Let's face it; a woman's time is never her own. When you're at work, there are a million demands that need met, and when you're home, you sometimes cannot even go to the bathroom without a child wanting a moment of your time. Working mothers have a lot of competition for their attention, so finding ways to improve time management can make your life a lot easier.
One of the most important tools for managing time is a calendar. It doesn't matter if it's an electronic version in your cell phone, a digital calendar like Google Calendars, or the old-fashioned DayTimer style you keep in your brief case, organized working mothers and professional women know that keeping track of appointments, schedules, and dates is much easier to do if they are all stored in one place. It only takes a few double-bookings to make you realize the importance of this tool.
Another crucial tool for a woman on the go is a well-organized handbag. You wouldn't believe the number of minutes lost to women every day because of searching through a chaotic and jumbled bag for car keys, a cell phone, or a pen. Choose a bag that has compartments for everything and use them.
If you are struggling with managing your time effectively, it's also important to pay attention to what is distracting you from getting the job done. Did you just finish playing a game of Tetris on the computer or spend a half an hour on Facebook chatting with a friend only to realize you are coming up on a hard deadline? Discipline is crucial to effective time management. If discipline is difficult for you, you can do a few things to help: hide comments on Facebook from games that might tempt you, log out of Facebook when you leave so that you have to log back in, or turn off the computer altogether if you don't need it to get the work done.
Finally, to make sure you stay on task, make a list of all the things you need to accomplish each day and week. Prioritize everything in order of due date or difficulty, knocking the most difficult tasks off the list first.
Working mothers and professional women also need to take time out for themselves. Get a massage or a manicure, talk to a friend, and make sure you get some exercise. It's just as important to build these things into your schedule as it is all of your other to-dos.