Whilst Stephen Covey may have outlined seven habits of effective people, especially from a business perspective, specific coaching for women can help us interpret these seven habits for single mums - mums who are able to overcome significant obstacles and become highly effective in their day-to-day living.

Some of these habits overlap or could be reinterpreted in a different fashion, but these principles should be adopted as soon as possible if you are new to being a single mum, or beginning to feel harried beyond belief.

Habit one - Master the clock.

We all have the same amount of time in a given day, but how we use it dictates how we will feel after the sun goes down. Will we have been productive and feel good about ourselves, or will we feel as if we have been bouncing back and forth with little to show for our efforts?

Those who fall into the first category are generally masters of time and have itemised what they need to do in any given day to get through. By taking baby steps and not looking too far ahead of yourself if you have a busy schedule, you can avoid the feeling that everything is so daunting and not compromise your chances.

Layout everything that you need to do on a sheet of paper, categorised according to hourly, daily, weekly or monthly activities and start to bring it all together. Now may be the time to consider professional coaching to help you master this.

Habit number two – Be habitual.

You really must get into the habit if your highly effective timetable is going to work. When you start out you will probably have to initiate some triggers and have to set a goalpost to aim for as you progress, but through repetition you will achieve these mundane but necessary tasks and get them out of the way.

If you stick to your timetable and become used to doing these tasks, you will be able to achieve them in far less time and have lots of personal space available to you at the end of the day.

Habit number three – Set up voicemail.

It is easy enough to set everything down to enjoy the latest gossip with the neighbour, but distractions are definitely your enemy.

The most effective businessmen or women do not allow themselves to be distracted by random phone calls and while you may not be able to employ the services of a personal secretary, you should ensure that you maintain your focus and don’t let your guard down to the temptations!

Habit four - Plan for the rainy day.

You know that rainy days will come and that family issues will sometimes trump what is going on at work. Above all else, ensure that your personal days at work are reserved only for emergencies. If at all possible, see if your schedule will allow you to catch up from time to time by working an evening per week or even on Saturday mornings, so when the inevitable issue with the kids at school comes up it will not be a major concern for everyone.

While these rainy days may certainly throw your clock mastery out of sync, the highly effective single mum has planned in advance as best she can.

Habit five - It’s all about me.

No amount of efficiency and dedication to what you have to do for your family and your work will count if you do not allow time for personal re-invigoration.

From time to time you will need to delegate so that you can get away from it all and recharge, able to get back to work refreshed and ready for action.

Habit number six – Be fit.

Health is everything, for you and your family. Don’t turn your alarm clock off and snooze for 15 minutes at the expense of your daily walk on the treadmill. This should be an A-list priority and if you do not make it so, over a period of time your efficiency will suffer and your ability to be highly effective, will be compromised.

Habit seven - Scratch a back.

If you are smart, you will realise that while you may be able to manage as a single mum most of the time, there will be times when you must call in for help. Hopefully you will have a good network of acquaintances, friends and other family members and should nurture this support group by putting time into your schedule to help them out in advance. Stephen Covey talked about how each party must “win” and this is what you’re investing in here. By donating your time or other resources to help one of your contacts, you will have kept your side of the win-win bargain.

Yes, there’s a lot to it, but don’t despair. These days, online life coaching can help you drill even further into those seven habits and come up with your action plan for the future.

Amanda Alexander is the Director of Coaching Mums and a widely renowned ICF-accredited coach who delivers professional coaching programmes to working mums across the globe who long for more time, balance and fulfilment in their busy lives. Download our free eBook especially for working mums with 5 easy ways to achieve balance.