As a mom of eight, I get this question all the time: “how do you guys do it all?!” Well, spoiler alert: we aren't perfect, and we don't do it all. But we do have some productivity tips to share with you!

Jordan and Bubba Page share productivity tips, from Fun Cheap or Free

Aside from frugal living and finance questions, I'd daresay the most common question I get asked is “how do you do all that you do??”, or more commonly worded, “how do you do it all “? Not going to lie; the last one makes me wince a little. While there is no such thing as doing “it all, “we do have some productivity tips that I'm happy to share.

These tips have helped us run five businesses at once, manage a household, keep up with church/school/community responsibilities, and still have time to have an active social life, travel, play, and have a pretty darn good marriage.

We do NOT do any of it PERFECTLY (I'm going to say that until I'm blue in the face), but we do it and haven't died yet. So I guess that means we are doing something right, eh? Since you keep asking, I'm happy to share my goodies with y'all! A few years ago, for Q&A Tuesday, we sat down and gave you an in-depth look at our day, scheduling, parenting tactics, and the productivity tips that help us manage “it all.” Since we've gotten tons more questions recently, I decided to share this oldie but goodie again!

Enough blabbing, let's get to the tips!

Check out the video online or click and watch below:

See?? We don't do “it all.” Not even close. But we have tried to find ways to maximize what we do choose to do so we can be as efficient and streamlined as possible. Now, let's recap, shall we? Here are a few of the top tips we shared in this Q&A!

OUR NIGHTTIME ROUTINE

If you've ever wondered what bedtime routine looks like for a family our size, then pull up a chair! Here's the skinny on a “normal” night in the Page house:

  • Dinner – First up: dinnertime! We always try to engage with our kids during dinner, asking them to share their sweet, sour, and service. What the what? Sweet is something good that happened, sour is something that made them sad, and service is something they did for someone else that day. This is a great way to facilitate conversations and make memories! In a nutshell? Try to eat together as a family if you can.
  • Dishes/Bath – After dinner, we try to get the older kids together to help with dishes and post-dinner cleanup. Real talk: that's easier said than done during the school year. To make the most of that time, sometimes Bubba will help the kids practice their spelling test while doing the dishes. Meanwhile, I'll bathe the little kids.
  • Reading – We try to read our kids one to two books each night all together as a group. This is a great time for our big kids to practice reading, too!
  • Song & Prayer – After we read, we sing a song, say a prayer, and then it's lights out.

My biggest piece of advice? Make a routine! Kids thrive on routine, and it makes it easy for anyone to jump in and help once you've got a system down. Find what works best for your family! Want to learn more about how we tackle bedtime? Here are seven nighttime routine hacks you have to try! Oh, and be sure to read all about our tuck-in-time tradition.

BLOCK SCHEDULING PRODUCTIVITY TIPS

Jordan Page filling out block schedule, from Fun Cheap or Free

You guys know I'm a big proponent of following a block schedule, right? For me, that means breaking the day into three-hour blocks. I call them blocks because I think about how our schedule was structured in high school. You'd go to a class, be totally tuned in, and then move on when the bell rang. Think of your day like that! Focusing on one thing at a time, giving it all you've got, and then moving on is the best way to boost your productivity! Here's how my blocks typically look:

  • Morning Block – I schedule my day out, say my prayers, get dressed, make sure I've got everything planned for dinner that night, and get the kids up. We have breakfast together as a family, read scriptures, get dressed for the day, practice spelling, etc. One thing that makes our mornings run a lot more smoothly? Make-ahead freezer breakfasts for the win, you guys!
  • Lunch Block – I go to the gym, pick my kids up from preschool, have lunch, and get the kids down for a nap.
  • Working Block – While the kids nap, I get all my focused work done.
  • Dinner & Bedtime Block – Self-explanatory, right? If you dread dinner every night, check out this list of 100+ EASY dinner ideas! See above for those bedtime deets. 😉
  • Nightime Block – Finally, we finish out our day with some quality Jordan & Bubba time. Date night is SO important for couples, so we try to do it weekly if we can.

Honestly, we could write a whole post about marriage, date nights, and more! Oh, wait. We did! Check out all our best marriage advice here!

Pro Tip: Having trouble getting babysitters for date night? Ask the daycare workers at your gym!

DON'T NEGLECT SELF CARE

I don't know who needs to hear this, but carving out alone time for self-care is SO important. For me, I was starting to feel grumpy, lose confidence, and feel sluggish, and I realized I wasn't doing enough to take care of myself. I'm not one of those people who loves to work out, but I've come to realize that I need to prioritize that time. While I'm at the gym, I multi-task. I'll listen to a podcast, respond to emails, and knock out other timeless tasks.

And at the end of the day, I need a little decompressing time. After going all day long and taking care of the kids, I just need a minute to breathe! My point here? Being productive doesn't mean doing it all 24/7. Productivity is about making the most of the time you have, which means prioritizing yourself, too! One of my best hacks of all? Learn how to say “no.” When you're clear on your priorities, you have to say no to some things to make time and space for the things that really matter. In a way, productivity is more about NOT doing it all than doing it all!

WANT A FEW MORE PRODUCTIVITY TIPS?

Jordan Page cleaning home, from Fun Cheap or Free

If you made it this far, thanks for sticking with us! Productivity is kinda my jam, so there was SO much more that I didn't fit into that video. In case you're looking for a little light reading, here are some of my top posts about productivity:

  • Laundry Hacks – This laundry hacks post went viral and has helped SO many people.
  • To-Do Book – I use a to-do book to get everything done and stay organized.
  • Schedule the Year – It sounds crazy, but we plan a whole year in advance! Try it and see what you think.
  • Deep Cleaning Schedule – I don't love cleaning (who does?!), but these cleaning hacks make life so much easier!
  • 10/30 Rule – The 10/30 rule will change. your. life.

Finally, be sure to check out my secret sauce program, Productivity Boot Camp! It's super fun and interactive, totally self-paced, and will help you unlock the secrets to a more productive, fulfilling life. Use the code FCFBLOG for 10% off!

WHAT ARE YOUR BEST PRODUCTIVITY TIPS?

Thanks for reading and watching! I hope you picked up a tip or two that will make your life easier.

I love learning from you guys, too, so help a girl out! Drop a comment below and share your best productivity tips.

image with text that reads, "productivity tips and tricks", from Fun Cheap or Free

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You've got this!