If you are a working mom, one characteristics that you should have is that you need to have at least a tiny weeny dash of organizational skills. Kahit ga-buhok lang, okay na. You will need your organizational skills to keep yourself sane with all the things that you have to do both at work and at home. Of course,
Being a working mom myself, here are the things that I need to keep myself organized.
One, you need to have something where you can note down everything.
That is one of my secrets. People often ask me how the world I am able to attend to my family’s needs, my demanding work and then also blog on the side. My answer is very simple. I have a lot of lists! I list down everything that I need to do. My lists have sub lists in them. I even list down the things that I have to think about that I don’t have to think about at that moment. Hehe. I do this so that I am sure I won’t be able to forget anything. It’s very easy (and dangerous) to get swallowed with all the things us, working moms, need to remember and accomplish.
For me, I need two notebooks so I won’t get confused with my two functions during the day. I have one notebook for work where I write down all the things that I need to do and all the things that I need to remember for work. I have another notebook with a calendar where I put all Anika’s activities and jot down all the things that I have scheduled for us to do. I got the notebook with calendar from Muji. It’s very simple and it easy to use.
Two, a working mom needs a corkboard where she can put everything that she needs to remember.
I have a cork board at home where I pin the unpaid bills that I have yet to pay and the important memorandum that Anika’s school sends us. These documents should be smack where I can always see them everyday so I get reminded about these things constantly. Again, working moms are very busy. Things like this can make our lives a little easier.
Three, working moms need a specific place for everything so that they can find whatever she needs immediately.
At home, I have a place where I put all the copy of the bills that I have already paid. I keep the bills that I paid within a year. I also have one place where I store all the things that I need for crafts: ribbons, gift wrappers, tape dispenser, stapler, pens, gift cards etc. I have a place where I store the First Aid Kit. I have a place where Anika can store her things. I even have a place assigned for my husband where he stores all his knick knacks. Since time is crucial for working moms, in this way, you will no longer spend unnecessary minutes/hours in looking for the things that you need.
Fourth, a working mom needs a pantry that can explain to her everything.
This is one of the pantries I have at home. It’s arranged in a way that I can see what we have and don’t have anymore. I do not need to ask our kasambahay what is kulang. Whenever I need do the grocery, I just stand there and inspect what I need to buy. My other pantry is located in the dirty kitchen. That is where the canned goods, cooking oil, soy sauce, laundry soap etc are placed. It is also arranged that way where I can see eveything in one look. Again, it saves me time because I can immediately see what my family needs.
Lastly, a working mom needs a good help. I do not know how will I ever survive my every day without my two God sent kasambahays. I have trained them to complement what I do in a daily basis therefore they require a little supervision na lang. I have trained them to ask questions if they do not understand my instructions. I am lucky because they have malasakit to our family and I swear, I seriously would not be able to accomplish what I can now without them.