Juggling back to school.It is about to get real. Preparing for back to school is always bittersweet. As a mid-westerner, I cherish the summer months. Back to school signals the end of three glorious months of warm weather, fun in the sun, and general happiness! However, as a mom I also notice my kids getting antsy and craving the structure and socialization school provides. Plus they get a break from one another which at this point in summer is definitely needed.
Keeping all this in mind, I wanted to share a few things that keep me sane and organized during this back to school madness. As a busy mom, I need a system that keeps me sane while I build my business and keep everything family related in order.
It’s That Time Of Year
When back to school is on the horizon, I start to dread the end of summer. The kids are ready to be back in school, and honestly we could all use the consistency of a solid routine. After a few months of fun and long sunny days, I immediately begin to dread the change in seasons. I am a die hard summer lover and spend all other seasons longing for it.
However, the return to school and moving from summer to fall signals a shift in my business too. I become more focused and driven after my favorite activities are no longer a daily distraction! I get to work planning with my Full Focus Planner to get clear on my business goals for the third quarter of the year. I evaluate what’s worked so far, what major projects I still hope to tackle, and set goals for my business and personal life.
The Business Of Planning Back To School
The very first step I take when planning back to school is plotting out all the upcoming changes to the family schedule. I keep several calendars and use many tools to manage my life. I’d be totally lost without organization. My family life lives in the Cozi Family Planner. It is such an amazing tool for families. I program our entire school calendar, all extra curricular activities, doctor’s appointments, etc. in the app or online.
Cozi lets you color code for family members, and set helpful notifications and reminders so you don’t forget anything important. The app is free to use as well, so don’t miss this one. You can upgrade for a few extra features if it suits you, but the free version is functional enough on its own. Cozi provides free downloadable resources and templates for schedules, checklists, etc. Here is a link to the free printable resources for back to school.
Maintaining Balance In Family and Business
I’m not going to lie, maintaining balance is tough! Everything gets so busy that I am always at risk of burn-out this time of year. To help avoid burn-out, I make sure that I limit as many commitments as possible. I keep my schedule up to date and organized. When I do, I feel more in control.
It is important to me to be present with my kids during all these new milestones and beginnings, so I focus a lot more on creating space for connection and reserving time for work. If I stick to this routine, I feel more present when I am not working. I also feel like things in the business are under control.
I can’t stress enough how important routines are in maintaining balance in life and business.
Hacks To Save Headaches
Sometimes, I spend a bit of money in order to obtain a little convenience. I know this isn’t everyone’s jam, but for me it works. Here are a few of the things I do in order to get everything done on time for the first day of school and beyond.
Meal Kits
I am somewhat of a meal kit junkie. I order from several different companies. I enjoy not having to grocery shop or meal plan. I also end up trying all kinds of meals that I’d never think of on my own. The kits come with all the ingredients and directions. It truly is a lifesaver with a busy schedule. Here are a few to try:
- Hello Fresh-serves up a tasty variety of meals the whole family will enjoy. You can get $40 off your first order. You won’t be disappointed.
- Sun Basket-vegans and vegetarians rejoice! So many options for those with dietary restrictions.
- Plated-carries meals for more the more sophisticated palate. Meals are always enjoyable. Get a huge discount on your first order.
- Home Chef-has a lot of variety and the recipes are very family friendly. Here is $30 off your first order if you want to give it a try!
Amazon Shopping
Ordering the essentials on Amazon is a time saver. I set up some recurring shipments for essentials, and take advantage of all the Prime benefits. In a way, shopping on Amazon saves me money. This way, I only search and buy what I need. This eliminates impulse buys. The best part of back to school and Amazon is you can get all those school supplies delivered right to your door in two days without the hassle!
Hired Help
Alright, this one took me a long time to admit, but I can’t do everything! After many years of struggle, I finally hired a cleaning service to help keep my home in order. I’ve realized that time is money in business, and it is more lucrative to spend time on activities that make money! It also takes some of my most hated chores off my to-do list and this exponentially increases my happiness.
Automation Tools
I couldn’t live without a few tools to keep things in order when I want to focus my time on family activities and the first day of school. In Trello, I organize my business life and keep track of a few self-development goals I am working on. With CoSchedule, I am able to schedule my content creation, develop my social campaigns and put it on auto-pilot (which saves a ton of time!). I rely on Tailwind to keep pinning and generating traffic to my website. Convertkit sends my email subscribers messages on auto-pilot which is a total lifesaver!
In Summary
Here are a few tips for transitioning successfully:
- Make sure to grab your free back to school planner from Cozi.
- Download the Cozi app and plug in all the important dates for the upcoming school year and all those miscellaneous obligations.
- Develop routines that will make the transition easier for both you and your kids.
- Decide what activities you want to focus your time on and outsource and automate the stuff you don’t.
You got this mama. The back to school whirlwind is upon us, but with a little planning and prioritizing we will crush it!
Recent Comments