How to be Productive Even with Kids at Home!

Last Updated on November 2, 2018 by Diane Hoffmaster

This post about how to be productive with kids at home has been sponsored.  All opinions are my own.

Being a mom is stressful. You may have teens who need to be driven places and babies who need naps.  There is homework to help with even though you don't understand basic math anymore. There are field trips to remember and possibly chaperone.  And there are more after school activities than you remember signing up for. If you have any hope of getting the housework done, you need to learn how to be productive while balancing a baby on your hip and a phone on your shoulder.

One way that you can become more productive is by becoming a Sam's Club member!  I will share a few other tips I have learned over the years and tell you all about the great member benefits that Sam's Club offers to make your life run more smoothly.

How to be productive even with kids home

Tired of eating breakfast at noon and not accomplishing anything on your to do list?  Follow these tips on how to be productive even with kids at home.

Consolidate Your Errands. 

When you have a kid free hour, make the most of it.  Plot out the stores you need to go to and make the most of your time. Being organized is the first step to being productive.  Don't waste time driving that could be spent being productive.

Make a realistic to do list. 

Don't put 40 things on it at need to get done this week. Write down your top 5 must do items to tackle in a day. In order to learn how to be productive, you need to learn how to set realistic goals.  Otherwise, you just get depressed when you look at how few things you checked off during the day.

Work in 15 minutes intervals. 

Children have the attention span of gnats.  Use your time wisely.  Set them up with play dough, a book on tape, or an art project and then work your butt off on one item on your to do list.  When their attention span lapses, play with them and give them some one on one time before setting them up with their next project.

Invest in a timer. 

Children need to learn that you are not always at their beck and call. Set a timer for 20 minutes (more or less depending on age) and place it where they can see it.  Tell them that when the timer goes off, you can do something with them.  When the timer is ticking, you are not available to play.  Just make sure to give them quality time between sessions!

Have a 'work basket'. 

This concept is derived from the 'nursing basket' I put together for my 2 year old when my daughter was born.  Get a laundry basket.  Fill it with assorted toys and books that ONLY come out when you really need to work to meet a deadline.  Get your basket toys from Goodwill or garage sales or the Target clearance rack. Just make sure you get them out judiciously when you really need to meet a deadline.

Try to stick to a schedule. 

I truly believe that children thrive on a consistent schedule. You don't need to be rigid about it but set a standard bedtime and stick to regular meal times whenever possible.  With a regular schedule, your children will learn the difference between playtime and work time.

Enlist help.

Sometimes it takes a village to raise a kid.  Ask your friends with children if they want to trade childcare hours.  You take their kids for a few hours one day and then they take yours for a few hours.  Think of how much you could accomplish with a few child free hours!

Join Sam's Club

Seriously... Sam's Club can save you a ton of time AND money.   One of the biggest perks to shopping at Sam's is that you can shop in bulk.  That means fewer shopping trips and less time wasted.  You also get great savings and awesome quality.  They have a huge selection of fresh and organic produce, USDA choice meats and fresh baked goods.

Save a ton of time with your Sam's Club shopping as well.  You can skip the checkout lines with Scan & Go, order ahead with Club Pickup or shop on the go with the Sam's Club app. You don't even have to get out of your car to pick up the purchases you make online.  Which is REALLY helpful if you have a baby in the car! And if you aren't 100% satisfied, you get your membership fee refunded!

Are you a busy new mom with an infant?  Get every day low prices on everything needed for babies & toddlers, including diapers, food, toys and gear.  Check out the great deals on baby and toddler items and start shopping!

Sign Up and Enter the Giveaway!

Sam’s Club membership is a must have for moms, particularly new moms!   Head over to Valpak.com where you can sign up for membership and get details about the great offers available for new Sam’s Club members.

 Enter the Savings.com’s Sam’s Club membership gift card giveaway! They are giving away 25 $100 Sam’s Plus Gift of Membership Gift Cards! All you have to do is submit your email address for a chance to win! Enter HERE 

 Join the #NewMomsLoveSams Twitter party for a chance to win $1500 in prizes. 

Join them on Tuesday, November 6th at 10AM PT/1PM ET for the #NewMomsLoveSams Twitter party! Chat about all the ways that a Sam’s Club membership is beneficial for new moms! There’ll be $1500 in gift card prizes up for grabs, so be sure to RSVP HERE to be eligible to win!

• Hosts: @savings
• Hashtag: #NewMomsLoveSams
• Prizes: (15) $100 Sam’s Plus Gift of Membership gift cards

Childhood can be a magical time to make memories so don't be an 'all work and no play' kind of parent.  Need ideas? Check out Popsugar's post on 100 Free Ways to Keep Your Kids Busy This Summer.

Take it from a mom who now has teenagers...your kids will not be little forever.  Learn how to be productive but never, EVER forget to cherish every moment with your children. If I could go back 10 years and have my little preschoolers back again, I would do it in a heartbeat. Find a balance between the things you NEED to do and the things your children WANT to do.

Have any other tips for being productive even as a busy mom?

Diane Hoffmaster

Diane is a professional blogger and nationally certified pharmacy technician at Good Pill Pharmacy.  She has two college aged kids, one husband and more pets than she will admit to. She earned her BS in Microbiology at the University of New Hampshire  but left her career in science to become a stay at home mom. Years of playing with LEGO and coloring with crayons had her craving a more grown up purpose to her life and she began blogging and freelance writing full time.  You can learn more about her HERE.