Do you remember the day you became a stay-at-home-mom? The possibilities! The chance to be with your child all day long! Being a stay-at-home-mom really is a dream! But after a few days, weeks, or months, it’s easy to start to feel in a rut. You can never get enough done. Maybe you even feel restless or stuck. I’ve felt that way, and with some gentle encouraging from my husband, I made a stay at home mom schedule. A schedule is an important tool for any stay-at-home mom. It can help you to feel more in control of your days, make the most of your time, and avoid feeling overwhelmed.
Benefits of using a stay at home mom schedule
If you are anything like me, the idea of making a schedule sounds like the perfect solution to all my motherhood woes. Unfortunately, I also know that I have a hard time sticking with schedules. In fact, I usually start out with the best of intentions, but by the end of the week, my schedule is in shambles. However, I have found that there are some benefits to using a schedule that make it worth the effort for me.
Need a boost? This book is a great pick me up for stay at home moms!
- Schlessinger, Dr. Laura (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
A schedule saves your sanity
When you have small children at home, it can feel like your days are never-ending. You are constantly cleaning up messes, changing diapers, and trying to keep everyone happy. It can be easy to lose track of time and feel like you are never getting anything done. A schedule can help you to feel more in control of your day and give you a sense of accomplishment when you complete tasks.
A schedule gives you focus
It can be easy to get distracted when you are at home with your children. There are always things that need to be done, and it can be hard to focus on one task. Having a schedule can help you to focus on the tasks that are most important and avoid getting sidetracked.
A schedule helps you make the most of your time
When you are a stay-at-home mom, it is important to make the most of your time. You likely have limited time for yourself, and you want to make sure that you are using your time wisely. A schedule can help you to plan your days so that you can get the most out of them.
A schedule promotes self-care
It can be easy to forget to take care of yourself when you are a stay-at-home mom. However, it is important to make time for self-care. A schedule can help you to plan for activities that will help you relax and rejuvenate.
A schedule helps you be intentional in all you do
As a stay-at-home mom, you have the opportunity to be intentional in all that you do. You can choose how you spend your time, and you can choose what your priorities are. A schedule can help you to be more intentional with your time and make sure that your days are spent on things that are important to you.
Sample schedule:
5:30-7:00am Wakeup
Wake up times for stay at home moms can be a point of frustration and even guilt. Some mom’s find that they love getting up early. They get up at 5:00am and exercise, meditate, or just sit in the silence with a warm drink. On the other hand, there are other mom’s who feel lucky to roll out of bed before their kids have to leave for school.
Let me tell you this important fact, both are okay. The time you wake up is going to be influenced by the age of your kids, your natural inclinations, and more! Play with the times you wake up. Know that it might change as you or your kids change too. Don’t feel guilty for sleeping later than other stay at home moms that you know. If you really want to be an early riser, then work towards that over time.
I currently get up at 5:45am to exercise with a friend. But whenever I’ve had a newborn I’ve struggled to wake up before about 7am.
7:00-7:30 Breakfast
In our house, breakfast times change, depending on the time of year (breakfast happens later in the summer).
I’m not a big breakfast eater myself, so I tend to have something small like yogurt or eggs. My kids are usually pretty hungry in the morning, so they have cereal, toast, or oatmeal most days.
7:00-8:00am School drop off/bus stop
The morning rush can be hectic, but try to take a few deep breaths and enjoy the time with your kids. If you can, sit down with them and eat breakfast together. If not, just savor the moments as they get ready for school.
My kids school bus comes at 7:15am, which makes for an early morning. But on days that we don’t feel like catching the bus, I’ll drop off my kids sometime before 8am.
Read: Create a Positive Morning Routine For Kids
8:00-9:00am Clean
I like to get some cleaning done early in the day. Usually I try to make sure my dishes are manageable, put a load of laundry in the washer, and tackle at least one area of my house that needs a bit of love.
9:30 Get out
Being a stay at home mom doesn’t mean you are stuck at home all day. My sanity is so much better if I get out at least once a day.
Getting out doesn’t always mean a big trip the aquarium or the zoo. It can also mean going outside with your kids as they play in the backyard, loading kids in the stroller for a walk, or even just running errands.
Even when we were college students who only had one car, I made it a point to get out with my oldest son every day. We’d go for walks, throw balls in the backyard, or walk to the store.
12:00pm Lunch
By lunchtime, I’m usually hungry and so are my kids. Now that my kids are getting a little older, they like to choose and make their own lunch. When they were little we did a lot of “toddler” charcuterie plates (which is basically just adding a bunch of fresh ingredients that are not “mixed”).
12:30-1:30 Books/slow down time
The time after lunch can vary, but I try to keep our activities a little low key. Usually we’re heading into nap time and I don’t want my 3 year old getting wired right before it’s time to take a nap.
My favorite slow down activity is to read books together. We’ll usually curl up on the couch with a big stack of books. I try to mix in some new favorites, along with some old classics.
2:00pm Naptime
Naptime is so variable for every family. Right now my 3 year old son naps from 2:00pm to about 4:00pm every day. However, younger kids might need a nap much earlier in the day and older kids might skip the nap entirely.
I’ve found that I need a quiet time every day, even when my kids aren’t napping. I might read a book, take a nap myself, or just sit and enjoy the quiet for a bit. If your kids are past napping, stock up on a few quiet activities they can do alone.
3:00 pm After school/activities
If you have school age kids (especially more than one) after school is go time. My kids get off the bus and it’s chaos until dinner. Everyone wants snacks, there are homework battles, and somebody always needs to pee.
But I try to savor the moments, even when they are crazy. We’ll usually have a snack and then my kids will do their homework at the kitchen table while I start dinner.
I also like to use this time to catch up with my kids about their day. What was the best part? The worst part? What made them laugh?
This is also the time of day when my kids will have activities like sports practice or piano lessons. I know I can plan on driving kids around at least once a week.
Read: Creating an After School Checklist (Free Printable)
4:30-6:30pm Dinner prep/dinner
Dinner time is usually pretty hectic in our house. My husband is usually getting home from work around the same time as we’re trying to eat dinner.
I try to have everything ready to go before he gets home, but that doesn’t always happen. If I can, I’ll start a crock pot meal earlier in the day on the busy days. Freezer meals have also been a big time saver for us.
6:30-8:00pm Family time
After dinner is usually our family time. This is when we catch up on the day, play some games, or just relax together.
We also use this time to start winding down for the evening. Sometimes my husband will read chapter books out loud to the family. Other times we just cuddle and read kids books.
8:00pm Baths/bedtime
The last hour or so of the day is dedicated to getting everyone cleaned up and ready for bed. We’ll pick up around the house, get pajamas on, and brush teeth. We’ll also do baths (although not every night).
8:30pm Cleanup/lockup
Once the kids are in bed, I’ll spend a few minutes cleaning up the house and getting everything ready for tomorrow. I’ll make sure the dishwasher is loaded, start laundry, and pack bags for the next day.
I’ll also make sure all the doors are locked before relaxing for the evening.
9:00pm Relax/work
This the golden time as as stay at home mom! Kids are in bed. It’s time to relax! This is when I spend time with my husband. If he has work to do, sometimes we’ll both be on laptops as I work on a few things.
10:30pm Go to bed
The tricky part of the evening is convincing yourself to go to sleep (instead of staying up to read or play on your phone). But I always feel so much better when I’ve gotten a good night’s sleep.
Things to consider as you make your own stay at home mom schedule:
No two stay at home mom’s will have the same schedule. You might have different needs or priorities than everyone else. Here are some things to consider as you create your own stay at home mom schedule:
– What is your daily routine like?
– What are your kids’ ages and what do they need/want?
– What are your priorities?
– Is everyone getting enough sleep? (Hint: you need more than you think)
– How much free time do you want/need?
– Are you trying to add too much into your day?
– Can you streamline any of your household management?
– What works for YOUR family?
Tips for success:
Here are a few tips that have helped me as I’ve created and stuck to my own stay at home mom schedule:
Write it down and post it somewhere visible
This has been key for me. If it’s not written down, it doesn’t exist. I also like to post my schedule in a visible spot (like on the fridge). That way everyone knows what to expect and when things are happening.
This planner can help you organize yourself!
- THE PERFECT MOM PLANNER – This wonderfully designed Mom Life Planner includes weekly and monthly planner pages, with different sections for kids activities and a row for meal planning!
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Be flexible
I’ve learned that no matter how well I plan, there will always be days (and sometimes even whole weeks) when things just don’t go according to plan.
That’s why it’s important to be flexible. If something comes up, take a deep breath and adjust your schedule accordingly.
Give yourself “me” time
It’s so important to schedule some time for yourself, even if it’s just a few minutes each day. This is when you can do something that makes you happy or relaxes you.
For me, this is usually reading before bed. But it could also be taking a bath, going on a walk, or anything else that recharges your batteries.
Focus on blocks of time rather than the actual time on the clock
This has been huge for me. I used to get so stressed out when I looked at the clock and saw that it was already 11am and I hadn’t accomplished anything on my to-do list yet.
Now, I focus on blocks of time. For example, from now until lunchtime, I’m going to work on laundry. From lunchtime until the kids’ bedtime, I’m going to play with them.
And so on. This has helped me to be more productive and less stressed.
Give your kids good routines to follow (morning routine, after school routine, bedtime routine )
One of the best things you can do as a stay at home mom is to give your kids good routines to follow. This will help them (and you) know what to expect each day and make life run more smoothly.
Some examples of routines you could implement are:
– A morning routine: wake up, eat breakfast, brush teeth, get dressed
– An after school routine: put away backpacks, have a snack, do homework
– A bedtime routine: brush teeth, put on pajamas, read a book
Need more ideas for routines?
Read: Create a Positive Morning Routine or Creating an After School Checklist
Creating a schedule as a stay at home mom can be a great way to increase your productivity, focus on your priorities, and make life run more smoothly.
Remember to consider your daily routine, what your kids need/want, and what works for YOUR family. And don’t forget to give yourself some “me” time!
Thanks for sharing this is very helpful