Going back to work f/t: your top tips for time management please!

[pjd]

I'm sure this has been done before, many times!!

I'm back to work in 6 weeks after DC2. DC will be 4 and almost 1 when I go back. I'm a teacher (secondary) and will be full time. When I went back after DC1, my drive to work was just 5 mins and I found the work/life balance was ok. Now we have moved to be nearer family, for help with childcare, but it means that my commute will be an hour and having 2 DC seems to be more than double the work of one! I'm trying to get organised to make sure I can maximise my time with the DC, but I'm wondering if there's anything I've missed. Here's how I'm going to (try to!) make it work:

• Online grocery shopping
• Get a cleaner
• Get to school early in the morning to do an hour's work before school starts
• 3 days a week: leave school as soon after 3 as possible (the other 2 days I have meetings so can't leave early)
• Work every evening (marking/planning etc)
• Try to do batch cooking at the weekend, so that when it's my turn to cook, it's all ready (anyone got ideas as to what meals are good for batch cooking?)

If there's anything I've missed that will save me even 5 minutes, I'd love to know!!!

Watching this with interest, I'm about to go back to 50+ hour weeks having been working 35 hours a week for the past year. Most of my salary goes on childcare so can't really afford a cleaner, so will be stealing all your tips!

This is always my bog standard response- have you got a whiteboard/wall planner?

Mine has everything on it.1. All school runs (mine can differ daily as to who's taking/collecting DS)

1. What's for dinner that day

1. Any upcoming birthdays/events/appointments and who's taking etc

1. What colour bins are out that week

Etc etc

this is lazy mum but I find not having to cook for the DCs in the week a huge time saver - I don't have to think about it - I don't know if your family are doing all childcare but I would arrange to pick up after their tea - maybe they could have it early those dayss - otherwise you just get 2 grumpy children to feed as opposed to spending time with them
Making sure your DH is doing his share -DH does his and DC's ironing , hangs up washing
wash on every day
take away every friday
some simple meals for me and DH - pasta and tuna that kind of thing for at least some meals
any chance of a job with a shorter commute in the longer term?

I am a teacher and have just gone full time- don't know how you manage early finishes! I am in school til 5 every night and then have to leave for pick up, but still leave before everyone else- anyway. My tips that have worked

Get one house work job done each am and pm ( no cleaner here!!)
Washing on before work to hang up on return
Ironing in small bits to avoid a huge mountain
batch cooking and a slow cooker
keep antiseptic wipes in bathroom so i can give it a quick clean during bath time
Not sure if your dc is at school, but I get reading done at bedtime before story and homework at the weekend.
Work through lunchbreaks and break times, try to get as much marking done in school as poss ( try to mark during lessons, peer marking where poss!)
I work 4 nights a week till about half 9, and one weekend afternoon, but keep the rest school free!!

Good luck and enjoy!

Fellow teacher here although not with the long commute , that was one of the changes we made because I was getting tired.

I do some form of exercise very day, some days the gym , other days a run or yoga. It keeps your energy levels up
Clean as you are doing things , so do the kitchen as you are cooking , bathroom as the children are bathing.
I get in early and leave work late most days ( 7-6) as I work efficiently while I am at my desk as I want to get home
I cook more than we need and freeze the extra as a home made ready meal. I used to double cook but we are a family of 6, sometimes 7 or 8 so that is unmanageable. But extra portions are handy when someone is eating at an odd time.
I tidy my classroom through the day and my students all have tidy up routines, so I don't have to do it.
I have a stamp that shows when I have given verbal feedback in class .
I also have a big whiteboard in the kitchen with details of what we are eating, who is in and out.
Family calendar is a must
Between 6:30 and 8:30 is family time, no work is ever done then
I multi task a lot, tonight I was watching DD dancing after school while marking books.

Hoover and mops upstairs and downstairs.

Oh yes, arisbottle, I do a lot of marking whilst watching dcs swim/karate etc- get lots of weird looks , but it is a job ticked off the list!!

FT teacher here too, sometimes you just have to accept cant do everything all the time, BUT when holidays come I try to have really quality time w DS's. cleaner definitely helps (irons too) and try to organise stuff every night so mornings are as painless as possible!! V Jealous of those getting in early, I drop off at 8 then speed across the countryside to walk in w the students!!

Thanks everyone. Yes, I will be looking for a job closer to home, hopefully I'll find one for September. There's no way I can do full time plus family plus commute long term.

A far as batch cooking is concerned I think a big batch of roasted veg sauce goes a long way for pasta sauce, spag Bol, lasagne. You can also blanch carrots, peppers, onions etc to throw in to mince with the sauce to make a quick meal.

Stir fry is fresh and easy as well as carbonara, macaroni cheese freezes well as long as you add a bit more liquid - sorry if you know all of this - a meal plan helps keep the days meals organised.

What about lunch for yourself? I've just discovered a sc recipe that you can freeze in rolls and then nuke at lunch time for a hot meat roll, really filling and yum.

Blue lights, what is the recipe? I am living on chocolates donated by patients for lunch as no time to make or buy any!

Bump - just thought I'd see if there are any more pearls of wisdom on this subject!!

This is common sense, but everything ready the night before. When I was pregnant and had no energy and was working 6 day weeks (boarding school) I used to hang out a full outfit from underwear upwards on the spare room door. Then I could walk out from the shower and get dressed with none of that 'what shall I wear now' feeling!
Set out clothes for the dc the night before as well.
Put everything by the front door ready to go.
Always buy petrol on the way home rather than leaving it till the morning...! The number of times I've been a bit late and then the warning light comes on...
Every morning when I got to work I cleared my inbox and wrote a to do list in my planner whilst I had my first cup of tea. After lessons finished I would clear my inbox and wouldn't leave before I crossed everything off my to do list. If there was anything that had to be carried over I wrote it on the next days list. That way I always felt in control and knew that the most important things had been done.

I'm sure all those are completely obvious!