If it’s one thing working moms know, it’s how hard balancing life and a job can be when you have kids.
In 2018, it was estimated that 2/3 of working women with children under the age of 18 worked full-time and that mothers make up 32% of all employed women.
That’s a lot of mamas trying to do it all!
It’s no wonder that working moms are constantly burnt out and overwhelmed.
Thankfully, some amazing tools and hacks can help you streamline your responsibilities as a mom and take a load off your shoulders!
Check out these 18 must-have tools for working moms:
Home
Whether you work inside or outside your home, you know how difficult it is to keep up with household responsibilities during the so few hours you have.
Streamline your tasks by scheduling chores, planning your meals, and downsizing your cleaning arsenal:
1. Pepperplate
Pepperplate is my favorite for meal-planning, recipe storing, and making grocery lists when it comes to free apps.
My favorite part is that I can access it from all my devices – phone, tablet, and computer.
So I sit at my computer and make my plan, use my phone when grocery shopping, and grab the tablet to follow the recipes!
2. All-Purpose Cleaners
Who has time to grab a cleaner for the counters, one for the sink, and another for the floors?
Streamline your cleaning habits by using an all-purpose cleaner to do all the jobs! Better yet, make one yourself and save some money.
3. Chore Charts
Setting up a chore chart is a super-easy way to delegate the work fairly and get it done.
You can print off your own or even use your family calendar.
Shopping
The shopping game for working moms aims to save time and money. With these tools, you can do both!
Have whatever you need delivered right to your door or scope out deals before you even walk out the door:
4. Amazon Prime
Some people have a hard time controlling their online spending, but it can help you save money. Instead of impulse buying in a store, you can fill your cart and think about it for a couple of days before committing to a purchase.
I use Amazon Prime because I love the free 3-day shipping and the video and music services. At around $100 a year, it’s worth checking out!
5. Amazon Subscribe and Save
You can also take advantage of Amazon’s Subscribe & Save
You can subscribe to a variety of products, from snack foods for the kids to cleaning products for the home. Just subscribe to it and wait for it to appear on your doorstep.
With free shipping, of course!
6. Flipp
Flipp is my absolute favorite app, and it’s free! It’s a service that provides you with every flyer imaginable in your area.
I use it every week to plan my grocery attack, using the search feature to find the best deals on the items I need.
If you like to hunt for a deal, you can peruse each flyer and “clip” the products you find on sale. These are then stored in a list so you can keep track while you are shopping.
Flipp is available online as well as for Android and iPhone.
Scheduling
As a single mom to one kid, even I have to jot down important events and activities on a calendar, or I completely lose track of everything that is going on in my life.
To be honest, I have to write down my work schedule even though it DOES NOT CHANGE at all week-to-week. I can only imagine how hectic it is to throw in a spouse/partner and more children.
Here are some great digital and non-digital products you can use to maintain a family schedule:
7. Google Calendar
Google Calendar is an online app that allows you to schedule your life and create and edit events.
If all your family members can access the internet, everyone can keep up-to-date through this app.
Google Calendar is available on PC, Android, and iPhone.
8. Weekly/Monthly Planner
Notebook-style weekly and monthly planners are perfect for keeping track of the finer details in your life. Write in appointment times, addresses, and other notes and reminders.
Their small size makes them easily portable, so you can be sure to add in important events.
9. Family Calendar
Although you may have everything organized in an online calendar or planner, having one big calendar that everyone can see will ensure the entire family is on the same page.
Health
Work, home, eat, sleep, bathe – there’s so much that working moms have to do to care for themselves, not even caring for the little ones. How are you supposed to find time to focus on your health?
Here are some tools to help you keep track of your fitness, get in shape and keep your body adequately hydrated!
10. Fitbit Alta
Or, as I like to call it, “The Poor Man’s Fitbit.” This is because the Alta model doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of the more expensive Fitbits, but it does more than enough for a lower cost.
The Fitbit Alta will track your steps, activity level, and the distance you have walked and tell you the time. Other features include a sleep tracker and the option to have calls, texts, and Facebook messages alert on the Fitbit.
11. Dumbbells
Gym memberships can often be an impossibility for working moms.
Getting in your cardio without going to a gym can be its challenge, but it is doable with YouTube channels and a shiny new Fitbit Alta.
Building muscle, however, can be a bit more of a challenge, but with a simple set of dumbbells, you can achieve your strength goals at home!
12. High-Tech Water Bottles
One of my biggest health challenges is getting enough water into me. It was nothing for me to go through a day drinking only coffee.
I heard about these water bottles that actually track your water intake!
Budgeting
We all work to make money, but it can seem pointless and frustrating when we’re living cheque-to-cheque as working moms.
Use these tools to keep track of your money and find a little more extra for yourself than what you can dig out of the couch cushions:
13. Budget Planner Organizer
Having a binder or notebook where you can write your income and expenses will help you determine where your finances stand.
14. Mint Finance App
Intuit Mint is an online application available through your web browser, Android or iPhone.
You can set it up to display all your account information and upcoming bills. Reminders help you stay on track getting your bills paid on time.
15. The Money Saving Mom’s Budget
If the prospect of starting a budget is daunting, then you need to pick up Crystal Paine’s book The Money Saving Mom’s Budget.
This book is full of budgeting tips, worksheets, and exercises to break your financial goals into easy and manageable steps.
She goes over everything, from cutting down on your grocery bill to organizing your time to becoming debt-free!
Self-Care
What’s the point of the work-life grind if you feel like absolute crap?
You need to take care of yourself, too! Self-care is so important for working moms since we often ignore our own needs and focus more on our children and family.
Here are some tools to help you incorporate some self-care into your life:
16. Self Care Journal
Every day, try to take a few moments to write in a journal and bust out all your thoughts and feelings. Journaling can help you slow down and pay attention to yourself!
17. Any Book by Brene Brown
Brene Brown is an author and researcher who has spent years delving into the concept of shame, imperfection, and courage.
She has a special on Netflix, has performed at many tedTalks, and has written some wonderful books that will make you feel infinitely better about your life and yourself.
18. Mini Meditation Podcasts
Over at Meditation Minis, there are hundreds of episodes you can listen to around 10 minutes long.
Meditation is an exercise for the mind, like working out is an exercise for the body. The more you can learn to control your thoughts and emotions, the more you will have control over your life.
Then, even if you face frantically stressful situations on the daily, you will know how to approach them with a sense of calm.
Awesome Tools for Working Moms
Are you a working mom? What are your must-haves when it comes to keeping your life together?
Let me know in the comments!
