My Best Productivity Tips For Work At Home Moms

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Fellowes Brands. All opinions are 100% mine.

Ah, a new year!  2016 is here and I can barely believe how time flies. As a daughter, sister, wife, mother of two children, and mother of a grumpy cat and crazy huge puppy, I know there are lots of demands on our time.  Since I work from home, I have a lot of people ask me how I manage to get so much done. My husband calls me a busy bee but I really value making the most of my time so that I can balance my work and my family successfully.    My kids are a priority to me because I know that they are only little once. Working from home for 5 years now, I have gotten pretty good at staying productive during my work time and getting work accomplished before my kids get home so that I can do the things I love, like have fun with my family.  Here are some of my best productivity tips gleaned from my 5 years blogging, to help work at home moms achieve work life balance.

My 5 Best Productivity Tips For Work At Home Moms

1. Make A Plan
   To be productive you must have a clear plan.  This applies to many areas.  You need to have a calendar and/or planner where you keep deadlines and appointments.  A clear plan for your objectives for the year and for each month are important to helping your make and reach your goals. Holding yourself accountable for meeting your goals will help you ensure your planning is actionable and effective.  You also need to have a clear plan for each day’s activities which brings us to prioritizing.
2. Prioritize
   Being able to effectively prioritize is key to productivity.   You must evaluate tasks based on their importance.  Will those tasks pay you? Will those tasks improve your business? Is there a deadline for the task and is it worth the time it will take?  Ask yourself these types of questions and organize your to do list with the projects that will give you the most pay off at the top. That way if you run short on time, the less important tasks get pushed back instead of the most.  Also, remember that sometimes you will have to say, “No”.  Respect your limits and don’t take on projects that don’t reward you adequately.
3. Organize
   Organization is key to productivity.  You don’t want to waste valuable time looking for things you need. Invest in a few drawer organizers.  Have a place for everything and put it back when you are done using it.  Keep your desk clutter free.  File papers away when you are done with them.  Shred papers you no longer need.
   The stylish Fellowes 79Ci shredder is a great time-saving solution that helps me get rid of clutter. I love getting rid of things I don’t need so I use the sleek 79Ci shredder to shred old mail, old to-do lists, and other business related papers I no longer need. For those of you that are behind on cleaning the clutter,  it has an extended 20 minute run time for increased productivity!  It saves me time because the patented 100% Jam Proof System eliminates paper jams and powers through tough jobs handling up to 16 sheets of paper per pass in addition to staples, paper clips, credit cards, and even CDs!  And since I am work from home, I really appreciate that it has a Patented SafeSense® Technology which automatically stops shredding when hands touch the paper opening to keep me and my kids safe.  I also appreciate the Energy Savings System that maximizes shredder energy efficiency both in use and out of use because I don’t like wasting energy or time.  The Fellowes 79Ci Shredder is available at Amazon and Office Superstores with a suggested retail price of $239.99.  #WorkBetterWithFellowes
4. Make Breaks Productive
   I take breaks fairly frequently because I need to stretch my muscles or clear my mind of a project before I move on to the next project.  However, I keep my breaks short and I get something done. If I get up stretch my legs, I go to the bathroom and get a glass of water.  If I need a few minutes to clear my head, I load the dishwasher while I think.  Switching tasks for a few minutes satisfies my need for down time while still helping me get done things I need to get done.
5. Keep Learning
   Now, this is one of my best productivity tips, even if you might find it unexpected or counter intuitive. Make a little time to keep learning.  If you keep learning, often times the things you learn will make you even more productive by replacing old systems with newer more effective systems.  When I come across learning material, I make time for it.  I take at a few minutes to figure out if it is actually valuable and if I can implement right away or if I need to schedule time to delve deeper.

I hope enjoyed my best productivity tips for work at home moms. I hope they help you get done all the things you need to do in less time so that you can enjoy your family time more!  What are your favorites?  Which of these tips is something you know you could start doing or do better?