• I have three kids, ages 9, 7, and 5, so back-to-school season can sometimes feel like a second job.
• Over the years, I've learned that blocking my calendar and checking it the weekend prior can help.
• This article is part of "The Working Parents Back-to-School Survival Guide," a series of real-life tips for navigating the school season.

When I worked in a fast-paced corporate leadership role, years ago, the transition from summer to school felt like a jolt to the system. It was like adding a full-time job on top of my actual one.

Even now, as a business owner with a more flexible schedule, I still feel the shift. The logistics, decisions, emotions, school emails, and supply runs pile up quickly.

I'm a life, leadership, and career coach for working parents with three daughters of my own, ages 9, 7, and 5.

Over time, I've learned practical strategies that help both me and my clients navigate the back-to-school season with less stress and more intention.

Here are six tips that can help lighten the mental load and set you and your family up for a smoother start to the school year.

1. Start blocking your calendar now

Many school calendars are already out, and fall activity signups are in full swing.

Block out time for key school and activity events like back-to-school night, early dismissals, or weekday games. Identify which dates conflict with key work meetings, deadlines, or travel, and put a plan in place.

If you'll need backup care or carpools, coordinate those early. If a future conflict is likely but not yet solvable, set a calendar reminder four to six weeks out so you can revisit the need. You'll thank yourself later for the proactive reminder.

2. Do a weekly preview

I like to take 15 minutes either at the end of the workweek on a Friday afternoon or on a quiet Sunday morning to preview what's coming up and what actions need to be taken.

This quick reset helps me reduce weekday stress because I can make thoughtful decisions ahead of time before I'm in the thick of it.

I also recommend to clients to loop in your partner, childcare provider, and your kids to prevent all tasks from landing on your shoulders. A short weekly conversation can save you hours of miscommunication, confusion, or last-minute scrambling.

3. Use visual and shared systems

Clear systems help my home run more smoothly and reduce the number of questions and decisions I have to ask and answer on a daily basis.

For example, we use a large chalkboard to display each child's after-school schedule and what they need to pack for the day.

This weekly dashboard helps everyone see what's ahead: school "specials," after-school activities, and what to pack.

My husband and I also sync our work and home commitments through a shared Google Calendar.

These systems reduce missed appointments, lost or forgotten items, and the need to constantly repeat yourself. Most importantly, they distribute the mental load so it doesn't fall on one person.

Our 3 go-to items for back-to-school

• Daily alarms: I pre-set alarms on both my phone and our kitchen Alexa to cue key tasks, like grabbing lunches or heading to the bus.
• Reusable Bento lunchboxes: These make packing healthy, varied lunches easier (and eliminate the hunt for matching lids).
• Family chalkboard: A weekly dashboard helps everyone see what's ahead: school "specials," after-school activities, and what to pack.

4. Automate and simplify

Let technology support you. Aim to get tasks out of your brain and on to paper or in a calendar.

For example, I pre-set alarms on both my phone and our kitchen Alexa to cue key tasks, like grabbing lunches or heading to the bus. It keeps us on track in the mornings without me needing to be the clock-watcher. A bonus is that it builds my kids' independence, too.

I also like to set calendar notifications that ping me on the weekends for things that require action later that week, like buying a birthday gift or sending in school supplies. That way, I get nudged on a weekend, not in the middle of a busy workday.

The fewer things you need to remember in the moment, the lighter you'll feel.

5. Make decisions ahead of time

Apply "decide once" thinking. Batch decisions wherever you can to reduce mental fatigue.

Pick out outfits for the week on Sunday. Prep backpacks and lunches the night before. Create themed dinner nights, like "Meatless Monday" and "Taco Tuesday," to reduce nightly meal planning.

For lunch prep, I prefer these reusable Bento lunchboxes because they make packing healthy, varied lunches easier and eliminate the hunt for matching lids.

These routines streamline hectic moments and can give you more mental space for what truly matters.

6. Progress over perfection

Above all, I encourage my clients to embrace the power of "progress over perfection."

Give yourself permission to skip the picture-perfect lunchboxes or color-coded calendars. Instead, build rhythms that actually work for your life, not someone else's highlight reel.

With a few simple systems and a little foresight, this season can feel far more manageable, less stressful, and even enjoyable.

• Before back-to-school is in full swing, plan ahead and know what your work's illness policy is.
• Know who you can rely on to pick your sick kid up from school if you can't get time off.
• This article is part of "The Working Parents Back-to-School Survival Guide," a series of real-life tips for navigating the school season.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Dr. Angela Mattke, a pediatrician at Mayo Clinic Children's. It has been edited for length and clarity.

It's kind of a whirlwind that first day—going back to school, getting up on time, getting them fed, getting them out the door.

I have two boys. One is almost 13 and in middle school, and the other is 10 in elementary.

My husband and I are both working parents, and we miss a lot of school events because we cannot take time off. So, instead, we started a tradition that's made back-to-school more fun for everyone.

My husband and I both take off work, and we all go out for breakfast. Then, while the kids are at school, my husband and I have a date, which is great.

My 3 go-to items for back-to-school

• Honey to help soothe coughs.
• Some good soap and hand sanitizers, so if people are getting sick, you can prevent the spread.
• Healthy prepackaged snacks so kids can stay full and aren't tempted by unhealthy options.

How to plan for back-to-school germs

Back to school is a common time for families to get sick, and I recommend that working parents, especially, plan ahead.

Know what your work's illness policy is and get your bench lined up of the people that you might need to rely on for those situations. Who is going to pick your kid up from school if you can't leave work, and who can take care of them if you can't get time off?

I also recommend having a few items, like thermometers, some OTC medications, and sanitizing agents, on hand so you won't have to run out to the store in the middle of the night.

Keep acetaminophen and ibuprofen readily available for aches and pains—just make sure you know which one you're giving because you don't want to give both.

For coughs and congestion, my family likes to have honey and nasal spray on hand. We avoid cough medicines and decongestants since they have not been shown to be effective, especially in young children, and they can have side effects. Any store-bought honey should help soothe a cough, just don't give it to any child under 1 year old.

We also enforce good hand hygiene and make sure to have soap and hand sanitizers around the house, so if people are getting sick, we can better prevent spread among family members.

The 1 thing I tell all parents

I cannot emphasize enough to all parents the importance of ensuring their kids' immunizations are up to date well before school starts.

The other thing is to think ahead for fall and schedule your and your family's flu and COVID vaccinations, ideally before November. We know that those vaccinations reduce the likelihood of getting sick, the severity of illness if you do get sick, and the days spent away from school and work.

I also recommend buying a couple of those influenza and COVID test kits that you can do at home, so you can try to figure out what's going on with your kid. Those kits cost a lot less than what they would charge at your healthcare institution.

How else I keep my kids healthy for back-to-school

I would say in general, the most important thing that you can help do to strengthen your kid's immune system, besides getting them vaccinated, is making sure they eat a balanced diet and get enough sleep and physical activity.

Eating fruits, vegetables, proteins, and grains in moderation will be more effective than any over-the-counter supplement at keeping kids healthy. I get asked a lot about elderberry, vitamin C, and probiotic supplements. We avoid these in our family since they're effectiveness lacks strong pediatric evidence.

When it comes to probiotics, I'd rather my kids eat fermented foods and foods with probiotics. One of the first foods I ever gave my kids was kefir, a fermented drink similar to milk but that tastes more sour. Instead of mixing cereal with milk, they mix it with kefir, which provides lots of different probiotics for a strong gut microbiome.

I also like to meal prep their lunches for the week, which helps reduce stress. I usually cut up veggies and fruits on the weekend so they're ready to go for meals and snacks when the kids are on the go, which is often.

My eldest is in a lot of sports and usually wants something to eat the minute he gets into the car after practice. Washing hands is super important after sports, so I like to keep baby wipes and sanitizer on hand in the car. He also carries some hand sanitizer with him.

Nobody wants their lives disrupted by illness, especially during back-to-school when life can feel a bit chaotic. While there's a lot we cannot control, staying up-to-date on immunizations, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and keeping some key medications and sanitizing items on hand can help prevent or reduce your number of sick days ahead.