3 Mom Hacks for Less Stress

Less stress is something all moms want. And while there is no magic cure-all for stress, these mom hacks are some of my personal favorites. They are hacks that help on an ongoing basis, and make a daily or weekly difference – and take into account things like sick kids or abrupt changes in schedule. 

Mom Hack #1 – Calendar dates are not a surprise. Prepare for them NOW.

Every year we get surprised by things we have to take care of: a dress for a music recital, a costume for a play, a gift for a last minute birthday party invitation, a sudden growth spurt that means new shoes immediately.

But not everything is a surprise. Every year there are certain things that stay the same: our kids’ birthdays, Valentines Day, Easter, back to school shopping, Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc. Somewhere along the line I realized that I was procrastinating on things that were stressing me out when they became urgent because it was the night before an event or holiday and I wasn’t prepared. 

I realized there were things I could easily prep for in advance, and decrease my stress by not setting myself up for late night last minute shopping runs, rushing kids out the door, or panicked calls for childcare.

My stress over holidays and events has gone down dramatically since I started implementing the idea of taking care of holiday preparation months in advance. For instance, Christmas ornaments start hitting stores around September. It’s important to me to continue our tradition of giving each child a new ornament when we decorate our Christmas tree, but there is not one single reason why those ornaments need to be made or purchased in December. I now get them as soon as Christmas products start hitting the shelves.

Some things that are important in your family traditions may not be important in mine, and vice versa. But if Easter baskets are important to your family, get the supplies and candy the first time you see them in the grocery store. If you typically serve smoked salmon for Christmas Eve dinner, don’t wait until that week to find some. If you love stocking stuffers but hate feeling frenzied the week before Christmas, purchase the stocking stuffers in August or September. 

Calendar dates are not a surprise. Prepare for them NOW – or as soon as you can.

Mom Hack #2 – Set alarms for appointments that include the time it will take to get everyone out the door.

I used to set alarms for appointments based on what time I needed to leave to make it across town. That doesn’t work for the season I’m in. Now I have to factor in three kids going potty, finding lost shoes, filling water bottles, packing snacks, and depending on the time of year – time to warm up the van and dress small people in snow gear.

These days I set alarms based on how long I estimate it will take me to get everyone out the door, and what we need to take with us. So the tag on my alarm in my phone reads something like: dentist appointment in 45 minutes, take snacks and Kindles. Or: Christmas party in 30 minutes, take cookies.

For a long time I have left a buffer of 15 extra minutes per child when leaving the house. Now that they are getting bigger, and SLIGHTLY more capable of getting their own stuff together, I may leave a buffer of 10 extra minutes per kid. For instance, if we have an appointment at 10 a.m. and I know it will take us approximately 10-15 minutes to drive there, I tell everyone to start getting ready at 9 a.m. Extreme? Maybe. But two of my kids are in verrrrrry dawdle-y stages. 

Mom Hack #3 – Implement a quiet time immediately after lunch.

The sooner you can implement a daily quiet time with your children the better. This habit can be tough to introduce with bigger kids if you wait. And the reason I recommend doing it immediately after lunch is that it gives everyone a break from each other halfway through the day. This is especially important if you are an introvert mom (like me).

My kids like to try to stretch the guidelines for quiet time, and sometimes I let them (for instance, if two particular children are playing happily and quietly together), but in general the idea is: everybody on their own with a quiet activity (not screens). 

Options include things like:

• Blocks/Legos
• Drawing/sketching/coloring
• Audiobook (with headphones if they are in shared spaces)
• Sewing
• Sticker-by-Number
• Geostix
• Magnets

I look forward to this time every day. It gives me a chance to drink my coffee or tea in semi-peace (while it’s hot!!) and to do something for ME. I will often use this time for reading my Bible, listening to a sermon, or writing in my prayer/Scripture journal. But I also use this time for learning new business skills, or listening to a podcast for personal growth. Sometimes I knit, or have fun with Washi tape and stickers in my Passion Planner.

Having this quiet time after more formal academics in the morning – and before errands or bigger projects in the afternoon – allows me to regroup and calm spinning thoughts. Some people use the term “recentering” and I think it’s a lovely description for this time.

Don’t Be Surprised By Surprises

Kids get sick. Shoes get lost. Moms get overstimulated. We can count on it. And yet… somehow we still get “surprised” by it. Here’s what I’ve grown more aware of in this mothering journey – the more I plan for surprises, the less they surprise me.

And that’s why these three mom hacks work so well for me. If I get all the stocking stuffers taken care of in October, it won’t be as stressful when the kids get sick four days before Christmas. If I leave myself 30 extra minutes to get to the dentist appointment, I’m less likely to be shouting at kids when the snow boot is missing. And if I am intentional about a quiet time midday, I’m far less likely to be overstimulated when the witching hour hits – just as I’m needing to prep dinner. 

What mom hacks for less stress have you discovered? I’d love to hear from you!