My Everyday “Hacks”

One question I get asked often regarding being a mom/PhD student is how I manage to combine both, so I decided to write this blog post. I don’t like to use the word “hacks” because I think it’s overused. It indicates that there are quick-fix solutions for many problems, some of which are challenging and complex, and I think that’s untrue in many cases. However, “hacks” was the first word that came to my mind as I was thinking of the title, so I’m justifying the use of it by putting it inside quotation marks. That somehow makes me feel better. These “hacks” I developed through experience, and I found them to be very helpful. I hope some of you do too.

Preparing Everything The Night Before

This includes bathing my son, preparing his lunch box for daycare, and having everything we need visible and ready. This reduces the morning hassle and puts us in a better mindset. I also feel like I sleep better when I know everything is all set.

Waking Up Before My Son

As simple as this sounds, believe me, it makes ALL the difference. It’s much easier and faster for me to get ready for the day while my son is asleep. I try to have at least a half hour for myself in the morning. Having that quiet time helps me get in a good mental state. I find that I’m more patient when I take care of my own needs first.

Cooking Large Portions

One thing that I started doing over the past year was cooking double portions. This cleared up some time in my schedule every other night, when I only needed to warm up the food I cooked the night before. Needless to say, that reduced the amount of dishes too, which made me and my husband happy. On nights when I don’t cook a double portion, I try to cook something that takes a half hour at most. Pasta or Salmon are among my son’s favorites.

Alternating Tasks

Many of us as moms, and non-moms too, like to believe that we can do everything and that we don’t need help. While I do think it’s important to believe in ourselves and our own strength, having a perfectionist mindset can wear us out in the long run. When it comes to parenting, I think it’s important to divide tasks between parents, like daycare drop-offs and pick-ups, bath and bedtime, etc. This gives both parents the chance to have some time off between once in a while – something I believe is very crucial for their wellbeing.

Using A Planner

As simple as this sounds, using a planner made a significant difference in my schedule. The mere act of writing down a to-do list helps me see what’s important, and decide how to spend my time accordingly. This brings me to my last tip below.

Compartmentalization And Segmentation

This isn’t really a time-management tip as it is a mental practice. What I mean by it is to divide my time into blocks, and to focus my energy and attention into what I am doing. This allows me to make the most out of my time. If I was working on research, for example, I would try as best as I can to get in the zone and avoid extended breaks or side conversations. I would remind myself that I have a limited amount of time in the office, and that I didn’t want to carry work home. When I leave the office, I “put” everything related to school in a compartment in my mind, because it was time to pick up my son and spend quality time with him. This, by far, is the most challenging “hack” for me. It’s very difficult to accomplish, as is the case with most mental practices, but over time and consistent effort, I found that it gets easier.

I hope some of you benefit from these tips. Do any of you have some tips that you’d like to share?