My top 5 time management books for mums
If you’ve ever felt like there aren’t enough hours in the day, then finding the right time management books can be a game-changer. As mums, we’re not just managing our own time; we’re juggling school runs, household tasks, appointments, and everyone else’s needs. It’s no wonder time can feel like it’s slipping through our fingers.
The good news is that time management doesn’t have to mean rigid schedules or packing more into your day. The right books can help you simplify your routines, reduce mental load, and focus on what truly matters.
In this post I’m sharing my top 5 time management books for mums, books that offer realistic, simple strategies you can use every day.
You’ll discover which books are the best for simplifying routines, reducing decision fatigue, and creating systems that work. You’ll also learn how to choose the right book for your current season of life.
If you’re ready to feel more in control of your time, these book recommendations are a great place to start.
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Why books on time management are helpful
Time management as a mum hits a bit differently, because you’re not just managing your own time, you’re also managing your family’s needs, household chores, appointments, and everything else that comes with mum life.
The best books about time management help you focus on:
- Simplifying decisions
- Reducing decision fatigue
- Minimising the mental load
- Feeling more productive
- Creating systems that work
- Letting go of perfection
- Spending more time on things that matter
Books on time management every mum should read
With so many books on time management available, it can be hard to know which is the best one for you.
To help you decide, I’ve put together this list of the best books about time management that I’ve read, and that provide simple tips to help you regain your time, without adding extra pressure to your to do list.
Some of these books help you to build better daily habits, others help you to simplify life, and some encourage you to rethink how you use your time.
Let’s start with a book that’s packed with realistic strategies you can try, even when life is busy.
Make Time, Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky
Make Time contains simple strategies that help you make small daily changes, instead of big life overhauls, perfect for mums who need quick wins, not big projects.
A large focus of this book is how to minimise daily distractions so you can:
- Become more focussed
- Create daily habits that serve you
- Spend time on things that matter
What I love about this book is that there’s a strong focus on how to block out distractions, which is something I need to get better at.
The next book is perfect if you’re looking for realistic ways to manage your time, and is one of my favourite time management books, which I’ve read more than once.
The Lazy Genius Way, Kendra Adachi
The Lazy Genius Way is one of the best books about time management I’ve read, because it’s written in a very conversational and relaxed way, that makes you feel like you’re getting advice from a friend.
I first became aware of this book after listening to the author’s Lazy Genius Podcast.
This book encourages you to focus on what matters, and to let go of what doesn’t by:
- Prioritising the things that are important
- Simplifying decisions
- Reducing mental load
- Creating systems that work for your life stage
There are a series of principles discussed to help you achieve these things, two of my favourites are:
Decide once
This is where you do the same thing whenever a situation comes up to reduce decision fatigue. For example, always buying teachers a gift voucher for Christmas.
Live in the season
This principle is about embracing your current stage of life, by doing what you feasibly have the time and energy to do.
Once you start simplifying what matters most, the next step is understanding how you’re actually spending your time day to day, which is what this next book helps you do.
168 Hours, Laura Vanderkam
168 Hours helped me to understand where I was spending the majority of my time, and how I could spend it more efficiently.
This book shows you how to make the most of your 168 hours a week by discussing how to:
- Track and understand time
- Prioritise what matters
- Create space for yourself
- Balance family life and personal time
When it comes to time management for mums, it’s not only about managing time, but also about how to share responsibilities at home, so your time isn’t spent doing everything for everyone, which is where the next book comes in.
Fair Play, Eve Rodsky
Fair Play is perfect for mums because it focusses on dividing household responsibilities more fairly, helping mums to reduce the mental load of motherhood.
This book discusses how to:
- Share household tasks equally
- Communicate your needs
- Reduce overwhelm and resentment
- Create balance at home
This book reminded me that I don’t have to do everything on my own, and gave me some great tips on how to start redistributing tasks around my home, which I’m not very good at doing.
The last book I recommend is one that helps you to simplify your schedule by focussing on doing less, and doing it better.
Essentialism, Greg McKeown
Essentialism was an interesting read, because instead of showing you ways to manage your time better, it focusses on eliminating things that aren’t really necessary.
This book teaches you how to:
- Say no more
- Prioritise your time
- Reduce overwhelm
- Create more time for things that matter
How to choose the right book
When it comes to choosing which of these books to read first, choose the one that best suits the season of life you’re in.
For example, if you’re feeling overwhelmed then a book on how to simplify your days will suit you the best, like Make Time, The Lazy Genius Way, or Fair Game.
If you want to create more time for yourself, then 168 Hours or Essentialism are perfect choices.
Top time management books – a recap
Each of these time management books offer something different, but they all share the same message: you don’t need to do everything yourself.
Whether it’s simplifying decisions, reducing mental load, sharing household tasks, or saying no, small mindset shifts can have a big impact on how your days run.
The key is to choose a book that speaks to your current season of life and start there. You don’t need to read all of these books at once, or implement every idea, even just taking one or two simple strategies from a book can help you feel more focused, less overwhelmed, and more intentional with your time.
Which of these time management books feels most relevant to your life right now?
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