Are you a working mom? Do you have trouble accomplishing tasks and staying organized? Here are some practical, helpful tips to creating a successful working mom daily schedule!
Are you a working mom struggling to manage your days peacefully?
Do you wonder if it’s possible to work, take care of kids, have a decently clean house, and not go crazy?
Would you like some time to yourself to rest and relax or to start a side-hustle?
Do you feel like you are running on reserves you don’t have?
Do you ever see a working mom and think how does she do it?
Yes, it IS possible to have a smooth, successful daily schedule as a working mom. Here are some tips that will help you move from stressed to success!
(This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience which means if you make a purchase after clicking a link I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.)
Should working moms have a daily schedule?
Absolutely!!!
If you are single with no kids, you might not need to worry so much about a daily schedule. But a working mom absolutely needs a schedule – a real, helpful, practical schedule.
Not only are there important things to take care of daily in the home (dishes, laundry) and with your kids (meals, school), we all know that moms also carry a heavy mental load as well.
Having a realistic working mom daily schedule is the best way to help ease the mental load and help manage your daily tasks at home and with your kids and husband.
You can be a model for your kids on how to manage a schedule/routine peacefully and with grace. By setting a good example, they will also learn how to manage their days with a routine.
What is a realistic working mom schedule?
As a single mom with no help, I completely understand mom overwhelm and the stress that comes without a daily schedule.
Over time, I learned how to create routines and have systems in place that work for me and my kids and help us live our days happily and peacefully. You can do the same!
You need to come up with a plan that works for you and your family, but there are a few main points to consider first.
What is a priority for you and your family?
First, you need to look at the non-negotiables for your family.
What is a priority for you? How do you make sure that those tasks are included in your schedule?
These are daily tasks that you cannot live without.
Your list might include:
- prayer
- fitness
- spending time with kids
- journaling
Keep this list fairly short and only focus on non-negotiables.
What can you cut out or delegate?
Next, look at your other tasks.
Are there any items that are not an absolute daily necessity or that you can delegate to someone else (your husband, kids, or hire someone to do them)?
One example, I used to be very organized before kids (haha) and want to have everything put back in the proper place.
Now, I choose to let go of being absolutely tidy and focus on a few things (sweeping the floor daily, keeping the kitchen clean, etc.) and not stress about kids toys or clothes left around the house. It’s not worth my mental health to worry about these things.
Let’s look at some real, practical things to keep in mind when creating a working mom daily schedule that will really help you out!
A Realistic Working Mom Daily Schedule
Here are some things for a no fuss, no rush working mom routine that actually keeps you sane:
1. Daily Routines Start the Night Before
Yep, a great daily routine will actually start the night before. It helps if you can take a quick look at your schedule for the next day and get an idea of what is happening and what you need to get ready.
Anything you can do to plan ahead the night before will help a great deal in making the next day run calmly and smoothly.
You can:
- prep lunches
- chop fruits and veggies for after school snacks (or do this right when you get home from the grocery store)
- get school outfits ready
- plan breakfast – to make it really easy have the same breakfast plan for all week! Our go-to is bagels with peanut butter, honey, and cinnamon!
- set out any items you need to take by the front door
I will often put lunches and school backpacks in the trunk of my car the night before to get a head start. This also helps relieve the “rushing around” feeling that can happen in the mornings!
On Sunday nights, take time to prep for the week.
2. Wake Up Before Kids
If possible, try to wake up at least 10-15 minutes before your kids. This might seem hard, but it really does help to start the day on your own peacefully with a quiet cup of coffee and meditation.
I read once that you should drink a full glass of water right when you wake up (as your body hasn’t had any fluid all night) and that will perk you up. I’ve been doing this and it seems to help me!
3. Write It Down
I’m always taking notes and making lists! I tell my kids that if they want me to remember to do something, they need to write it down on a post-it note and put it on my space on the counter.
I have this weekly calendar for the fridge. It’s great and I use it all the time! Every Sunday night, I write down the weekly events on this calendar and then I erase them after they are complete.
4. Prep Lunches (and Meals) Ahead of Time
You can prep lunches ahead of time – even for the whole work/school week.
For example, you can make a bunch of sandwiches, chop veggies and fruits, and keep snack items ready. Then, the night before you can pack up the lunch bags and keep it ready in the fridge or car.
Related:
Meal Planning Made Easy
Easy, Healthy Kid-Friendly Breakfasts
5. Check the Daily Schedule in the Morning
This will help you feel more prepared for the day and remind you of any appointments or other important things.
You can also use a daily planner to help you keep track of things for the week, month, and year.
Erin Condren makes several spiral bound planners that are really wonderful!
6. Use Block Scheduling
Block scheduling is where you set aside blocks of time to work on something specific.
For example, instead of mindlessly scrolling Facebook, you can set a 10 minute timer and look through Facebook for that time and stop when the timer goes off.
This works great for all kinds of daily tasks, but especially the ones that you hate doing or that you get sucked into doing for endless minutes or hours.
This prevents you from overworking as well.
Choose a block of time, set a timer, and then stop the task when the timer goes off.
My girls and I often clean this way. I’ll tell them that we’ll set a timer for a quick 15-minute clean up and choose an area to clean until the timer goes off. (We often put on fun “cleaning music” while we do this.)
7. Delegate
Lots of moms tend to do it all. Maybe they think no one else can do a task the “right” or “best” way. Maybe they think it’s easier to do it than explain how to do it to someone else.
But, when you do this, you can easily slip into burnout and model this behavior to your kids.
Plus, you miss out on the opportunity to teach kids how to do a task or see them give the task to your husband to do.
Don’t be a superwoman!
Delegate whatever tasks you can to your husband and kids and let them share in the household chores. Teach them how to do it and let go if it’s not done “perfectly.”
You can also set aside a block of time to clean together as a family each week. Make it a family routine!
Related:
Chore Cards for Kids
Weekly Chore Chart
8. Outsource
If possible and within your budget, outsource tasks or chores!
You can hire someone to:
- mow the lawn
- clean the house
- wash your cars
- drive your kids to school
Or, you can have your older kids do these things!
9. Let It Go
The biggest trap in mom life is trying to do it all and be the “perfect mom”.
First, there is no such thing.
Second, it’s stressful and not a good example for your kids.
Let your kids see that you make mistakes, apologize, and learn to let the little things go. Avoid perfection – for your own mental health and theirs.
10. Daily Affirmations
Being a mom can be so hard! Our own negative thoughts can get in our way and prevent us from moving forward.
When I first became a single mom (and it was SO hard), I printed out affirmations and stuck them to my mirror, walls, in the kitchen – wherever I looked each day – to keep me boosted and put positive thoughts in my head.
We ALL struggle with something. No matter what your struggles, repeating daily positive affirmations to yourself can help keep your spirits up.
You can print out these daily affirmations for moms cards and tape them up to read daily.
11. Rest on the Weekends
Don’t overschedule yourself or your family on the weekends or the entire week might feel like a big rush.
Use the weekend to spend time with your family, catch up on simple chores, or help others.
Prioritize rest and down time for yourself daily as well. Even if just 5-10 minutes. You DO need to rest and recharge from daily activities. It IS ok to have down time when you are not “doing a task”.
12. Say No
Again, you do not have to do it all. You can say no. You should set boundaries.
Be an example for your kids and teach them to do the same.
If you need help learning how to set appropriate boundaries, this is a great book: Boundaries by Henry Cloud and John Townsend
13. Simplify your Life
Get rid of things and activities that are just cluttering your life.
Keep a few favorites and declutter the rest.
Related:
Things that Make your House Look Cluttered
You CAN be a working mom and have a daily routine that helps keep you on track! Start by focusing on what you need you prioritize for your own family and see what you can cut out, delegate, or outsource. Which tip did you find most helpful? What would you add to this list? I’d love to hear your thoughts below!
