It was 11 PM. The house was quiet because her son was sleeping. The dinner was done, tomorrow’s uniform was ready, and the most important part was that the kitchen was clean. Finally, for the first time that day, she had a little time for herself.
This was supposed to be her study time.
An assignment was pending for the last four days. She still had a pending task for her college work, and the project had to be submitted because the deadline was close. Everything was waiting for her to complete. But instead of completing the task, she was staring at the curtain of her room. Her problem was not the lack of time.
The problem was that she felt mentally exhausted. Her mind was busy with constant thoughts about responsibilities, her baby’s annual function performance, assignments, bills, and her maid’s behaviour.
If you’re a college mom, this problem sounds relatable. You finally sit down to work after a busy day, only to realize that your brain cannot handle any more stress. You read the same sentence four times and still do not understand the concept behind it.
In the end, it feels like you don’t have enough time in a day.
The problem isn’t your schedule
For a long time, Shreya believed her biggest problem was the lack of time. She thought if she woke up early in the morning, then things could work. But she wasn’t aware of the fact that it was the other stuff that she was missing in her schedule.
So she started following the process of waking up early in the morning, but nothing changed.
One afternoon, while waiting outside her son’s school, she noticed something very interesting. Many other mothers were just like her, but one thing that she observed was that they were not worried.
Some of them were full-time professionals, and some ran their own small businesses. She thought everybody had 24 hours, so why did she feel overwhelmed all the time? That observation stayed with her. Then She realized that time was not the problem.
The real issue was the mental weight that she was carrying every day.
What Nobody counts as work
Before She opened a notebook each morning, her mind was already busy.
She had decided what to cook for lunch, planned a grocery trip, thought about paying bills, her son’s annual function dress, and worried about a project deadline that she had procrastinated on for the last four days.
None of these tasks took much more time on their own. However, together they created multiple thoughts that never seemed to stop.
This is called the mental load.
The mental load includes all the planning, remembering, and worrying that happens without taking action. It’s invisible work that doesn’t appear on a to-do list, yet it drains a lot of your energy.
For college moms, this mental load can become overwhelming because they’re often balancing both personal and academic responsibilities at the same time.
| What others see | What’s Actually Happening in Shreya’s Mind |
| Attending a lecture | Think about grocery shopping |
| Working on an assignment | Worrying about her child’s annual function |
| Cooking lunch | Remembering bills that need to be paid |
| Helping her child with homework | Worrying about her upcoming project |
| Going to bed at night | Thinking about everything that she didn’t finish today |
Business is not the Same as Progress
One of the biggest lessons she learned was that being busy and being productive are not the same thing.
There was one afternoon when she was constantly asking questions related to her project, watching tutorial videos to understand the concept, and reading class group chats.
But at the end of the day, when she looked at her actual goals for the day, she realized she had not completed the assignment she needed to finish.
This happens to many people.
Small tasks create the feeling of progress because they keep us busy. But it doesn’t mean we’re moving forward.
When you have a smartphone and have notifications on, then it keeps you distracted, and you will feel that time passes very quickly. The real challenge is how to focus on important work instead of being busy with small distractions all day.
The Hidden Cost of Perfection
Shreya realized that she had another problem.
She wanted everything to be perfect.
She would spend extra time editing assignments that were actually good. However, she could have completed her task with basic editing, but she chose the difficult one, which cost her precious time.
By putting in extra effort, she got an excellent grade for her project. But those extra hours did not make a significant difference.
Perfection comes with a feeling of responsibility, but it ultimately wastes valuable energy.
Not every task deserves 100% of your effort.
Some things need extra attention. Others simply need completion.
A finished assignment is usually more valuable than a perfect assignment submitted late.
Learning the difference can save a huge amount of time and stress.
Why does multitasking work against you?
Like many busy moms, she believed multitasking helped her get more done.
She listened to lectures while making lunch. She checked messages while talking with her neighbour. She reviewed notes while preparing breakfast.
At first, this seemed efficient. But over time, she noticed something interesting. Tasks were taking much longer than expected.
Every interruption forced her attention to move somewhere else. Even when she returned to studying, it took her so much effort to understand the concept because her focus was not there.
The truth is that our brain works better when we focus on one important task at a time, because it allows the brain to focus on one task at a time.
Even short periods of uninterrupted focus can produce better results than hours of distracted work.
Small change that made a big difference
The turning point in her life didn’t come from buying a new planner board or downloading another productivity app.
Instead, she started making some relevant changes in her life. She began writing down tasks instead of trying to remember everything. As a result, she focused on completing tasks rather than just thinking about them.
She chose one important task each day and worked on it before checking social media or notifications.
She stopped trying to be a perfectionist.
Most importantly, she started managing her time and observed that she had ample time to focus on her studies. These changes were simple but had a huge impact on her life.
Practical Time Management Tips for College Moms
College moms have so many things to do; they must stay organized to manage their time properly.
Slowly, she began to realize where her time and energy were going, and she made some small adjustments to her daily habits. They were all simple, but they added up to making her feel more organized and less overwhelmed.
Write Everything Down
The first thing she did was to stop herself from trying to remember everything. She knew that her mind was always working, to remember assignment due dates, school activities, grocery lists, and housework. So, she began to keep everything in a planner for easy reference.
In a few weeks, she felt some relief and was not stressed out as much as she used to be because she did not have to remember everything. Having a written list helped her have an idea of what was truly in need of attention.
One Priority at a Time
She would get up in the morning and move from one thing to another. She would reply to messages, read emails, and do small tasks before doing her homework. At the end of the day, she felt busy but accomplished very little. After a while, she began selecting one thing from her list of important activities each morning.
If there were to be an assignment that was due soon, she would work on that first. She accomplished a significant amount of work before the smaller, more trivial work got in the way of it.
Stop Chasing Perfection
She always believed everything had to be done the ‘right’ way. She took extra time to edit assignments, to arrange notes, and to correct minor things that people don’t notice. One day, she found herself working on a paper that had been good for hours.
The improvement in her grade was minimal. Then she began to question herself about whether it was really a perfect job or just a job that needed to be done. That attitude helped save time and energy.
Plan and Organise Short Focus Sessions
She couldn’t seem to find the time to relax. Interruptions were commonplace between classes, while parents were busy raising children, and chores were on the go at home. She started to do short focus sessions rather than waiting for the “right” time to study. She would study for 30 minutes while her son did his homework.
On other occasions, she would use a quiet time after bedtime. She made these little study breaks, which cumulatively helped her stay on track during the semester.
Give Yourself Grace
I think one of the most important things Shreya learned was that not every day would be perfect. Sometimes her son required more care. On other days, she had to go to work on tasks she didn’t expect to accomplish.
She used to make herself feel guilty and blame herself earlier. She learned that it was a journey that involved difficult days, and over time, she came to understand that it was her journey. Missing one study session did not mean she had failed..
It only meant that she had to begin the following day and continue her journey.
Conclusion
Most moms are already doing a lot. The hard part is knowing how to control your energy, pay attention to what’s important, and let go of the extra burden of mental pressure.
Shreya’s life wasn’t a simple one. She didn’t gain any additional free time or fewer responsibilities. The difference was in her approach to the day. She started to keep things in writing, find her priorities, not get carried away with perfection, and set aside short study sessions, which gave her control over her schedule over time.
If you’re a college mother who’s overwhelmed now, just keep in mind that it doesn’t need to be a perfect routine. Consistent small changes can make a big difference. Progress doesn’t come from doing more work every day. It’s about making your time and energy count.
FAQs
What can college moms do to effectively manage their time?
All college moms should prioritize, jot down tasks, and establish a feasible daily schedule. Don’t try to do all the tasks at once, but one important task at a time. The little things, such as a planner and scheduling study sessions, can add up to a big difference over time.
Why is it that time management is challenging for college moms?
For college moms, juggling several responsibilities makes time management a challenge. Aside from being students, they are also parents, caregivers, and household managers. They have a mental burden of keeping track of routines, assignments, bills, appointments, and household chores. This can result in mental fatigue.
How many hours of college should a college mom be studying every day?
There is no single correct number of study hours. The focus should be on studying consistently, not hours of study. Deep focus time of 30-60 minutes per day is much more valuable than studying for a long time just before a test or before a deadline.
Is multitasking a good idea for busy college moms?
Trying to do more than one thing at a time might appear to be productive, but it can cause a lack of focus and lead to errors. Switching between studying, domestic chores, and notifications on the phone can increase the time it takes to complete tasks. College moms discover that they can concentrate better on a shorter study session than on a number of tasks, which might lead to distraction.
What do you think is the worst mistake that college moms make when it comes to time management?
The largest error is to do everything correctly. College moms often overlook the big picture and forget to do bigger tasks. When you concentrate on progress and not perfection, you’ll save time, lessen stress, and boost productivity.
