Time Management Mama: Making Use of the Margins to Pursue your Passions

by Sarah Korhnak, Beth Anne Schwamberger

Productivity is hard. Accomplishing big goals is even harder, and trying to grow a business or pursue a great big goal while raising kids feels almost impossible! This book is for those of us who are mixing motherhood with other passions. We are raising babies while working tirelessly at an enormous goal. We are playing with preschoolers while pursuing our passions. It is difficult enough to manage a home and love on our children without adding impossible dreams to the mix. But we know you can do it, and this book can help! As a mamapreneur, being productive in the home is just as important as being productive with your business. The two go hand in hand because we juggle the kids, the home, and the business all day long. Using our time wisely in one area inevitably helps the other areas as well. We don't have the luxury of a 9-5 schedule where we can work exclusively on our business or big dream. Many of us are choosing to stay home with our kids and build our dream business in the snatches of time we find between carpools, bottles, and play dough. Others of us still work a traditional 9-5 job, so our margins in the hours-off must be balanced wisely to have time for our families as well as time to pursue other passions. The exhaustion of a 9-5 job fuels the fire for building a business where we can be our own boss. As moms, it's not possible to simply cross the home-front off the list and move on. Meals, laundry, and cleaning can't be put off indefinitely. Our families are more pleasant when they are fed, clean, and not living in filth. We get it. We live there. We've drawn from our own experiences, trials, and errors when writing this book. We type not from corner offices and conference rooms but from crusty couches and crumb-filled kitchens. We've gathered the best tips from other moms in the trenches too. So you'll hear not only what works for us, but what works for them too. This book is full of strategies used by real moms that help them to be as productive as possible in their day-to-day lives. When used together, these strategies will give you the margins you need to pursue your biggest passions instead of letting another year pass by wondering, "what if..."

Genres: Nonfiction, Productivity, Self Help, Personal Development, Parenting

216 pages, Paperback

First published May 16, 2015

About the author

Sarah is an accountant with the goal of making bookkeeping and taxes for the small business owner easy to understand. She loves reading across many genres.

Reviews

[Brooklyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book focuses on moms who are also trying to build businesses. However, I still found it useful in giving me some time management strategies, and some ideas on how to use the margin in my time to accomplish the things that are most important to me.

[Amanda Hicks · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was wondering why this book was still sitting on my currently reading shelf. I turned my audiobook back on and remembered. When listening to the audiobook at a faster speed the narrator sounds like a young girl. While this book is aimed at stay-at-home moms, it does have helpful tips that can be utilized by working moms as well. The majority of the tips I have heard elsewhere.

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I could give this book 10 stars, I would. It's been the BEST book I've ever read on parenting while trying to maintain a life outside of your kids. An alternative title could be "Mom Hacks: How to Stay Sane, Fulfill Your Dreams, and Keep the Home While Happily Parenting." This is a must-read for mamas everywhere, no matter their goals or the number of children they have.

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very practical book devoted to helping you find time in your day as a mom to pursue a business or other passion. I appreciate that the suggestions are practical and doable. They also don't neglect spending quality time with your children. The book walks you through setting realistic goals, and finding time to pursue them even if that is only with 10 minutes a day.

[Lois · Rating 4 out of 5]

Practical advice and tips for managing a home and a job from home.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some very helpful tips and suggestions - even when I don't have small ones at home.

[Natalie · Rating 2 out of 5]

it was fine, lots of little tips for different personalities

[Lindsey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe it's just that I have read too many books on this subject, but there was nothing new or earth shattering in here.

[D.H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great, fast read for women to manage their time and businesses. Geared more toward the younger moms, it was full of great advice, honest talk and some cool freebie links.

[Coleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of good ideas, including ideas about how to save your ideas and not let those creative critters affect the work you are doing.

The book is written by two authors who each write their own chapters, one or two at t time. All of the chapters, however. Have 'take-aways' at the end which are very valuable.
The whole time I was reading the book ( and it is not a sit - down, read straight through-book), I was wondering how they managed to write this book as well as do everything else that they do. The answer is in their organization and systemization - and in my opinion, their intelligence and determination. Having raised three sons as a single parent, I can appreciate time constraints.

Good going for these ladies!
And good luck to all those who read the book and undertake their time management strategies.

I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway.

[Stephanie M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Time management mama- simple, straightforward advice for busy moms to pursue passions in the small increments of time that are presented to us while raising children.

With real life advice from moms scattered throughout the chapters, you will come away with a handful of helpful tips to aid you on your own personal journey.

This book is filled with tips on how to make use of nap time, create activities for your children to explore independently, even advice on how to maintain your home without making it your first priority.

These two women bring you a user-friendly guide to help you on your way to finally achieving your goals and living your passion, most importantly, without the guilt.

//Stephanie M Nason

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adore the Brilliant Business Moms podcast and was so thrilled to get my hands on a copy of their book. I didn't feel like there was anything incredibly groundbreaking, but I found their practical tips for work-at-home Mamas and especially the advice from other moms who are in the trenches, working to create some sort of balance between work and family, really helpful. It's packed with lots of great ideas to help you reach your dreams while still being completely present with your family.

[Gianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an easy read with practical tips.

It was so engaging that when we were watching TV as a family, I would pick it up during commercials and not want to put it down when the show came back on!

[Mary]

Some good tips

I picked up some new tips for making time for my business, but many of the ideas are tailored for parents of young kids. My son is 9, so I have a little more flexibility in my schedule, even though I home school. I also enjoy listening to their podcast.

[Ashley Eneriz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great and easy read

Most of these tips I already incorporate as a freelance mom, but only because I had to go through many years of failing before I figured out what system works for me. Save yourself those years of trial and error and read this book first.

[Jana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good quick read with some useful nuggets.

[Pianomans Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

Practical and easy to read

Easy read helped fit a chapter or two into a busy day. Practical advice for busy moms. I would also recommend to stay home/ work from home Dads.

[Sonja Shaw]

Lots of great tips, offered with a friendly tone.

[Kristina Crews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Practical advice

This was a good reminder. I didn't chose the best time to read it given I just had a baby. Most likely, I'll look back through it.

[Esther Duttweiler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super-practical and realistic for busy moms. Highly recommend!

[Jennifer Rebello · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick read full of great tips on juggling working with kids home. Some were validation a of things I already do, but plenty of new ideas to put into practice, too.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are real tips and helps in this time management book, and it's not just for moms. Anyone can benefit from these encouraging authors.

[Lizzie Harwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy read with many interesting tips for making more of a mom-entrepreneur's time.