Motherhood is a handful by itself. Little humans depend on you for support and nurture. However, being a mom on top of being a postgraduate student is a different story.
As a student and mommy yourself, you know the struggle of juggling two roles. Although advancing one’s education is easier these days since postgraduate degrees are available online, it’s still a challenge for a mother. You might have had times when you have a report to prepare for tomorrow but your kid needs help with their homework. Some nights you go to bed late yet can’t sleep in to prepare your kids’ meals. Although you must make sacrifices, sometimes good planning is all it takes.
To excel in both roles, you need effective planning. You need to plan out your days and list all your to-dos. Thanks to technology, planning has become easier with the use of productivity apps.
Productivity apps are easy to access at any time. They’re not like the traditional planners that can be bulky in your bag. Although there’s nothing wrong with writing down your agenda, postgrad student-mothers can reap many benefits from productivity tools. Here are some apps to help you organize and set plans conveniently and effectively.
Notion
This productivity app is highly customizable. It enables you to organize information in multiple ways without sacrificing tidiness. It has multiple templates for whatever use. You can even make adjustments on them or make your own. You can make a page, create your template, and add other features, such as a calendar, a to-do list, a timeline, and more.
Another great use for this app is for organizing class notes. If you’re the type who likes writing things down digitally, this app is worth checking out. Because of its design, organizing your notes is easy—not to mention satisfying.
Google Calendar
Many students already use Google platforms for anything related to school. It’s convenient since it pretty much has what every student needs. If you’re also using Google platforms, you might as well maximize your account by using Google Calendar to plan out your week. It syncs with other users’ schedules, specifically people you’re connected with on Google, such as your professors and classmates. This makes planning easy since everything is already centralized.
To make the most out of it, maybe have your hubby in on it so your schedules can sync, too.
Pomodoro
When you have a million things going through your mind, it can be hard to focus. So, try the Pomodoro technique.
The Pomodoro technique helps you focus on a task by setting your timer for 25 minutes and a succeeding 5-minute break. You repeat this until you’ve completed your task. This term was coined by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s when he was a student and used a tomato-shaped timer while he studied.
The Pomodoro app has the same function, just digital. It’s not a planner app, but it helps you make the most out of the time you set aside to do a certain task. Surely, it’ll help you have a productive study time.
Forest
Similar to the Pomodoro app, Forest is timer-based. What’s unique about it is that it has its reward system.
You set the time you want to work on something and choose a tree of your choice. While time is running, you can even have background noise to help you focus. Once you complete the time, the tree will be added to your forest. You can view the forest by day, week, month, or year so you can see how many trees you’ve collected in the past. After completing your time, you’ve rewarded some coins. You use them to buy new types of trees or background sounds.
The Forest app also partners with Trees for the Future, a tree-planting organization. It’s a cute, simple, and satisfying app that has a great advocacy.
Plan Wisely
Planning is crucial when you’re juggling your duties as a mother and a student. Playing these two demanding roles can get hectic. Whether you’re working to become a doctor of information technology online or getting your master’s of business administration in a nearby university, it’s not impossible to balance your time as long as you plan effectively. Planning helps you become productive. It helps to designate time to perform your responsibilities and time to be with your family.
In the middle of planning what your week is going to look like, make time for a break, too. As you give your attention to others, carve out some time for yourself, too. Remember to hold space for yourself and to take a break to recharge.
