Mommy Talk Show Candid Conversation with a TV Mom
I’m writing this blog post as I sit in the school carpool lane waiting to pick up A.J. from kindergarten. Technically, I’m not writing it on my keyboard. I’m dictating it using my iPhone and the voice recognition microphone. This has been one of the hugest time savers for me since he went back to school in August. I realize that since it’s back-to-school season many of us will be spending anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes in a carpool lane every day and even longer if you’re waiting for multiple children at several schools.
Try these time-savers while you’re waiting in the school carpool line!
With your Smartphone/Tablet/Laptop
1. Use the voice dictation feature on your device.
– Write a grocery/shopping list
– Send an email
– Update your online calendar
2. Return phone calls. Schedule or reschedule appointments.
3. Create a useful playlist of videos or songs on iTunes songs.
4. Online shopping. For example, I’m in the middle of a love affair with my Target app and the Cartwheel savings.
5. Search for recipes. Pinterest is my go-to for the best recipes. Make sure you’re following Mommy Talk Show on Pinterest too.
6. Learn something new by listening to a podcast or watching a YouTube tutorial.
7. Pay bills!
8. Sell your stuff. List items for sale on Craigslist or your neighborhood for sale board. Sell your unused items on Amazon and similar sites for cash back or gift cards.
Keep it Clean
1. Clean out your car. I like to keep a few plastic bags and shopping bags in the trunk. If needed, I’ll go grab one to clean out all of A.J.’s snack wrappers and junk. Keep a Black & Decker Cordless Dust Buster Vacuum handy and put it to use! See the family-friendly Mazdas and Kias I’ve reviewed, in case you’re looking for a newer car.
2. Open your wallet or purse. Get rid of old receipts, dirty tissues and all types of ridiculousness that moms find in the bottom of your purse.
Stay Healthy
1. Try sitting calf raises while you’re parked.
2. Do your kegels to tighten your vaginal walls. While you’re at it, read 20 Things You May Not Know About the Penis by Dr. Drai. Your spouse will thank you (wink wink).
3. Stretch your arms and neck in a comfortable way. If you’re really sore, consider finding a chiropractor for your family.
Meditate or Pray
While keeping your eye on the progress of the school carpool line, take a few minutes to meditate or pray. I watched a 60 Minutes story Sunday about mindfulness and meditation. It really interested me and has me in search of a meditation app I can go-to.
Talk back to me in the comments – What’s your way to make the most of your time in the carpool line? Have you tried any of the time savers I listed above?
See my other back to school topics:
Back to School Health Checklist
Dear Moms, Make Back to School Time More About You and Less About the Kids
Such a timely post with new routines underway now that school is back in session. I’m a major advocate for maximizing time and you gave some great tips in this setting!
Great article with advice about waiting in school carpool lines . Meditating a daily habit for me while I was waiting for my daughter using quiet time to reflex on things that was on my mind and sometimes I would read. I especially like your list but one stand out was clean out the car…..Clutter drive me crazy.
I love these tips, so useful as a busy mom, and will share with all my carpooling mamas…
These are awesome and practicle tips. Our carpool lane goes pretty fast, but I like the one about praying or doing kegels.
Oooh, I don’t miss those carpool line days… And they were long before I had a iPad…lol.. These are really great tips. It is so important to maximize our time… Great share…
These are some fantastic productivity tips.
These were great tips, even if you don’t have kids. Maybe you get stuck in traffic on the way to and from work, or you use public transportation. Some of these can definitely apply.
I have to sit in a carpool lane to pick up my little cousins from school and I probably do all of the above while sitting there lol. I even try to get a little shut eye, that is until the other cars start moving. But definitely do not sit there idle because I am sure there is something that needs to be done.
These are some awesome tips Joyce! While we don’t have to wait in carpool lines since we homeschool, a lot of these tips can definitely be utilized while sitting in traffic or when I find I have some extra time in my day. Thanks for sharing!
These are great tips. I feel like I use so many of them so much already. I’m constantly traveling which means I’ve always got an appointment or flight or car rental or something happening in a new city. Although I try not to multi-task too much (I prefer to give each task my full attention) sometimes it can’t be avoided. Thank you for sharing these time-saving tips!
These are great tips! I am always looking for ways to maximize my time and have ben bringing my laptop to work in the car while waiting in car line :).