I we know full well that all moms are a work-at-home moms, but as a homeschooling mom who’s also juggling a part-time business I was super excited for the opportunity to review a fabulous resource called Balancing Diapers and Deadlines from Lisa Tanner Writing.
Created by a mom who started her own freelance business from home while juggling several young children and her responsibilities as wife and keeper of the home, this course gets right to the nitty-gritty. The lessons address the nuts and bolts of time management for busy moms in a way that helps us make each day more productive while leaving us with enough to give our families what they need.
Included in this online, self-paced course are eight units:
- Welcome to Balancing Diapers and Deadlines
- Building Your Foundation with the Basics
- Minimize Your Decisions
- Minimize Your Decisions: The Annual Meal Plan
- Sustainable Growth
- Growing a Business with Your Kids Around
- Boost Your Productivity
- Closing Thoughts
In each unit, you’ll find lessons that include encouraging words, Lisa’s own experience (including what works and what has not worked) in finding balance in her home, a call-to-action (I call it my homework!) and sometimes additional links and printables to make the lessons personal and practicable.
My favorite way to absorb the counsel of a friend is to sit and visit over a cup of coffee. the is exactly what I did while working through this course. Two or three times a week I would sit down with my afternoon cuppa and visit with Lisa through her words that came up on my computer screen.
I can easily access this encouraging course for moms on my laptop. I settle down for a few minutes to read through things. Depending on the topic of the lesson, I either skim and absorb the information – like the lessons on dealing with toddlers. I am no longer in that season of life so those struggles and juggles don’t apply directly to me – or I stop and ponder, taking baby steps to find ways to implement new ideas.
As I finish a lesson, I can check it off as ‘completed’ which makes it easy to come back and pick up where I left off. There is something satisfying about seeing the check marks! Anytime I access the course I can start in with the next lesson, or skip forward or back to see a lesson that pertains to me on that day and in that moment. I really like the flexibility.
I love Lisa’s easy, conversational style. One of the things that hit home with me was the way she addressed the daily routine. I’ve been struggling with our daily schedule and motivation and ‘getting it all done’ around here lately. in the unit on Minimizing Making Decisions, I was encouraged to take a long hard look at what are the most common reoccurring questions at my house. “What’s for supper?” “What time do we leave?” “What do I do next for science?” Creating a plan or checklist that address these most annoying occurring questions lets everyone know what’s to come and what the answer is before asking — that’s a winner in my book and worth the effort to sit down and put these things on paper! Posting them for everyone to see.
I also liked her tips in the 15-Minute Quick Clean lesson. Who knew a broom could be such a game-changer?! Do you do a Ten Minute Tidy or Afternoon Pick Up? When you take this course you’ll find a gem of a suggestion. So simple, yet so brilliant!
I am also intrigued by her annual meal planning system. The printable calendar/chart she includes is a helpful tool. I’ve been a fan of once a month cooking and batch cooking for years. Having a plan and having a way to implement the plan takes the energy-sapping decision making out of it all and makes my days run smoothly.
Working through Balancing Diapers & Deadlines is helping me take a hard look at how lax we’ve become, especially since making our big cross-country move a couple years ago. I’m out of groove and it’s showing around the house and within the family. I appreciate the input and encouragement I’m getting from these lessons.
I may not diapers in the equation these days, but I am still balancing many things on a daily basis. Carving out time for my business and weaving it all with my tasks as homeschool mom, wife and homemaker can be overwhelming at times.
I found great ideas for incorporating my kids into my business in the 6th unit. I think these lessons are where I’m spending most of my time. I’ve been needing this! Because my children are older, asking them to proofread or research a topic can be a part of the language arts lessons. These are tasks that are worth paying for, so I actually may have a live-in employee – this benefits both of us.
Do I recommend this? Yes! For any mom. Is there anything I’d change? Not much. I would like to see an option to print and bind this course – I still work best having assignments and charts in hand, pencil and paper, the old fashioned way. The clickable table of contents for this course makes it easy to move from one lesson to another and back again, but it would also be nice to be able to pick up and flip through a physical booklet.
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Whether you are a work-at-home mom, a stay-at-home mom or a mom working away from home, I know you’ll want to learn more about Lisa Tanner, this course and her writing by visiting the links above. Find out how Balancing Diapers & Deadlines is making a difference for other moms by visiting my fellow crew mates – just click on the image below!
Thanks for sharing this. It looks very helpful!
I’ve really enjoyed the lessons and encouragement Lisa Tanner offers 🙂 Glad you stopped by!