When you’re a busy mom your to-do list can be overwhelming. Or, like me, you’re a prolific list maker, but have a hard time when it comes to getting anything done. The fact is that overwhelm can completely kill your productivity. You get stuck in analysis paralysis, over-thinking everything and never getting around to doing it.
Thankfully, there are plenty of tools available to help us regain our productivity. But which ones to use?! There are so many out there, it’s possible to get analysis paralysis just trying to decide how to get out of our analysis paralysis! (FYI, analysis paralysis is really fun to say!)
Well, you’re in luck! I have tried a million different productivity tools and have filtered out the high-maintenance, no good stuff. Here are my top 5 tools to stay productive:
Trello. Oh my goodness, why did I wait so long to try this?! I’m actually kicking myself for not listening to everyone telling me how awesome it is. Trello is especially helpful if you’re a business owner or work from home because it lets you create a workflow to keep track of your monstrous list of tasks. You can also share boards with others, making it perfect for momprenuers! Want to try it out? There are free and paid versions. Business owners probably want to invest in the paid subscription ($45/ year), everyone else would probably be fine with the free.
Cozi. I’ve been using this handy little website/ app for years and it never lets me down! It’s fantastic for busy families. Each family member uses their own email and a family password to log in. Once inside, they can add events to the calendar (and assign them to specific family members), add items to the grocery list, and create family or personal to-do lists. You can also create a meal plan and even have a family journal to keep track of memorable moments. There is a paid version, but honestly, the free features are really all I want or need.
Bullet Journal. Bullet Journaling is another tool that has been around for a while that I resisted because, “It couldn’t possibly be as good as everyone says!” Wrong. Once I started my bullet journal, I could immediately see what all the hype was about. And while there are tons of posts and pins with beautiful, artistic bullet journal pages, you can make yours just as boring as mine and still have a positive effect on your productivity. You can use any old notebook to start your journal, but I recommend using the Leuchtturm with the dots. It’s designed specifically for this and will make setting up your pages easier.
My Fitness Pal. This might seem a bit out of place on a list of productivity tools, but trust me. Since I’ve started using My Fitness Pal I eat better (because I don’t want to have to log all my junk food), I have more energy, and I’m more on task. Who knew? Living a healthier lifestyle is good for your productivity! My Fitness Pal is free, unless you want to pay for a premium membership… but I haven’t needed it yet.
Anti Social. Other than kids, what’s the biggest distraction when you’re trying to get work done? Facebook, Twitter, Instagram… Social media! Anti-Social is an app that allows you to turn off access to any website that may be drawing your attention away from what you’re supposed to be doing. Set the block for anywhere from 15 minutes to 8 hours! Try it free for 60 days!
What are your favorite productivity tools to help you stay focused? If any of you are inventors, maybe you could invent a way to keep children occupied while we work!
