I just heard that Barbara Walters once said, “Most of us have trouble juggling. The woman who says she doesn’t is someone whom I admire but have never met.”

Many Hopkinton moms, and moms everywhere, classify themselves as jugglers extraordinaire. They are able to juggle a lot of different things both at home and in the workplace (which manage to merge for me in the home office.)

Even though most of us are clear that a day has just 24 hours, some secretly wish for 26 because we still can’t get everything done!  And in the current economic climate, moms feel they have more to do, but fewer resources with which to do it.

So how do juggling moms make the most of the time they have in this tight economy?

With cell phones pinging, kids to be picked up and dropped off, shopping to do, work to fit in - it’s amazing we get anything done. While we can’t add an eighth day to the week (although my friend Jean swears I somehow do have an eighth day in mine) there are expert ways we moms manage our time to accomplish more on the famous To-Do List.

 Here are my pearls of wisdom as a mom of five children ages 18 down to 6 years old and biz owner.

1. The e-mail free zone. Try to set aside at least an hour each day where you don’t look at e-mail.  First thing in the morning seems to be the best option so that my day starts out focused.

2. Skip folding the underwear. OK. The last thing I want to do is fold laundry. And the last last thing I want is for it to take a minute longer than it has to.

Does your underwear really warrant folding? Mine doesn’t and nobody has ever called me on it! I now refrain from inside-out-ing my family’s socks too. I figure they’re clean. Those who wear them can tackle that job in the morning or suffer the consequences!

3. Write your to-do list the night before. My husband used to get up every Saturday and ask “What are your goals and objectives for the day?”

After many a sarcastic reply I realized perhaps his question had some merit (as long as him getting me a DD coffee was the first goal).

Having a plan in place helps to focus the next day, tie up loose ends and save precious time. That way, you can spend all night blissfully dreaming about your priorities. 

4. Cross it off the list. Add things to your list you are close to finishing already or you can do in no-time flat.  It sounds silly, but it’s worth that nano-second of pleasure to be able to cross off one thing from the list right away!

5. Map out ME time.  Moms are rotten at taking care of themselves, but always feel better after doing just that. Schedule in a break, whether it be 10 minutes to read, do yoga, write a blog for pleasure or whatever floats your boat. It’s not a luxury, it’s a necessity but I find I have to actually schedule it in to make it happen.

6. Organize the colossal calendar. With 5 kids I have been on an eternal quest to find “the right one.” No, not the husband - I found him! The right calendar tool that can amass my family schedule in one place so if I drop, life will carry on. Whether you try cozi.com or Outlook Calendar or the many other sites, find one, integrate it and swear by it. (But do back it up somewhere!)

7. Avoid aimless ambling in Target! Don’t get me wrong. I adore Target. I find everything I need … and $200 worth of things I didn’t know I needed every time I step foot in the door.

So ... I ... try not to step in too often and if I do, I apply blinders to my eyes, pull out my list and as my daughter calls it “Power shop.”  Speaking of little ones, for your shopping pleasure, it is always best to try to avoid shopping with any children in tow, if possible.

The bill goes up incrementally with age! Lately, I’ve been using Alice.com for stocking non-perishables. I love the slogan “because everybody needs and Alice!”

With free shipping, many moms find the prices very competitive. Alice even sends me email reminders when I may need to re-order! Alice, can you move in?

8. Build in glitch time. Being a Murphy, I feel like I live and breathe the infamous law.  The heater will break down. You will forget to fill the gas tank. And the emissions sticker did expire yesterday. 

If I book my day to the minute, it only frustrates me when life goes awry. Expect the unexpected and build in some wiggle room.

 9. Cut yourself some slack. Lastly, just know that you’ll rarely get to every single item on your task list in one day - and that’s OK. Don’t beat yourself up about it. I intended for this to be 10 tips, but see, I’m maxing out at 9 and I hope you’re OK with that.

If Wonder Woman does get to everything, she gets a Monopoly pass to call a good friend and enjoy a chat with a cold beverage in hand (unless she’s already scheduled that into her week)!

- Mary Murphy is the mother of five lively personalities and owner of Hooray for Books, Inc.