Life Admin Made Easy for Busy, Working Moms
Do you ever look at someone who's doing more than just the basics of everyday life, you know that next-level adulting stuff, and think, "wow she really has it together"?
I'm picturing someone who reviews her finances regularly, updates her kid's memory book in a timely manner, prints an annual family photo album, and sends out birthday cards that aren't always belated.
Unlike the things that we really have to do to keep daily life running (grocery shop, run the dishwasher, do laundry, feed the kids, take out the trash, pay the bills), nothing is going to truly fall apart if we don't do these next-level things.
They're things we kinda want to do and the things we tell ourselves we should be doing, but when life gets busy or kids get sick or work is overwhelming, they're so easy to push off until sometime in the future.
But "sometime" is like a gray cloud hanging over your head.
It follows you around asking, when? and how? and telling you that you're behind or you don't have it together.
As much as I would love to consistently be that person who embodies that next-level adulting, the reality is that until a few months ago, I was always inconsistent. I'd do those activities for several weeks in a row and then something would come up and they'd fall to the backburner for months.
Until earlier this year I realized that one next-level area where I was consistently consistent was in my business where at the end of each month I spend about a half hour updating a spreadsheet that tracks all kinds of data so I can review what's working, what's not, and appreciate my progress.
So, I decided to see what would happen if I expanded on that monthly check-in and added a few of these other tasks that I desperately wanted to be doing more regularly but that just weren't getting done.
After five months, I can tell you it's been such a game-changer.
Why Create a Monthly Wrap Up Checklist?
Imagine setting aside a dedicated time at the end/beginning of each month to tackle all those tasks/projects that aren't necessarily urgent, but that if done regularly, wouldn't pile up and give you that sense that you're "behind" or not doing "enough".
Instead of being frustrated that you never have time or energy to do them, a monthly wrap-up encourages you to batch them.
You'll be going from completing these tasks rarely or inconsistently, to doing them 12 times a year. That's a pretty solid improvement if I do say so myself!
And it takes away the question of when so you can focus on what's in front of you. You know the answer - it's at the end of the month!
My Monthly Wrap-Up Checklist
I've been experimenting and adjusting my list each month, but here’s what is currently part of my process.
Keep in mind it’s nothing fancy or automated—just a simple notebook page with each item handwritten alongside a checkbox. And when I sit down to tackle it, I just pull it out, start at the top and work my way down the list.
1. Clean Up and File My Inbox: Even though I've gotten so much better at maintaining my inbox, there are still days/weeks where it gets out of hand. So I go through my emails, delete junk, and file important communications as a reset each month.
2. Organize Photos: Sorting through the countless pictures on my phone, deleting duplicates, and organizing the rest is both a useful and reflective exercise. I love reminding myself of everything we did in the last month!
3. Review Budget: Our family uses You Need a Budget (YNAB), so at the end of each month I reconcile our accounts, ensure everything is tracked correctly, and review our reports.
4. Update Business Finances: Following the same process for my business, I update my revenue and expense sheets so tax time is so much easier (I learned this the hard way!).
5. Change Tech Backgrounds: I update grab a new background image from the everygirl and update my phone and laptop to reflect the new month and season—a little ritual that brings me joy.
6. Memory Journals for My Kids: This is a new one for me, but I recently purchased a journal for each kid so I can write letters/entries to them. I'm trying out writing an entry (x3) as a part of this process because honestly? It just wasn't getting done otherwise!
7. Preview Family Calendar: Together with my husband, we turn the page on our family paper calendar and review the upcoming month at a high level. We don't always have all the answers during this chat, but we come away with a list of things we need to decide and it's so helpful.
8. Birthday Cards: I prep cards for family, friends, and clients who will be celebrating birthdays in the upcoming month. I address and stamp the envelope so all I have to do is write the message and mail it the week before.
My list is a blend of personal and professional. Maybe yours will include just life admin tasks.
Or maybe your professional tasks are things like review your current project workload, catch-up on patient notes, or write down any big accomplishments from the month so your annual performance review is easier.
Think about those things you wish you were doing and start there. Start small before you add and adjust.
This process has become something like a ritual for me. Not only am I accomplishing those things that I never seemed to get done otherwise, but I'm also acknowledging and honoring the passing of time.
I'm review the past month, thinking about the month ahead, and just noticing how things change and how much progress I'm actually making.
And remember, this is not meant to create more pressure. You can complete this wrap-up process in a single sitting, in multiple sittings across a week, and it certainly doesn't have to be done BY the first of the month. (I think I completed June's wrap-up on July 12th! 🤪)
Start with a list (even if it's one thing) and start this month.
I have a feeling you're going to love it.
Let’s work together!
If you like this monthly wrap-up process and want even more ideas on how to manage work and life as a busy working mom, let's work together. Whether that's 1:1, group coaching, or a strategy session, you can start by submitting a short application to see if coaching might be a fit for you.