16 Ways to Keep Your Mom Sh*t Together in 2017

There's a difference between knowing how to say no and actually doing it. Once you start effectively prioritizing your time and not trying to cram nonessentials in, you'll start being able to accomplish "everything" and actually feel good about it.

Whether you KonMari with your kids, have monthly donation days, or pick a different room to tackle within, an easy way to make your life with kids feel more controlled is by letting go of the clutter that comes along with them and getting organized at home.

It doesn't make you a bad parent if you aren't entertaining your child at every moment. Give your child some freedom to play independently — not only will this help him or her develop vital skills (including working on their imagination!), but it will also give you the opportunity to take care of other things that need some of your attention.

Kids aren't the only ones attached to their devices; a recent study shows that parents are, too. Instead of being guilty of spending nine hours a day focused on screens, take advantage of the time your kiddo is sleeping to recharge and rest yourself instead of falling into a Netflix binge. Remember, quality sleep is free and can completely change your day.

When you're already feeling overwhelmed with your busy schedule, penciling in some time for just you most likely isn't even a thought. Although taking this precious time might seem like a waste when you have so many other things that you're trying to get done, remember that you won't be able to take care of everyone as quickly or as effectively if you don't also take care of yourself.

It's tempting to get trapped in the mindset of thinking, "Nobody can do it as well as I do." But viewing help from others as unnecessary or holding every task to a perfect ideal is setting yourself up for failure in the long run. Learning to live with and be proud of "just OK" will allow you to focus on more of the things that matter.

Although the new school year is a great time to break bad routines and get into better schedules, you don't have to wait for this time of year to reset. You can reevaluate at the end of each season or month to make sure that your family's days are flowing as smoothly as possible and do something to address the issues as soon as you notice them.

Instead of getting sucked into lengthy projects or tasks that end up messing with the rest of your day, give yourself expected time limits before getting started. As soon as your alarm goes off, reevaluate that project and consider what you can let go off in order to be able to move on to the next item on your list.

If you spread yourself too thin, you're most likely not going to be able to get everything done, and what you do accomplish won't be to the quality you hoped or could take twice the time. Identify the tasks that need your focus and be realistic with yourself about you can actually accomplish instead of pressuring yourself to do it all — all at the same time.

By taking a few extra minutes to consider what could go wrong — and preparing for it — you won't be thrown for a loop when things inevitably do go off track.

Setting limits when you're home for times that your phone is on silent or all devices are put away allows you to concentrate on your family during this time. This will help you to make the most of your time with your kids and then help you to give your full attention to other tasks at separate times.

Chances are your kids won't remember all of the things you forgot or all of the mishaps that occurred — unless you have meltdowns over all of them. The more time and energy you waste on the small issues instead of concentrating on things that impact your family in the long run, the less effective a parent you'll be.

If you set yourself up from the start with unrealistic expectations, you are not only going to "fail," but you're going to feel awful about it. If you are clear with yourself and others about what is manageable, you will start to finally feel like you're succeeding.

Self-doubt is a daily part of motherhood for some moms. However, this doesn't mean that it has to dominate your days. Put the worry that you're failing your kids aside and focus on being the parent that they deserve (which you already are!).

Social media can be a powerful tool for parents when you use it as a source of inspiration, support, or staying in touch. But when you use it as a place for comparing yourself and your family, the harm that it can do will quickly outweigh the benefits.

Take advantage of that precious time at night to do as much as possible to set yourself up for success for the following day. Whether it's making a to-do list while you have everything you missed from the day still fresh in your head or getting lunches and outfits taken care of, how you spend your evenings can greatly influence what you are able to get accomplished the following day.