For many families, the end of the school year brings excitement, vacations, and longer days. But for working parents, especially mothers, summer often creates a new challenge: managing shifting schedules, childcare arrangements, and work responsibilities all at once.
Productivity coach and bestselling author Sandra Glandt believes the key to surviving summer chaos isn’t working harder—it’s creating systems that make life easier.
A two-time international bestselling author, television host, and business coach, Glandt has built a career helping ambitious women improve productivity while maintaining balance at home. As families transition from structured school schedules to the unpredictability of summer break, she says small adjustments can make a significant difference.
One of the biggest mistakes many parents make is trying to carry their school-year routines into summer unchanged.
“Summer requires a reset,” Glandt advises. Instead of forcing families into schedules that no longer fit, she encourages parents to intentionally redesign their routines around new realities, including vacations, camps, childcare changes, and flexible work arrangements.
Creating a weekly family calendar is often the first step. Having a clear visual overview of everyone’s commitments can reduce confusion and prevent last-minute scheduling conflicts.
Glandt also encourages busy moms to embrace technology where it makes sense. Artificial intelligence tools, digital calendars, meal-planning apps, and task-management platforms can help automate repetitive tasks and free up valuable time.
For working mothers balancing careers and caregiving, meal preparation remains another major source of stress. Glandt recommends dedicating a specific time each week to meal planning and grocery organization rather than making daily decisions about what to cook.
Perhaps her most distinctive advice centers on what she calls a “CEO schedule.”
Rather than reacting to demands throughout the day, Glandt encourages women to proactively structure their calendars in the same way successful executives manage their businesses. This includes blocking time for work projects, family activities, self-care, and rest.
The goal isn’t perfection. It’s creating intentional boundaries that protect both productivity and personal well-being.
Glandt’s approach reflects a growing trend among professional women seeking alternatives to constant multitasking and burnout. More parents are looking for sustainable strategies that allow them to succeed professionally without sacrificing family relationships.
As summer schedules become increasingly packed with camps, vacations, sports, and social activities, Glandt believes structure can actually create more freedom.
By implementing simple systems and realistic routines, working moms can spend less time managing chaos and more time enjoying the season with their families.
For many households, that may be the ultimate summer productivity hack.