Being a single parent is a highly challenging situation in which to find yourself. In addition to working and making sure your kids are doing well in school, you have extracurricular activities that need your attention. 

Many working moms find it challenging to make every game or tournament in which their child plays. This is why many working moms have shared their most effective time-saving hacks. Some of those tricks and tips are listed below.

Live Like a Superhero

You won’t want to go to work dressed in a custom basketball jersey to show your support for your child’s team, but you also don’t want to arrive at the game in a semi-casual dress. The solution is to bring a change of clothes to work with you. Just before leaving the office, duck into a restroom to change into your game clothes in the same way that superheroes change into their costumes on the go.

Create Time Blocks

Most entrepreneurs and executives already follow this trick for their working hours, but it can also be used to help you make more time in your personal life. Create one-hour blocks of time on your daily calendar and designate one activity for each time block. When you schedule your child’s game to a specific time block, you’ll be more likely to make it there on time.

Prep Dinner in Advance

Another reason working moms miss essential games and tournaments because they’re more concerned with making sure everyone gets a healthy meal for dinner. The solution is to prepare the meal on the previous night when you have the extra time. Simply store it in microwavable containers overnight. On game day, you can attend the game to cheer on your kids, and when you get home, you’ll just have to heat the meal for a few minutes.

Use Remote Work to Your Advantage

There are specific tasks at work that may be more complex than they appear upon an initial glance. By doing the more challenging tasks and those that require your presence in the office early in your day, you can reserve other tasks for later. If you fall behind, you can work remotely after the game. While taking your work home may not be preferable as a regular practice, it can help you be there for your kids.

Cut Down on Errands

Another reason working moms don’t make it to their kid’s games because they only have a small window of time to run errands, and those errands typically have to be done on a weekday. You can cut down on those errands by setting up automatic bill pay to help you meet your financial obligations. You can also use grocery delivery services to cut down the time it takes to do your weekly shopping. Look for more benefits that will help you avoid having to choose between running errands and watching your child’s next game.

Negotiate a More Flexible Schedule

You may be surprised to find out how willing your boss is to let you work a more flexible schedule. It can’t hurt to ask if you can come in 30 minutes earlier to allow you to leave 30 minutes earlier at the end of your shift. As long as you’re still working the same number of hours and your shift is covered, your boss may let you get out early on game days.

Network With Other Working Moms

As you get to know other working moms from your kid’s school, you can share some responsibilities to save one another time. For example, if every child on the team needs a specific type of sports gear, offer to pick the equipment up for other moms.

Another time, one of the other working moms in the school may offer to help you with an errand. By sharing responsibilities, you can save time for each other to ensure everyone can attend the games.

While you still may miss one or two of your kid’s games, these hacks can be used to help you make it to most of them. You can also modify these ideas to fit your situation better. In addition to making more time for your kid’s games, you can also use these tips to help you save time for the other vital things in your life. Saving time for what matters will help you enjoy a better quality of life.