Share with Intel how you juggle modern family life - £300 Argos voucher to be won!

[EllieMumsnet]

A big part of being a parent is being flexible and spinning several plates at the same time... there just aren’t enough hours in the day to do every task individually! Have you always been someone who can juggle multiple things at once or has parenting taught you the art of being flexible, Intel® would love to hear your best multi-tasking moments, as well as any tips and tricks for managing modern family life.

Here’s what Intel® have to say: “A thin and light Modern PC with an Intel® processor has great features that make it more flexible to use, so you can be more creative, productive and entertained. Cortana lets you use your voice instead of the keyboard and Windows Hello* lets you log in with your face not a password – perfect for when you already have your hands full with the children.”

Did you manage to book a holiday while you fed and bathed your children? Perhaps you helped one child with homework while breastfeeding your baby, being on Skype to your mum and eating your dinner all at the same time?

Whatever your tips or your best multi-tasking moment, share it on the thread below to be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 voucher from Argos.

Thanks and good luck!
MNHQ

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** Requires specialized hardware, including fingerprint reader, illuminated IR sensor or other biometric sensors and capable devices.
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Make lists so I don't forget anything. I always have a list for each day, just words to jog my memory. It's so easy to forget when you are rushing about.

Schedules and multi tasking. You just get used to it, it becomes normal.

I tend to use the time i take my son to his various clubs as a chance to do the shopping,online or emailing. Try and make a list of what I can do when i'm out and wait until i get home for the rest.

This thread sounds like burn out territory.

I find that trying to do too much all at once causes accidents or jobs to be done badly.

I am old fashioned and write lists on paper. Every day I have a list of things I need to do. All appointments etc are on the gigantic kitchen calendar.

I try to do jobs that are essential and attend things that are essential. If I consider something to be poor “value for time”, I won’t do it.

In the OP, the example of booking a holiday whilst bathing a child is a bit reckless. The only thing you can do whilst bathing a child is a small job in the bathroom which doesn’t require you to leave the room. The drowning risk aside, you need to pay attention when booking a holiday as it’s not straightforward.

Communication between my husband and me has always played a large part.
Also I find keeping notes/making lists helps, its amazing how some jobs can be stored up and dealt with all at once thereby saving lots of time on travel etc

Cooking while holding my baby is the most challenging :-) I often peel potatoes or mix ingredients for a meal on the floor to keep him entertained :)

I try really hard to be organised and know what I am doing in advance but that doesn't always work out either. I love the list app on my phone so that I don't forget any of the multitude of things that I have going on in any given day.

Errors can happen when multi-tasking too much but planning great when managing workload, family life etc. Knowing what I've got to do each day helps me space it out.

It's all about the list! Managing tasks and activities and checking them off when done means you don't have to rely on remembering (good for me as my memory is shocking - even worse post baby!).

I also find that writing things down when they occur to you (day or night) means that you don't end up kicking yourself in frustration when you have the time but not the inspiration!

Shopping online whilst cooking dinner is good. Keeping a list of all your usual shopping items, packing items (when going on holiday or a family visit) and day trip items means again, you don't have to think and can just process.

Means that all the thinking time can be devoted to creating fun for the monster!

I use the small, free resources that I co-habit with. I.e. I trick/cajole/bribe the kids into helping without letting them know they actually are. So hanging out the washing is making a den, folding the sheets is making a hurricane, emptying the dishwasher is a very grown up task that only really grown up children can do etc etc! I'm sure they will rumble me soon, but until then.....

Key words in modern life - planning, multi tasking and time management.

For example - I know I have to make a couple of phone calls, that will take about ten minutes. Voila! Commute home from work is filled with a task!

Or eating lunch whilst checking emails, taking calls while cooking dinner and meal planning kills two birds with one stone as it then becomes my shopping list! Honestly, I'm a pro!

I have a food shop delivered on a Monday morning 7:30-8:30 slot so we always have lunchbox food ready to go. I meal plan.
I add to the online shop throughout the week as and when.
I lay out nightclothes for the children when they get up in the morning.
We have a cleaner on a Monday too.
Everything goes in a paper diary , we also have a joint online calendar for when we need to make an appointment if we are out and about.
I always make sure I have spare formula and bottled water in case of sickness at home.
I plan journeys so that we do several errands if we are heading to a particular area of town.
I also plan petrol stops around the cheaper petrol stations.
I make sure we have one in stock of things like deodorant , toothpaste. I also clean the bathroom sink etc when the kids are in the bath.

I was mumsnetting the other day with hair dye in my hair, a face mask on, dinner cooking in the oven and the dryer on finishing some laundry.
I was also nagging my kids to do homework.

Do my shop online during lunch break at work, washing in when tea is on, must admit I use my phone a lot to do stuff when little one is playing etc. It is hard, especially as I have to work full time but I try to be organized and just do my best

Shop at local coop which is great as get points back which use to shop. Actually Love going to store, love the music & peace and quiet when not too busy. Stop off into park /cemetery and church too.

Just do your best. Multi task shopping with trip out . We've only got so much time don't beat yourself up. Check on line offers write down items you have nearly used before nothing left!

I do love a bit of multi-tasking! I'm happiest when I am busy :) I like to keep on top of things with my calendar and apps to keep notes and remind me to do things. I do rely quite heavily on my phone to keep on top of day to day life!

Online shopping, doing housework while the kids are in bed or at school/college.

I try and fail at multi tasking, which I take to mean, doing things at the same time. Instead I try and focus specifically on a task, one at time. It means I actually get things done quicker as I’m not spending half a brain on it, but all of it. I use my phone and work calendara to keep an eye on things, I have a wall chart so I know what’s what and I email myself reminders.

I have a wall calander, note book and reading etc is done while I’m cooking.

If you’ve not written in on the wall it’s not officially registered. Thems the rules

An online diary is a must. If it isn't in it doesn't happen!

I've become scrupulous about our family routine, which covers all the main things like:

• outfits for the week put together on Sundays for me and 3 DC
• washing machine goes on every night - with 5 of us, a dog, and various sports there's always a pile
• I have been known to peg a washing out in the evening to save me needing to do it in the morning

Oops posted too soon

• laundry folded as it's taken off the line and then goes straight into drawers
• during the week I just wipe down surfaces and use the hand held hoover, proper cleans and Dyson hoovering are done on a Saturday morning
• Eldest DC is 7 and is now responsible for getting her bag for school, dance, swimming etc ready the night before
• Dishwasher on every night
• Meal plans done every Sunday and I do a quick shop after I drop kids off on Monday morning - am home by 9 ready to start work.

DH and I both work FT, he does more hours than me so I tend to do more of the daily stuff but he joins in at weekend.

I'm reliant on my phone and various apps. Love amazon fresh for last minute shops. The organised mum method helps with the housework.

My best tip is to breastfeed (controversial, I know) but when babies are small they are happy to breastfeed pretty much on their own, so I got a lot of stuff done while on maternity leave. No one else to bother me, and baby breastefed happily while I wrote a succesful grant! Most productive time of my life.