What mother couldn't use more time in her day. Everyone has the same twenty-four hours, but you can learn to squeeze more productive time out of your day. Follow these tips to find time for everything in your life.

WORRYING

Let's face it, moms worry a lot about everything. We worry that our kids will get hurt; we worry that they won't make friends. We worry that our kids aren't eating enough; we worry that they are eating too much. We waste a lot of time and energy worrying about every area of our kids' lives. You can't control everything that happens to your kids, so stop worrying. Try to focus your energy on things you have control over rather than things you can't control. You can provide a safe, comfortable environment and you can show interest in their schoolwork, their friends, and their hobbies. These are the jobs of a good mother. You can't always protect them from bad things, like cut knees or hurt feelings. It's part of growing up and they will learn and grow from it.

WAITING

Mothers spend an enormous amount of time waiting on their children. We wait in the carpool lane at school; we wait in the doctor's office waiting room. We wait for them to finish their homework; we wait for them to pick up their clothes. Instead of just waiting in the car with nothing to do, we could be more productive. Bring along a novel to read or bills that need to be paid. I wrote an entire novel waiting outside my daughter's preschool class one year. I could have driven home and wasted more time, but instead I chose to sit down at the table in the lobby and work on my novel. I had two hours twice a week of uninterrupted work. People stared at me, but I didn't care. I had a completed novel to show for it.

CLEANING UP CLUTTER

A life with kids is a life filled with clutter. It is amazing how much stuff can accumulate over the years. Their clutter seems to spill out of their bedrooms into the hallway and down the stairs. If you are still picking up after your children, stop it right now. Children, as small as three or four, are capable of helping around the house. They can carry their toys and clothes back to their bedrooms. The earlier you start teaching them to be responsible for their own mess, the better off you will both be.

ENTERTAINING WITH YOUR CHILDREN

At the first sign of boredom, children will call out to their mother, "There's nothing to do. I'm bored." Most mothers jump into action by rattling off suggestions of fun activities. I am so guilty of this one. I hate to see my kids bored. I don't know why. Before you jump to their rescue, let them struggle a bit. Most kids are very creative and will think of something to do on their own. Try not to stifle their creativity as long as their not doing anything dangerous. Some of the world's greatest minds were probably bored as kids and had to entertain themselves.

NEVER SAYING NO

Most mothers hate to say no to anyone for any reason. The PTA chairperson calls because she needs someone to help at the fundraiser. You don't really have time for it, but you're afraid to say no. Your child's teacher needs more chaperones for the field trip. You have to schedule a babysitter for your youngest, but you don't want to let the teacher down. Why? Mothers will become overscheduled and frustrated if they don't learn to say no at least part of the time. If you are a stay-at-home mother people tend to take advantage of your time even more. Just because you don't work at an office from 9 - 5 doesn't mean that you don't have responsibilities and time commitments. It's ok to say no once in a while. Think of all the time you will save.