{WOW–How ironic that I missed posting about time management yesterday because I ran out of time!! Life is crazy! Here’s what was supposed to be yesterday’s post..enjoy!}

We got home from church last night and I took a look at my calendar and realize that I was double–no triple!–booked for this afternoon between two sports practices and an evening meeting for work.

First I wanted to cry, but it was one of those cases where all I’d end up with was a headache and problem I still had to solve. Then I enlisted Mr. Fix-It. We decided what had to happen, what needed to happen, and what was not going to happen. We’re all busy. I could make a list of all the things we’ve had to do this week, and all the things we have to do next week…and you could make a list too and it would be just as overwhelming as mine can be sometimes. Sometimes the TO-DO list is the most self-defeating time management strategy I’ve ever come across! {smile}

As a busy wife, momma, working woman, sheep-farmer, dog-walker, chicken-chaser, clothes-washer, dinner-maker, and all the other hats I wear…I am all about some tips and tricks and lifehacks. But I find that a lot of resources don’t address the heart issues that come along with juggling all these “things.” Several years ago I read Beautiful in God’s Eyes by Elizabeth George and it completely changed my concepts of time, family, and household management. It’s a verse-by-verse review of the Proverbs 31 woman, and how we will be more motivated to get more done as we align our priorities with the Lord’s priorities. I love all of Elizabeth George’s books, but this is one that I try to re-read at least once a year.

And after last night, I’m starting this year’s read tonight!

I have read through a huge pile of “self-help” books on time management and juggling all the mom-hats. But here are the 10 resources that I find myself going back to over and over again for help…

1. Beautiful in God’s Eyes, Elizabeth George

I have a dog-eared, highlighted copy of this book on my nightstand pretty much 24/7. It’s one that I would also like to have on Kindle soon so I could pull it out and skim through it in “dead” time waiting for appointments and stuff. Every line is a valuable nugget.

2. Life Management for Busy Women, Elizabeth George 

This is a practical book full of tips for getting your heart right, and then ordering your actions and your hours accordingly. This book is a help to teach you how to think and prayer before you write any goals, actions, or TO-DO lists!

3. The Busy Mom’s Guide to a Happy, Organized Home, Kathy Peel

Now, this little gem is full of great busy momma tips! I love her perspective on being a “family manager,” and I’ve implemented tons of her little quick tips–everything from separating my cold and pantry items when bagging at the grocery store to scheduling joint doctors appointments.

4. My Heart’s At Home, Jill Savage

As a working momma, this book touched my heart. It gives a working mom (or any mom!) tips and strategies to keep her heart and mind focused on her family and home–even if she has to work and can’t always be there. There are great practical tips about everything from meal planning to organizing school papers and saving family photos–but the greatest part of the book is the examples of how they stay connected as a family even in the hustle and bustle. We often like to think that “if I were just a stay-at-home mom” or “If we just homeschooled” or “If we just…” anything…then things would be easier. The truth is that God can meet us anywhere and redeem our work, no matter where that work happens, if we just put Him first.

5. Say Goodbye to Survival Mode, Crystal Paine 

If she hadn’t come out with this new book, her previous little green book would have been on here. Her principles of less clutter, more control are just too important to ignore! Her writing style is familiar and easy and so encouraging!

6. Large Family Logistics, Kim Brenneman

I’ve talked about this book before, and how it was a help to me to see another busy momma working a zone cleaning schedule. I also appreciate her perspective on getting the kiddos in on the work and cutting the “fluff” time wasters to be at home to do your work.

7. Sink Reflections, Marley Cilley

The Flylady! This cleaning schedule has worked for us. And every time I stop using it, the chaos reigns! {smile} The great thing about this is that the book leads you through setting up your own cleaning schedule on paper, so if you stop using it at some point, you can just pull it out, dust it off, and get right back to it when you come back to your senses. I also love that there’s no point at which you are supposed to spend three days cleaning your entire house perfectly to get started! You just start right where you are. This book helped me develop our pattern of “routines” to keep the daily house and chores organized–and gave me hours back in relieved stress!

8. A Mother’s Rule of Life, Holly Pierlot

This book is an intense, step-by-step help for setting up your own “rule of life” or schedule to manage your days and your family, from a busy homeschooling momma. While this book is definitely from a Catholic perspective, I found a lot to be admired in how she framed her days around prayer and observances first, and other tasks second. I am trying to learn to do the same thing and it has dramatically improved my faithfulness to church attendance–which is both a biblical command and the first step in having real church fellowship.

9. The Hidden Art of Homemaking, Edith Schaeffer

This interesting little book was not what I expected, but was a delightful change! It’s not a “how to” time management book–it’s a “why to” book that defends our inborn desire for art and beauty in our homes as being a God-given gift and a connection between us and the great, artistic Creator Himself.

10. Smart Martha’s Catholic Guide for Busy Moms, Tami Kiser

Full of great tips from someone who is very busy raising a large family and serving her church community. Very practical, and again, I love that she gets the kiddos involved in running the household.

I can also tell you that I didn’t find Julie Morgenstern helpful–although apparently when I was reading it and never finished I used a $5 bill as a bookmark and I did find that helpful later on! {smile} I’m also not completely sold on Stephen Covey. They both had something to share, but I just find that time management is a heart issue for me, not a head issue, and these resources don’t address that as much. I also think that women struggle differently than men and these books were too impersonal for my struggles as a Christian, working, momma.