The moment when the photographer gets a a beautiful family moment, not pictured all of the crazy before and after moments to get the few good shots, lol

I consider myself the typical modern women, one who wears many hats and sometimes a crown. I am a wife, businesswoman, author, non-profit founder, and a pageant queen. No matter what hat we may wear at any given time I always wish the day was a bit longer, so I could get a little more sleep or my mom guilt, that in my mind is inevitable, won’t creep in!

Time saving hacks and organization is key for me to balance everything as I attempt to keep my sanity. Here are a few of my favorites and I hope they will help you as much as they help me!

1. Gym/Me time first thing in morning! Waking up early, 530 AM took sometime to get used to, but working out and having some quiet time before everyone wakes up is priceless!

2. Looking at our family calendar of events for day, early so I can make sure it will be manageable. Seeing what events/classes my children have, teleconference/work events for myself and knowing what time I can expect my husband home, since as his schedule can and frequently does change, is key to prep for the day. It also insures that I bring the post school activities clothes and equipment with me! I know I am not alone in forgetting dance shoes or my son’s tennis racket.

3. An organized pantry! I know that sounds simple but organizing it in a way that my children can reach healthy snacks has saved me many times in those “hangry” moments! I don’t know about you but my littles always seem to be hungry when I am on a work call or just as we are running out the door. This system has helped them feel empowered to help out and lowered my stress level.

4. Instacart! I can shop from multiple stores all by the click of the button including SAMS, BJs and Costco without a big box membership! I cancelled my Costco/Sam’s club membership so for almost the same price as one I can have all of our food delivered weekly, or in our case a few times a week!

5. Plan for meals 2-3 days at a time! I know you might be thinking that is extra time! BUT I don’t know about you but our schedule can change frequently, and I felt like we were wasting food when we deviated our plans and we grabbed takeout or had a family dinner out. Now we have less waste and save money!

6. It’s okay to say NO! Our schedules can fill quickly and cause additional stress. If it does not give you joy or help your family, it’s okay to say no! This one can still be a work in progress for me.

7. Scheduling one on one time with my littles each day. No matter how crazy busy the day can be I always schedule one on ones with the kids, even if it’s just for 15 minutes! Most days it’s longer but having a strong connection with them is so important, especially while they are young, I want to make sure they always know they can count on me and talk to and with me.

When all else fails and my to do list is longer than the day is long, which can happen regardless on how organized I am, I channel one of my mother's favorite literary characters, Scarlett O'Hara and say “Tomorrow is another day”. There is no such thing as perfection so imperfectly perfect works for me!

One on one time with my little mini me