8 ways you can make your busy family life a little less crazy

If you are constantly feeling under pressure these tips are sure to help

Every family is busy and it can become tiring over time when you are constantly feeling under pressure for time yet there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight. If you are feeling overwhelmed now is the time when you should look at ways of making your life easier. Here we have listed a few tips on making the most of the precious time you have and this will hopefully give you back some chill out siesta! 
  • Get a great calendar and a diary- Every family needs a great calendar and every mammy needs a diary to keep track of everyone’s activities and appointments. Doing this will save you missing or forgetting things and having to make last ditch attempts to make appointments. 
  • Plan your week- Take fifteen minutes on a Sunday evening and plan your week ahead and ensuring everyone knows what is happening. Texting is a great way to keep your partner updated and though it seems silly he may not remember that you have a nail appointment on Tuesday! This will give him all the information for the week ahead and should he forget it is at the tip of a button rather than him bothering you again! 
  • Prioritize and organise- Sometimes you cannot do it all so you must prioritize and if it means an activity must be missed so be it! Organise the family dinner menu for the week ahead, taking into consideration your busy days and preparing for the madness after football practice. 
  • Get up early- Getting up early isn’t for everyone but an extra half hour goes a long way and can set you up for the day ahead. Making the most of your time may mean rising earlier in the mornings but you will catch the worm and all that! 
  • Eat well- Snacking on unhealthy foods will leave you feeling tired and irritable. Eating the right kind of foods will give you an extra boost of energy so rather than lying on the sofa in the afternoon to refuel you may be able to keep going and make the most of your time. 
  • Delegate- The kids can help with their younger siblings and older teenagers can prepare dinners. Your partner can walk the dog or take the kids to soccer if you need to do another errand. It doesn’t have to be up to you to do everything the family needs and a little delegation will gain you some precious time. 
  • Ask for help- Ask mammy pals to car pool, ask other dads to run the soccer training and request that your kids behave and help you to be able to do it all for them. Consider asking family to pick up or drop off the kids to school if you are busy elsewhere. 
  • Put away the phone- This may seem silly but parents do spend a lot of time on their phones so put it away and talk to each other as a family in the evening. The days may be busy but making the most of the little time you have in the evening is vital for a good family life. The ones in front of you are the most important anyway! 
Written by Emma Hayes. Emma is a writer with Family Friendly HQ and also writes her own parenting musings over at www.emmasmadjotters.com

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Emma Hayes

Emma Hayes is a busy mum to two girls aged 17 and 11 and is married to her childhood sweetheart.

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