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This post is all about building a routine for a stay at home mom.
As a working mom, my schedule was pretty much dictated for me. From 9 am to 6 pm, I was at work. I had to factor in commute times and when to drop my child to daycare in the morning. But that was about it as far as my routine went back then.
When I became pregnant with my second child, I stepped down and became a stay at home mom. I not only wanted to but daycare costs were insane for two children. But let me tell you, that was the hardest transition I have ever had to go through.
All of a sudden I had all this free time and I was having anxiety about how to productively fill it. I no longer had a predictable daily schedule and it caused me to shuffle through the days. I needed a stay at home mom routine because my working mom routine would no longer work.
A new routine was needed because I was not only a SAHM, but I was about to go from kid to KIDS. I had to create a routine that involved quality time, a morning routine, an evening routine, and so much more.
This post is all about a routine for stay at home mom.
Routine for Stay at Home Mom
What are the daily tasks of a stay at home mom?
The universal answer should be: TO KEEP CHILDREN ALIVE. That is honestly the only concern you should have every single day. Everything else is second to the health of your children and yourself.
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After that, would be household duties. What those duties are depends on your family dynamic and responsibilities. What I am not saying is, that you do all of this alone and don’t expect your partner to be an active participant.
However, as stay at home moms, our “jobs” are to also manage the household and everything that comes with it. However, I typically try to have working hours so I don’t get burned out or build resentment toward my spouse.
Examples of Household Duties:
- Scheduling Appointments
- Sweeping, mopping, dusting, and vacuuming
- Cooking and meal planning
- Budgeting
- Stocking the family’s necessities
Take time and think of your daily routine and the duties you handle each day, week, or month. Here is what I focus on to run our household as a stay at home mom:
Household Duties:
- Monthly & Weekly Budgeting
- Meal Planning & Cooking
- Tidying spaces
- Daily cleaning (kitchen, bathroom, & rooms)
- Laundry
- Scheduling appointments
How do I create a daily routine for a stay at home mom?
Creating a daily schedule that worked for me took a lot of time and thought. Not only was I pregnant at the time and watching after a (then) 3-year-old, I faced every obstacle to creating and sticking to my routine. I knew creating a routine (especially since I was staying home) would make me happy and productive.
Some challenges you may face:
- Lack of Structure: Without a set mom schedule, it is a constant struggle to effectively manage time. Thus, leaving you with many days to feel chaotic and defeating.
- Constant Interruptions: Mom life includes interruptions from children & unexpected events go hand in hand. It makes it hard to have planned activities and routines.
- Isolation: Due to the nature of an SAHM, it can lead to a sense of loneliness and a lack of motivation to create or stick to a routine.
- Trouble Prioritizing: Balancing the needs of family life, the household, personal goals, and self-care can make it hard to prioritize things.
- Flexibility Conflicts: Creating a routine may not be able to account for the unpredictable messes parenthood has causing stress when plans need to be adjusted constantly.
Trust me, I understand better than anyone that creating a routine for stay at home mom is difficult! But, I also know you can do it, it can be done, and you’ll be so much happier once it is done.
Creating a Daily Routine
1. assess your priorities:
Determine what is a priority for you. Include childcare, household chores, personal time, and any other responsibility you want to include.
2. set S.M.A.R.T goals:
Be realistic about what you can achieve in a single workday (yes, workday because you are still working). Consider the needs of your children and yourself to avoid overbooking yourself. Burnout is real as a mother.
3. establish a morning routine and nighttime routine:
Start and end your day with a reliable routine to set a positive tone.
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4. Create blocks of time:
Do you remember how school was done in blocks? You had a science block, math block, and even a block for lunch. Divide and conquer your day in blocks of time.
5. Be Flexible:
To limit the amount of stress in your day, be open to making adjustments to your schedule.
6. Involve your kids:
This may include having them do their fair share around the house or having them do independent play so you can get something done. Have them do their own bedtime routine.Â
7. prioritize self-care:
You need time away from everything. Make self-care a priority by blocking time off to relax. Do a DIY spa day, read a personal development book (We Should All Be Millionaires is my current obsession), or just have some quiet time to yourself.
8. Review and Adjust:
Routinely review your routine to see what is working and not working. Test new ideas to create a routine that really works.
9. Seek Support:
Remember that you are not alone. You have a spouse, family, and even friends. We all need help from time to time. It is not just your home.
10. Give yourself Grace:
Creating a routine requires time and patience. It can take several months or even a year to create a routine that works for your family.
How to make a routine for stay-at-home mom?
Once you have written down your responsibilities and expectations, it is time to create a schedule for moms that works! I want to leave you with an example of my sahm routine. I love time blocking my day.
It takes the stress out of completing my tasks by a certain hour or time.
7 am to 10 am
- The kids and I wake up (I am still working on trying to wake up before them)
- I make a bottle, breakfast, and my morning tea
- Educational screen time for my four-year-old and independent play time for my 7-month-old.
- Morning chores: Unload dishes from last night, start a load of laundry, and do whatever weekly chore is due.
10 am to 1 pm
- 7 month old goes down for nap time
- Shower and get dressed
- I make lunches for myself and my preschooler
- Spend quality time with my preschooler
- Finish any chores I was not able to get to during the first block
- Blogging/Content Creating work
1 pm to 4 pm
- Start working on dinner
- Have a bottle ready for my infant/get ready to wake
- Blogging/content work
- Start another load of dishes and laundry
4 pm to 7 pm
- Dad takes over the children
- Finish up dinner
- Start to shut down the kitchen together
- Last load of the day for dishes and laundry
- 2nd nap for infant
7 pm to 10 pm
- Put both children to sleep
- Finish shutting down the kitchen
- Spend quality time with hubby
10 pm to 11 pm
- Nighttime routine
- Go to Sleep
That is just one thing that works for my family currently. There is no one-size-fits-all daily schedule for moms and you have to make it work for you. Your family’s needs and dynamics will be different than mine.
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Here is an example of an ideal time-blocking schedule:
This includes time to yourself and a cutoff time of being alone.
6 am to 7 am
- Wake up time for me
- Shower and get ready for the day
- Quiet time with either a personal development podcast or Jesus
- Start a load of laundry
7 am to 10 am
- Wake kids up
- prepare breakfast and bottles
- unload dishes and start a new load of dishes
- transfer clothes and start a new load
- educational TV for my preschooler
- independent play for my infant
10 am to 1 pm
- Nap time for infant
- Lunches for both me and my preschooler
- Blogging/content-creating workflow
- Finish any chores I was not able to get to
1 pm to 4 pm
- Bottle and awake time for infant
- Prepare to work on dinner
- Unload dishes from the dishwasher
- Tidy up the living space
4 pm to 7 pm
- Dad takes over the children
- Finish and serve dinner for the family
- Wind down for the night
- Start to shut down the kitchen for the night
7 pm to 10 pm
- Put both children to sleep
- Begin and finish the “closing shift” together
- Spend quality time with hubby
10 pm to 11 pm
- Bedtime routine
- Sleep
Creating a strong routine gives you a plan for the day and mental clarity of the tasks ahead. It gives you a beginning, a middle, and an end. I have a set “workday” and tasks that I try to complete before my shift ends. Just like I did when I was employed.
The effect of creating a routine has helped me get into a positive headspace and be present for my family. I get immense joy out of seeing my home and family living in a warm and inviting space. However, that all starts by creating an intentional day with an intentional routine.
This post was all about creating a strong routine for stay at home mom.
