Too Many Tabs Open: A Working Mom's Take on Time Management

Time management matters in every profession, but it hits differently when you're juggling speech-language therapy sessions, evaluation reports, student supervision, diaper duty, and dissertation deadlines. If you're a speech-language pathologist (SLP) trying to do meaningful work without losing your mind, you're in the right place. This post is for the clinicians who time-block, re-time-block, and still feel behind. Let’s talk about what actually helps.

Why Time Management Is Worth Caring About

It’s not just about getting more done. Managing your time well gives you margin. It gives you breathing room for good therapy, fewer Sunday scaries, and a little more space for real life. For SLPs, that might mean seeing your full caseload without running over, actually writing the report the same day as the eval (imagine!), and having enough gas in the tank to not dread the evening routine.

Research backs this up—when clinicians use intentional time management strategies, they experience less burnout and greater job satisfaction (Jex & Britt, 2014). In healthcare specifically, poor time management is linked to decreased care quality and increased stress (Peeters et al., 2020). So yes, it matters.

Start with Goals That Actually Make Sense

Skip the vague stuff. Instead of saying "stay on top of paperwork," aim for something more specific, like:

• Complete all Medicaid notes for the week by Friday at 1 pm

• Send two progress summaries each Thursday during your planning period

Make it measurable and realistic, given your workload and season of life. With a clear target, you can reverse engineer your day to support it.

Build a Schedule That Works for You, Not Against You

Don’t overstuff your calendar with unrealistic expectations. Block therapy sessions and required meetings first. Then look at your energy patterns and:

• Schedule high-focus tasks (like report writing) during peak energy hours

• Use low-energy times for simple tasks like emails or prepping materials

• Include buffer time between sessions for documentation and transitions

A weekly rhythm can also help. For example, dedicate Mondays to planning, Tuesdays to documentation catch-up, and Fridays to low-effort admin. Routines reduce the mental load of decision-making. And when you're juggling a lot—professionally and personally—less cognitive clutter is a win.

Sort the Chaos: Prioritize Like a Pro

Some things are urgent. Some are just loud. Try using a simple framework like the Eisenhower Matrix:

• Urgent and important? Do it now.

• Important but not urgent? Schedule it.

• Urgent but not important? Delegate if possible.

• Neither? It probably doesn’t belong on your list.

Focus on one thing at a time. It’s faster and more effective than jumping between ten tabs in your brain (or browser).

Tech That Helps (and Doesn’t Suck Your Soul)

In today’s digital age, technology can be a powerful ally—if you use the right tools for your brain. Some favorites:

• Google Calendar for big-picture planning

• ClickUp or Trello for organizing to-dos

• Evernote or Apple Notes for quick brain dumps

• Pomodoro timers to stay focused in short bursts

Try one or two. If it adds stress, ditch it. Your system should serve you.

The key is to find tools that reduce friction in your day. If you’re spending more time organizing the to-do list than doing the to-dos, it’s time to scale back. For example, one of my students swears by the analog planner and sticky note method, while another lives and breathes Todoist. Different brains need different systems.

Get Your Admin Life Together (Without Crying)

Some admin hacks that might help:

• Pre-write standard phrases for reports and emails

• Use templates for common documents

• Batch similar tasks together (e.g., return all parent calls at once)

• Schedule standing time for documentation, then protect it

If you have support staff, delegate what you can. Your time is valuable.

This is especially important in education settings, where caseloads are high and prep time is low. Streamlining repetitive tasks frees up mental energy for actual therapy—not just clicking through Medicaid forms.

You Are a Whole Person (Not Just a Job)

Guard your off-time. Your email can wait. Make space for things that refill your tank:

• Go for a walk

• Have lunch without multitasking

• Sit with your kids without your laptop nearby

You might have to schedule those things, and that’s okay. In fact, self-care isn’t optional—it’s part of sustainability. According to Peeters et al. (2020), proactive recovery behaviors like detaching from work and engaging in leisure activities are linked to lower emotional exhaustion and better job performance.

So yes, step away from the laptop. The world will not end if that email waits an hour.

Check In, Adjust, and Keep Going

No system works perfectly forever. Every few weeks, ask:

• What’s working?

• What’s falling through the cracks?

• What can I tweak to better fit this season?

Adjusting isn’t failure. It’s just being honest about what life looks like now.

You may find that a system that worked during the school year falls apart during summer clinic. That’s normal. The goal is a flexible structure, not rigid perfection. Build habits that are strong enough to keep you grounded but flexible enough to bend with the seasons.

It’s Not About Doing More. It’s About Doing What Matters.

Mastering time management isn’t about squeezing productivity out of every second. It’s about protecting your energy for the people and work that matter—to your clients, your students, your family, and yourself. A good system won’t make you superhuman, but it might just help you breathe again.

So go ahead. Shut a few of those tabs. Close the planner for the day. Take the walk, call your sister, or just sit still for five minutes. You’re doing great.

References

Jex, S. M., & Britt, T. W. (2014). Organizational Psychology: A Scientist-Practitioner Approach (3rd ed.). Wiley.

Peeters, M. C. W., Montgomery, A. J., Bakker, A. B., & Schaufeli, W. B. (2020). Balancing work and home: How job and home demands are related to burnout. International Journal of Stress Management, 12(1), 43–61. https://doi.org/10.1037/1072-5245.12.1.43

A speech-language pathologist engaging with a child in a therapy session.