Moms are masters of multitasking. We have to be in order to survive!

Multitasking is the final tool in my FREEDOM toolbox—7 tools for making the most of our time so we can live balanced, peaceful lives. Here’s a quick review of the tools:

* Focus
* Reflect
* Educate
* Eliminate
* Discipline
* Organize
* Multitask

Does it seem strange for the tools to begin with focusing and end with multitasking? Isn't that contradictory? No, it's not. The challenge is that you have to figure out when to focus and when to multitask.

Multitasking has gotten a bad rap for the past few years. Some people claim that if you can multitask while you're doing something, it's not worth your time to do it. That might apply in the context of running a business, where it could indicate something you should outsource. But in the daily life of a mom at home, somebody has to wash the dishes and match the socks, so multitasking is essential.

Another criticism of multitasking is that it undermines your focus and makes you less efficient, not more efficient. That's a legitimate concern, but it applies primarily to mental multitasking—especially to digital distractions like computers and smartphones.

I'm not advocating mental multitasking. Rather, I'm suggesting that you look for ways to combine physical tasks with light mental tasks. This is the right kind of multitasking, and if you use it wisely, it can help you do more with your 24 hours a day. As organizing expert Eileen Roth says, "I sincerely believe that you can only do one thing at a time well, but how well do you need to wait in line?"

For example, you can quiz your child on multiplication facts or spelling words while you're cooking dinner, or you can dust or fold laundry while you're talking on the phone or listening to a podcast.

Closely related to multitasking is using small blocks of time wisely. In the podcast, I share over 40 things you can do in 5 to 15 minutes.

What are your favorite ways to multitask and use small blocks of time wisely? Please share them with us in the comments!

If you struggle with managing your time and organizing your life to focus on your priorities, you’ll find many more strategies in my book,Flourish: Balance for Homeschool Moms, available at online retailers and through my website at www.FlourishAtHome.com.