With the arrival of fall, families are busier than ever. Whether you’re rushing to school events or after school activities, it’s easy to overbook your schedule. Have you ever been happy to watch your child’s sporting activity, but being somewhere else was constantly on your mind? That’s me this week – thinking about the laundry – instead of enjoying Samantha’s second tennis practice. Even though this time of year can be hectic, you can manage your busy fall schedule with a few simple tips.

3 Tips For Managing A Busy Fall Schedule

When you can’t focus on loving the moment you’re in, it’s time to reconsider how you manage your schedule. As a mom of two kids under age 7, I have a few ideas to help you pause, relax, and enjoy the beauty of fall.

1.) Divide and conquer.  

To better manage your time, take all the help you can get. Whether you’re accepting offers for help from neighbors or grandparents, you might find that people can be very generous with their time.

Share responsibilities within the household too. You should encourage the kids to do their chores around the house. Someone once said you should live as though you’re a household with 10 kids. When you have a big family, everyone pitches in because they know it would be impossible for mom to do everything. Live this way, even if you only have one or two kids. Chores are simply a part of life.

2.) Create a non-negotiable routine.

As the kids return to school, set a clear routine for them from day one. We require some time for exercise or outdoor play right after school. Then, it’s time for homework. If you insist that homework happens early in the evening, it can be easier for your child to focus on the task at hand and stay alert while processing information. After homework comes dinner, reading time, and bedtime. 

One of the most key parts of creating a routine is that it becomes a habit. Make clear from the beginning that the routine is not negotiable. If you notice activities that tempt your kids to veer from the routine, such as television or tablet time, simple make those activities off limits during the week. You can allow more unstructured time during the weekend when everyone wants to relax.

3.) Continue a passion or hobby.

Over the summer, taking time for yourself is often a priority. As your schedule gets busier in the fall, it’s easy to forget to give yourself Me Time, but you really must. This summer, I read Hemingway and Fitzgerald as well as the new Harry Potter book, went to the gym, ran long distances with the stroller, and soaked in the sun. As the school year starts, forgetting to create a routine for yourself (and one that includes Me Time) can make you feel very overwhelmed because your schedule becomes about everyone else.

Take some time to write out a schedule for yourself. While your children do their homework, can you visit your home gym or go running around the block? When it’s time to make dinner, can you read a new novel as the food cooks? Adding in time for yourself might sound difficult with so many places to be all the time, but once you’ve created time for yourself, the whole family will get used to you doing that activity. As a side note, doing work from home does not count as time for yourself! Make sure you’re really doing something you love and that helps you relax or get healthier.

As you learn to manage your busy fall schedule, you will better appreciate this beautiful time of year. Remember, don’t become so overwhelmed with the details of where you need to be next that you forget to enjoy where you are now.

Do you have tips for managing busy fall schedules? Share in the comments!

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Theresa has been writing since 2010 in magazines and online. Her lifestyle and parenting expertise has been featured in publications, including ShopSmart and Scholastic. She earned an M.Ed in Elementary Education from Vanderbilt as well as a BA in History from Flagler College, and she is a certified teacher.

30 Responses

  1. Brittany Ferrell

    As a teacher and mom, fall is crazy for me! I have been especially stressed out this year and I completely agree with your tips! This year I am trying to take my “To Do” list and prioritize it. I am finally beginning to realize I can’t do it all in one day!

    Reply
  3. Anna

    Scheduling is so important! I put even the most mundane things on my calendar. It really helps to get everything done, stay organized, and not overwhelmed.

    Reply
  4. Rachel Langer

    This time of year is so hard to get back into the habit of routine! Even though my husband and I work full time the summer schedule is still so much more relaxed.

    Reply
  5. Ellie Augustin

    With 4 kids it can be super crazy this year it’s going to be super busy so my BFF is a planner and our blackboard so I try to keep up with all our busy & Fun as well.

    Reply
  7. Debra

    I definitely don’t know how we would manage when school starts in the fall without dividing and conquering! Great tips!

    Reply
  8. karen

    Great reminder about taking time out for yourself! Keeping up on a hobby is an excellent idea and one that would transition effortlessly from season to season or life transition to transition!

    Reply
  10. Rose Sahetapy

    Having every day programmes scheduled and a routine is a way to keep up with all the daily activities. Continue the hobby as before is also great to balance the busy schedule, and a good treat to ourselves.

    Reply
  12. Sona Sethi

    Wow! I am not a parent yet but I can totally imagine the turmoil. Haha! kids are super energetic and its quite entertaining to see them jump everywhere.

    Reply
  13. Wendy Polisi

    Such great tips! I am really trying to carve out the time to make this fall special for our family. I need to find more time for my hobbies too.

    Reply
  14. Rachel Catherine

    Divide and conquer has been big for our parenting strategy at our house. I do feel like it leaves us feeling like less of a family sometimes though so it is important to make sure you’re not always dividing.

    Reply
  15. Kori

    It usually takes us a week or two to finally settle back into a routine during this time of the year. Thankfully we’re just about there!

    Reply
  16. Kim

    I was just telling my Husband that every weekend in October is booked already! Fall is so busy, but these are great tips.

    Reply
  18. Robin Rue

    Creating a routine that you don’t stray from is so important. So many people think that when they have a jam packed schedule that they can fit just one more thing in. Doesn’t work like that!

    Reply
  19. CourtneyLynne

    I would be lost without my schedule!!!! My whole life is planned and that way I stay in track!

    Reply
  21. Brittany

    I needed this today! I love the Fall but it’s getting busier than I expected already! I love the idea of a good schedule that can keep everything else grounded.

    Reply
  23. Kiana

    These are such great tips, not only for those amazing super moms juggling it all, but for anyone in their day to day. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  24. Kristin

    These are all great tips! I am the kind of person that I have to write everything down the night before or nothing will get done, well a lot will get done but nothing on the MUST do list. Juggling everything is tough but that is why we, women, are able to multitask.

    Reply
  26. Amanda

    Such great tips! I especially love #3! It’s so easy to get overwhelmed with our busy schedules that we forget to have time for ourselves doing something we enjoy.

    Reply
  29. krystal

    I am trying to read more since it is such an important part of “me time!” Your tips are helpful since our schedule is starting to get busy here too!

    Reply

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