is not always the most urgent. It’s so easy to let those little urgent things take over our entire day and never end up getting any of the important things done. Do the important things first and you’ll find a way to get those urgent (but often minor) tasks done too.

Nancy  https://www.nancydbrown.com/

As my children are now young adults, I reached back into my memory bank to remember that you can’t get everything on your “to-do list” done. Striking a work/life balance is key to being a successful blogger, who also happens to be a mom. My best productivity tip is to outline obtainable goals and check them off the list, one job at a time. In this way, you may actually see your productivity progress. It’s like a diet; when you fall off the wagon, you wipe the cookie crumbs off your chest and get back on track. The same may be said for sticking to a calendar of writing/blogging tasks; don’t let yourself get over-whelmed – make a “to-do” list and stick to it.

 

Kristin  http://littlemamajama.com

• Create a content calendar
• Batch schedule your social content in advance to save time
• Practice batch blogging – set aside a few hours to focus solely on writing or photography
• Brainstorm blog post topics weekly to create a list to draw from when you’re uninspired

Penelope Guzman  http://penelopesoasis.com/

If you struggle to carve out time to focus on specific jobs, use a timer and set it for a time you feel you can focus. For example, set it for 15 minutes and until that bell dings, do not stop working on a post, writing up invoices, responding to emails, or whatever it is you decided to work on. Fifteen minutes a day is manageable (we can all find at least 15 minutes straight at some point in the day) and a lot can be done in that time if you don’t stray and keep your focus on the task at hand.  As you get used to the timer system, devote an hour a day (broken up into 15 minute segments) to getting multiple tasks done, but one at a time. It’s the best anti-procrastination tool I have ever found.

Joe Udo http://retireby40.org

My tip for other stay-at-home parents/bloggers is to send your kids to preschool. Our son just started kindergarten and blogging has been so much easier for me. It’s basically impossible to get any writing done when he’s at home. Kids take so much attention and they want to spend time with you.

If you can afford to send your kids to preschool, do it and don’t feel guilty about it. Even 2 half days per week made a huge difference for me.

Marcelle Mndza https://marcellemndza.com

My biggest tip is the organization and planning. Sometimes I do not have time to even write my posts with several days before and what I do is that I do before I go to sleep. I have my calendar on my computer, cell phone and one in my wallet. I write down everything of the day and I use google calendar to organize myself. It is good to plan your day or week if you want to generate an extra income from home.

Sheila Arkee http://www.painted-ladies.com/

There’s nothing like a good old fashion paper planner, where I keep checklists that are easy to reference. Also, when I’m in the middle of a task, I’ll make a point to ask myself if it’s really something productive or something that’s a distraction. Mindfulness is something I have to work on, but it’s so important.

 

Ida  http://www.secondchancesgirl.com

My best tip is to set a schedule just like if you were at an office. My schedule revolves around my kids’ school days. I work while they are at school, spend time with them in the afternoons and pop back on the computer once they are in bed.

Sheri http://thisbirdsday.com

My favourite productivity tip is to turn off all your notifications on your phone and set times for everything. Leave your social media and email notifications at the door, complete your tasks, then check your messages at a certain time. Deal with them on your time and terms. This gives you more time to manage your commitments.

Tonya Prater https://thetravelingpraters.com

My best productivity tip for bloggers is to utilize the tools available to us. My favorite product is CoSchedule. It works with my WordPress dashboard to allow me to easily schedule multiple social media posts for my blog posts as I write them. When I use the ReQueue option my posts can be shared automatically over and over again which saves me time and it costs less than hiring a VA to do it for me.

 

NICOLE LEINBACH REYHLE  https://retailminded.com

Productivity is based on perspective, but if you identify goals you want to make with deadlines attached, you are more likely to be more productive. The catch? Give yourself some wiggle room to be flexible with life… after all, life is not predictable, so you can’t expect all of your actions to be, either.

 

Tracy   http://www.havingfunsaving.com/

The #1 is scheduling time!  Being a mama and a blogger that works out of the home, I find it pretty easy to get distracted, so I really have to make sure I set aside dedicated time to work.  Balance is hard to achieve, it’s something I know I struggle with on a regular basis!

Shannon Smyth  www.agirlsgottaspa.com

I use Alexa and the Todist app. I’ll set a timer using Alexa to keep me on task (because let’s be real, it’s easy to get distracted with 20 tabs open), and I use Todist to help keep me organized with all I need to accomplish in a day.

 

Michelle Rittler  http://www.tasteasyougo.com/

My best productivity tip would be to start small. Rather than focus on your entire to-do list, a task which can be overwhelming, I recommend going through your list and picking no more than five items to concentrate on during the day. I call my items my “Daily Five”. Those five items can include something you know you’re going to do right away (it feels great crossing something off early in the day) and, perhaps, something you’ve been meaning to do for a long time (like sort through the huge stack of paperwork sitting on your kitchen counter). Having a range of smaller tasks and larger ones helps you manage your time, and, if possible, it helps you multi-task!

Nicole Brady http://www.sahmreviews.com/

There is a difference between multi-tasking and dividing your focus. Figure out where your line is between the two and don’t cross it.

Make use of “dead” time. Stuck at a doctor’s appointment or picking the kids up at an event or school? Find a parking place and use the time productively. Answer emails, schedule social content, make phone calls, etc.

Lyss www.divamoms.com

One of my most productive tips for those moms/bloggers that are struggling with balance while handling various aspects related to bloggins and being a mama is not forgetting to BREATHE! Make sure to take a #MTO (mommy time out) at least once a day for ten minutes.

Shannan Younger http://betweenusparents.com

I confess that I sometimes get bogged down in minutia or am likely to get distracted b projects that are a ways away. One tip that I heard from football coach Lou Holtz is to continually ask yourself “What’s important now?” (WIN) It’s a question that works really well in both the parenting and blogging arenas, and helps when the two are competing. When my child wants to tell me about her day, listening is more important than tweeting. And when I’m working on a deadline and a project needs to get done *now* it’s good be clear on that, and I find it helps me focus. It helps me prioritize and to know at the end of the day that I got the important things done.

Sarah http://mumzilla.co.uk/

My one would be to use social oomph for scheduling evergreen content. Put every bit you write in a queue and it will roll automatically for ever on twitter. Just don’t put your Halloween stuff in it – no one wants to see  that in June.

Laura http://www.whatlauralovesuk.com

My tip to be more productive when writing blog posts is to put my phone on silent and away from my sight so that I can’t be distracted by it.  Its amazing how much more work I get done!

Ashley Grant  http://famousashleygrant.com/

My favorite tip for productivity is to set a timer on Google Timer, and play a game of beat the clock. I’ll turn on music via Focus At Will (awesome site for music that helps you focus and concentrate), and work on a task until the timer goes off. Then, I’ll set the timer again to work on the next task, repeating the process until everything on my to-do list is done. Somehow knowing I’m against a ticking clock tricks my brain into working harder, faster and more efficiently!

Sarah  http://musthavemom.com

Stay focused on one task at a time. It’s easy to get distracted by emails, social media, etc, but stay focused and on task and you will accomplish SO much more!

Maria Jose Ovalle http://verybusymamablog.com/

I’ve been in the blogging game since 2009 and my one and only tip after so many ups and downs, 3 kids, depression and building my own business is: SLEEP. Most of us work at night, but it quickly becomes a nasty vicious cycle of little or no sleep which in the end will tear you down. Once you sleep, everything else falls into place, including having time to do what you need to do. You become more productive because you are well rested and you have a clearer head. My kids are 8, 4 and 9 months so I KNOW the struggle. But my health and well-being came first and sleep is essential to success.

Jackie M http://thatswhatsupblog.com/

I spend time on social media (mainly Instagram and Facebook) and take photos while the girls are occupied and playing, but I save the writing for their nap time so that I can really concentrate on content-development.  Social media interaction and photography are easier to manage while distracted than writing!

Laura Fuentes http://www.momables.com/

My best productivity tip when working from home with my kids is to schedule a 4-hour block of time, usually in the afternoon a couple of days a week. I’d hire a sitter to look after my kids or drop my kids off with their grandparents for a few hours and I would leave the house to a coffee shop nearby to do 100% “focused” work. When you are paying for the ability to have time to work, all of the sudden your focus shifts and you completely unplug from social media and all other distractions and get your work done!

Sue Laurent http://www.neverstopmarketing.net/

As a mom of 2 kids (9 and 10) finding the balance between family life and work life isn’t always easy – especially since the “entrepreneur life” tends to bleed into evenings and weekends if we’re not careful. Here is my biggest tip for productivity – stay “true” to your boundaries.

When I first started, I was sloppy – I would just work whenever, and if my kids needed me and I was in the middle of a project, we’d all end up frustrated (to put it nicely) – and ultimately nothing would get done. Theses days, I know that the bulk of my work MUST get done while they’re in school. No cruising around Facebook, no chatting with friends – if there are deadlines, that work is done while the kids are in school. Then – when they get home, I walk out of my home office – and with the exception of emailing clients if they need me while my son is on the practice field or my daughter is in dance, I’m not working when they’re with me.

I’ve found that sticking to those boundaries has naturally made me more productive. I know I have a window – and if I don’t stick to it then it bleeds into the next day and then I get too far behind. If a client wants a meeting, I have the meeting during “office hours”. They don’t need to know why I may not be available after 3:30pm – and so far everyone has been able to make it work with their schedule.

Lindsay Livingston http://www.theleangreenbean.com/

Tackle the top 3 items on your to-do list first thing in the morning BEFORE you dive into social media for the day.

Tamara Kelly http://www.mooglyblog.com/

My best tip is to involve your kids in your work when you can. Whether it’s making a craft together for a blog post, talking about your next big idea, or just a chat about their day while they help you reorganize supplies, school-aged kids and teens understand we need to work, but need that connection and time too.

Tiffany Hinton http://www.gfmomcertified.com/

My best advice is to turn off the wifi/internet on my laptop when working to avoid distractions and pop ups.

Jerry Low, Web Hosting Secret Revealed

There are a number of rules and hacks I do to keep myself productive in long term. Here are three that I think are most useful –

1. Have a routine – I am a morning person. I work best in the morning after breakfast. Hence I always start early and work on the heavy tasks in the morning. My point is not about waking up early. It’s about building a habit and putting your body and mind are at most resourceful state when you get to work. If you are a night owl and work best at night –work at night. Just make sure that you sit there and do your work every night at the same time.
2. Cut off distractions – Can’t stress this enough. If you want to be productive, kill off your mobile phones, email notifications, skype chats, etc.
3. Do short sprint – In my experience, the best way to stay productive in long run is to do short sprint. Meaning – you break a big goal into multiple small goals that you can complete in a week or so; then, further break these small goals into ultra tiny tasks that you can complete in an hour or two. Focus all your energy into solving one tiny goal at one time. Take a break every time you complete one tiny goal.

Sarah Auerswald and Yvonne Condes, co-Founders of MomsLA.com

At MomsLA, we rely on the humble spreadsheet to keep us productive. We have a few dozen Google Docs going at any one time so we can manage what’s happening. The beauty of Google Docs is that both of us can share the docs and stay up to date with each other – even if we’re working on it at different times.

We use a giant shared spreadsheet to track sales. It lists the name of the company, when we contacted them last, whether a sale was made, and if so, whether any further follow up is needed (photos or key art delivered), and when the post is set to publish – plus we can track when we’ve invoiced and whether the client has paid. We swear by it.

Wendi http://www.loavesanddishes.net/

My best productivity tip is two- fold – 1. Keep a running master list of prioritized “must do” tasks as well as a master list of personal and professional goals. 2.  Limit personal social media time. (I could spend hours cruising Facebook looking at my friends pets, kids and reading their rants).

Becky Mansfield yourmodernfamily.com

If I had to pick just one piece of advice on how to get things done, it is to write your posts and ideas in Notes or on Word, but do not get online until your writing is done.   Once you get online & get “connected”… you just may get pulled into that rabbit hole of never-ending stories & conversations.  Save those for the end, after your work is completed.  If you do your work off-line, you won’t be tempted to become distracted.

Janell Poulette http://www.savingyoudinero.com/

My biggest tip is to use https://www.toodledo.com. When I have a project to do I can add it and all the details, pay and the due date. I make it a priority 3. After the assignment is completed, I change the due date to the day I expect to get paid and mark it a priority 2. When they pay, I mark it as complete.

It has a bunch of other features that I have never used but I am sure it would be helpful.

Claire http://thepramshed.co.uk/

From my perspective it’s really tough doing the juggle. That is juggling work, a child, blog and housework. My whole routine is going to get thrown up in the air in a couple of week’s time, but my one essential tip to see my through will be to time box. That means dedicate the time when my daughter is asleep for writing blog posts which is usually about 2 hours and not day (that’s 14 hours a week), using the time in the morning for checking and promoting on social media, and then using the evening for finalising the blog posts and publishing, and replying to emails. I also try to give myself two nights off and not week. It’s hard but it’s manageable.

Stephanie Dulgarian https://www.somewhatsimple.com/

Set “business hours” that don’t interfere with the other aspects of life and stick to them! It is easy to get sucked into the computer and be online all day. But stick to your business hours- whatever you think is reasonable – and you’ll have way less “mom guilt” and will be less-likely to neglect your other priorities.

Nicole Orozco http://mompreneurmedia.com

Before working your business first thing in the morning, make sure you take care of yourself first.  Shower, dress, and put a little makeup on if you wear it. You will feel better and if someone stops by the office later in the day or you need head out, you will be dressed and ready to go.

Then take care of your children. Make sure they are not hungry and have plenty of snacks and fun activities ready for the rest of the day. Depending on their age you can even have them help with small tasks.

Following these tips will make sure you are feeling your best and your kids will be content giving you more time to work on your business with less meltdowns.

Sarah Newcomb http://sleepingisforlosers.com/

Set a timer before working on social media!! Social media is crucial for building your audience, but it is also a time suck that can completely take over your precious working hours! I work on social media twice a day (once in the morning and one in the evening) and set a timer on my phone while working. As soon as the timer goes off, I shut down my social media apps! It keeps me focused on the task at hand (scheduling or engaging) and prevents me from falling into a social media worm hole.

Holly Homer http://kidsactivitiesblog.com/

One thing that helps me get more things done is to block time out for a project – even if it is a small, simple one.  It always feels good to get it done before the “allotted time” ends and helps keep distractions away.

Kristen http://theroadtodomestication.com/

As a mom of 8-month-old twin girls who tries to keep a family happy, a boss satisfied, and two part-time businesses running smoothly, my number one focus these days are my PRIORITIES. When I feel overwhelmed and unable to function, I stop and prioritize. I knock out the priorities first, and then everything else seems to become a bit clearer. Secondary to that top tip is: never turn down help from those who offer it!

Nikki Fica http://www.travelfoodiemom.com/

One of the hardest things as a mom blogger, at least for me starting out, was consistency. Things come up and life gets busy, however holding yourself accountable is important. Some things to do to hold yourself accountable are to set goals for yourself, personally and professionally and write them down. Also, create a calendar with reminders. Organization is key. I rely on notifications from alerts I put into Basecamp. Do you have a blog idea? Schedule it out. Has a product approached you to do a review? Set a deadline. Having those dates set will ensure that you meet goals easier and ideas don’t stay as just ideas. It takes a couple of minutes to jot something down, which may save you hours in the end. Lastly, have fun mama!

Holly http://www.southernmomloves.com/

I try to shoot, edit, and write in batches when I can. If I have a heavy workload, I do several sets of photos at once, edit them all at once, and then write them up in order of posting date.

Ray Gruenfelder http://www.theguycornernyc.com/

For me to things that have definitely helped are scheduling posts once they are complete but you do not want to share them quite yet. The second would have to be finding the right app or software to automate your posting two different social platforms. These have been to time-saving key items for me and The Guy Corner NYC.

Meg Collins lucieslist.com

At the beginning of each work day, write down a list of three things you want to accomplish that day. Write it on real paper and keep it in front of you all day. Since your brain is most alert and productive in the morning, tackle the hardest/most challenging item first. Accomplishing this first item will give you the momentum to finish the rest with ease. Cross off the items as you complete them.

Many people think they need to do 100 things in a day, but narrowing it down to just a view to-dos helps you stay focused and gives you a much-needed sense of accomplishment.

Tésa Nicolanti http://www.2wired2tired.com/

When the kids are little, work when they are napping. Once they are older, hire a babysitter or mother’s helper to get your work done. If you can give your work your full focus for an hour or two, you’ll be able to be more present with your kids when you are with them rather than worrying about the work you need to do.

Aby Moore http://youbabymemummy.com/

Using an editorial calendar.

Amy Roskelley http://www.superhealthykids.com/

My best productivity tip for moms working at home is to wake up and get things done earlier, before the distractions start.   I’m not talking about the distractions of kids, but online distractions! After 9am, there are more emails, and more happening in social media that takes away your attention.  Before 8am, if you are the only one online, you can clean out your inbox before it starts filling up again; schedule your social media posts before the latest post from your best friend draws your attention away!! Online distractions are much worse for productivity than the distractions of the children!

Robert Berger http://www.doughroller.net

Here’s my tip—Stop reading this article right NOW and get to WORK!