I swear I inherited the tendency to run on the late side from my mother. She has never once been anywhere on time in her entire life! I’m not that bad, but it’s easy for my family to fall into a pattern of running late (and using the kids as a convenient, and honest, excuse), but it truly stresses me out running late!
Here are 5 time-saving hacks for moms like me who are always running late:
1. Pack the night before.
Even when you are tired. Take 15 minutes at the end of the night to think about tomorrow’s plans and make sure the diaper bag is restocked, the water bottles and snacks are prepped to go, and other necessary items are put in the car. This is the number one best thing you can do to increase the chances that you get out of the house without falling dreadfully behind schedule and without forgetting something important amid the transition chaos!
2. Put the absolute necessities, preferably out of reach of curious little hands!
Like your keys, wallet, phone, and diaper bag, in the exact same location every time you return home. Key hooks are especially useful, as are cubbies or bins designated for each child so that they can also create a habit of putting their shoes and outerwear in the same place every time they come inside. This is setting your future self up for success and protects you from getting sucked into a game of “I can’t find my ____!” right before you have to go.
3. Set any manual clocks in the house 2-4 minutes early.
Not so early that you automatically do the mental math and tell yourself that you really have 5 or 10 more minutes to play with, but just early enough that when you inevitably end up running a few minutes behind schedule, you actually are still getting out the door on time! This is not possible to do with your phone, but you should definitely use your phone to set an alarm for 30 minutes before you need to leave the house, which will trigger the next hack.
4. Break the transition process down into three 10-minute phases: Prime, Prepare, and Peace Out.
Transitions are hard for everyone, adults included, so instead of saying, “Ok, time to go!” and expecting everyone to jump up and get on board, prime your kids with a 10-minute warning for winding down current activities. I also like to add, “Time to do (or finish) your last thing.” This is also mom’s cue to stop whatever task you are working on and to load the car with the bags, snacks, and water bottles you prepped the night before.
Next, help prepare everyone to leave the house. End the activities, turn off the screens, take bathroom trips, put on shoes, zip coats, and say goodbye to the dog—do whatever you need to do to move towards the door.
Finally, peace out the door 10 minutes before your goal time for leaving. This allows enough time to buckle the kids in, handle any last-minute needs, and start the GPS. If the stars align and you don’t need the full 10 minutes for this phase every time, you might actually end up being early to your destination once in a while!
5. Give your kiddos a reward when you arrive at a destination early.
The reward will be unique to your family but should be something simple and motivating. During those extra few minutes after you’ve arrived, you can grant screen time, play the kid’s favorite song you can’t stand, Facetime with a beloved relative or friend, or let them run around and be silly. My son and I like candy, so I keep a small stash in the car for a quick reward. Other kids might like to choose from a box of stickers or treasures. You can also post a visual chart in the car to track whenever you arrive early and the kids (and you!) can earn a larger reward when you have made it somewhere early 5 times, like a trip to a coffee shop for a sweet treat!
Sometimes, just being early and not feeling stressed by the hustle and bustle is its own reward. And your kids will pick up on how much more pleasant it is for everyone to feel unhurried!
Do you have any time-saving hacks for moms who are always running late? Share them with our community in the comments.
