Being a mum is challenging and rewarding in equal measure and it often means that you have to be a multitasking champion as well as a parent who is always there for their child.

Trying to stay on top of a hectic and chaotic lifestyle requires some great organisational skills and a few savvy shortcuts to keep on top of your tasks and your schedule.

Here are some pointers on how to get organised and find the time to meet all the demands on your time, including why your calendar plays such a pivotal role, why it pays to be decisive, plus a suggestion to reach out every now and again for a bit of help.

Keeping track of all your dates and appointments

As a mum, you need to keep track of everything that is going on each day and keep other people in the loop who are going to be helping with the childcare and other duties.

A good way of getting organised and being able to share your schedule with anyone else who need to know is to use a resource like Google Calendar.

With so many messages floating around on social media, email and text message, it is all too easy to miss a scheduled play date or some other engagement that maybe arrived in your inbox but didn’t get any further than that.

The trick is to have one calendar and then make it your best friend so that everything that’s happening is all in the one place and easy to view. Being able to keep track of appointments with such ease will help dial down the stress and enable you to stay organised for the week.

Always try to take decisive action straight away

Sometimes it’s the little things that can make a big difference and when you have to sign a permission slip or write in the reading diary, the temptation is often to stack up those little jobs and then get them done when you have a few minutes spare.

A much better way would be to avoid putting off anything you can do straight away, however trivial, so fill in the slip when you come across it and update the calendar as soon as you get a play date organised.

By being proactive with all your tasks this should avoid a buildup and free up more time over the course of the week.

As an example, if you know your child is going on a school trip or play date the next day, use this app instead of a thermometer to check what the local weather is going to be doing, then lay out their clothes ready the night before, plus the sunscreen or umbrella, whichever might be needed.

You can’t do it all

Finally, even when you are well organised, it doesn’t hurt to reach out for a bit of extra help and to delegate a few tasks where you can.

Get the kids to help out with chores they are old enough to do and reach out to friends and family every now and again so that you can give yourself a bit of time to recharge your batteries and be ready, both physically and emotionally, for the next set of challenges that are heading your way as a parent!

*Collaborative post