Sanity savers for working mums (and dads!):

Being a career mum is about being as efficient and effective as possible to maintain a home that is reasonably clean and stocked with food. However, more importantly it is about maximising the one-on-one time you have with your children and ensuring it is filled with as much fun and laughter as possible.

To achieve this I have over time developed some sanity savers which I would like to share with you:

1. Shop Online - this saves a lot of time and money as once you have done it once or twice the majority of your groceries are saved into favourites and you shop to a list, the food is delivered after hours the next day at times that suit you;
2. Prepare your child's outfit the night before so that you don't waste valuable morning time;
3. Take your child in the shower with you so you both get clean at the same time, my daughter loves playing on the floor of the shower with her dad;
4. If you have an early riser get outside with them and get some exercise or get some housework done;
5. Get your kids involved in the chores, they will think chores are fun when they are little and you will be spending time together, teaching them new skills and getting things done;
6. If you can afford it consider hiring a cleaner so that your valuable time is spent with your kids not scrubbing a bathroom, if you can't then go easy on yourself and accept you won't be able to live in a "show home";
7. Do a load of washing every 1-2 days and set it to be ready when you wake up or get home from work, this way you won't feel overwhelmed by washing on the weekends;
8. Consider setting one chore per evening Monday-Thursday so that when Friday night arrives you feel like you can relax and enjoy the weekend;
9. Share the drop-off and pick-up with your other half if possible to take the pressure off and free up a little time to run errands;
10. If like me your child is an early riser ask to start work early so that you can leave earlier and have time with your child in the afternoon;
11. Buy lunch provisions at the start of the week and make up at work each day (salads, wraps etc...);
12. Take a lunch break, this is 'me-time' which is few and far between as a mum. Use it to catch up with a girlfriend, go shopping, take a walk, go to a local gym or yoga class - just get some time to yourself to do the things you love;
13. Do not book any meetings for your last half hour at work instead book a recurring appointment in your calendar as admin time and use this time to clean up, make a list of priorities and actions for the next day, check any meeting times for tomorrow and leave work on-time feeling organised and in control so that you can feel relaxed when you get home;
14. See if you can negotiate to work a day from home, to read about my working from home experience read this blog;
15. If you travel regularly for work keep a second set of toiletries and hairdryer in your suitcase so that you don't have to repack each time;
16. Cook in bulk and freeze in portions this means on busy nights or when you are unwell you have a stash of easy and healthy dinner meals on hand;

The above tips are not rocket science but they help me (and my hubby) to manage our very busy lives as full-time working parents!

Kathryn Hocking is mum and a Director of Reverie Coaching, a Career and Life Coaching Business located in Adelaide, SA Specialising in working mums and mumpreneurs.

For further information visit: http://www.reveriecoaching.com