Daily Schedule of a Work from Home Mom
Have you been trying to find a realistic work at home mom schedule? Welcome to the chaotic yet wonderfully fulfilling world of THIS Work from Home Mom! If you’re donning multiple hats, juggling deadlines, and occasionally chasing after a runaway crayon, you’re in good company. This blog is your go-to guide for navigating the daily rollercoaster ride of balancing work, parenting, and the constant quest for the elusive “me time.” So, grab your favorite cup of coffee (or let’s be real, reheated for the third time), kick off those cozy slippers, and let’s dive into the uplifting adventure that is the daily schedule of a work-from-home superhero—yes, that’s you!
“Balance is not something you find, it’s something you create.” – Jana Kingsford
In a world where conference calls and kiddie meltdowns seamlessly coexist, we’re here to celebrate the triumphs, big and small. From conquering the inbox to convincing a toddler that broccoli is a superhero snack, every day is a new chance to embrace the chaos with a smile. So, whether you’re a seasoned work-from-home momma or just getting started on this wild journey, let this blog be your daily dose of inspiration and camaraderie. Spoiler alert: You’re doing an amazing job, and we’ve got your back!
Picture this: A laptop adorned with stickers of superhero capes, a desk shared with coloring books and action figures, and the soundtrack of laughter intermingled with the gentle hum of productivity … and then some squabbles over who is hoarding the most square magnet tiles mixed in. That’s the canvas upon which the work-from-home mom paints her masterpiece each day. In the spirit of embracing imperfection and finding joy in the chaos, let’s embark on a virtual tour of the daily schedule that is uniquely yours. From sunrise snuggles to midnight email marathons, we’ll navigate the peaks and valleys of this extraordinary journey, reminding ourselves that, amidst it all, there’s beauty in the mess and magic in the mundane. Welcome to the heartwarming, caffeine-fueled realm of a work-from-home mom’s daily hustle!
A Working Mom’s Realistic Daily Routine
Let’s be real … every day is throwing an immense amount of curve balls into your life, so from nap time to work time, it’s hard to really showcase what is happening in a day. But I’m going to try and break down what a day will look like from the perspective of time blocks. Full disclosure … I think it’s fair to be transparent and let you know that my work hours today look VASTLY different than they did one year ago. Different seasons require different things from us, and in some seasons I used to put in 20-30 hours of work in combination with children and homeschooling and housekeeping. Over the last year we have outsourced a lot of the work I had been doing for our family business so that I could scale back and rest for a season and start up new hobbies and projects. So I’ll give an honest representation of my day, but may sprinkle in what things looked like a year ago, since I had a lot more hours I was working then!
The Morning Routine
Time Frame: Could start anywhere from 5:30am – 10:00am
Goals: breakfast, prepare for the day, quality time, school, outside time, chores, home projects
A morning routine will look fairly chaotic in our home, considering our children wake up super early. Our home schedule generally starts with one of us doing some farm chores while the other feeds the kids breakfast first thing. Anyone else have starving kids as soon as they wake up in the morning?? After breakfast is on the table I will start a cup of coffee, begin tidying the kitchen a bit, start a load of laundry, make the bed and do a few tasks to help keep the home running.
Next I will have the children start getting ready for their day by getting dressed, brushing their hair, sometimes I’ll ask them to make their bed, and other times I’ll ask them to tidy up the toys that they’ve strewn about in the last hour. Early mornings with children and toddlers can change day to day, but generally our flexible schedule allows us to keep it pretty casual. All of these things tend to happen within the first hour of being awake, and generally by this point my heavily pregnant self is exhausted and ready to rest, so I’ll sit down with my cup of coffee and convince the kids we need some quiet time. This could look like watching an episode of Gilligan’s Island or listening to an audio book like Anne of Green Gables or the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe while they color pictures. This has been one of my new favorite routines because it’s a great way to spend some quality time with my children in the morning while also giving me a break in the morning.
At some point in the morning, we may start on school with the kids who are doing school. I may also allow them to have some free time and play with their collection of open-ended toys while I get some projects done. Some days that could include decluttering an area of my home, working through my Passionate Penny Pincher planner tasks, doing some online grocery shopping, paying bills, responding to emails, writing content for the business, or other household chores. In previous years, I would have taken this time to sit down and send the previous day’s orders out for our clients, but we have an amazing office manager who i snow managing that task, which I am SO thankful for!
“Be the kind of woman that makes other women want to up their game.” – Unknown
The Lunch Routine
Time Frame: 10:30 – 12:00pm
Goals: Clean-up, lunch, pre-nap routines
Around 10:30 I start making sure that I have a plan for lunch. We keep lunch casual, sometimes it’s leftovers, sometimes it’s grilled cheese and tomato soup, other times it’s hot dogs. It also depends on when my last grocery store run happened 🤣.
The lunch period of the day is also when I ask the children to tidy up the living room, perform some of their daily tasks like putting their laundry away, or enjoy some quiet time and read some books while I finish lunch prep. During lunch time I may try to squeeze in some daily devotions or Bible study. I may use the lunch break as a way to get in a few minutes to respond to emails or messages or phone calls. This block schedule varies day to day, because when you own business you just don’t know what is going to come up!
After lunch is done, we head into the final part of the time block where we get ready for naptime. The kids al know – brush teeth, go potty, wash your face, get in bed! I have them all laying down for nap time and quiet time no later than noon but sometimes as early as 11:30 just depending on how tired they are and how busy the day was before.
The Nap Block
Time frame: 12:00pm-3:00pm
Goals: Good naps, work hours, quiet time
This is the dream time for any work-at-home-mom, and really becomes the highlight of the entire day! Any toddler schedule worth it’s salt will include quiet or nap time, and hopefully you are able to secure enough time in this block to accomplish some goals! When all of my children were toddlers, I could get 2+ hours of solid work time – which is a LOT of time for a work-at-home mom! I use this time to do the most important things – I don’t fold laundry or wash dishes. I work, I do things that require silence, I get my best work done during this time!
I noted that this timeframe is from noon to 3:00, but in reality, my oldest who isn’t napping any longer will be out around 12:30-1:00, and my next child is done napping by 1:30pm at the latest. The baby will sleep anywhere from 2:00-3:30, so it’s honestly just a toss up! You can’t really count on specific times when you are a work at home mom, because any number of things can affect the schedule. Different seasons of life will require different things, but the nap block is the first step towards getting some solid working time in! If you have young children who aren’t on a consistent schedule, I encourage you to try and keep them on a schedule that works for your family. It’s a great way to get a little bit of time in your day that you can dedicate to your work schedule or at least have some extra time to accomplish some of your own personal goals!
I should note that during this block of time, I also give the kids snacks, help keep them entertained with projects and educational activities, and I do try to limit screen time in the afternoon.
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill
The Evening Block
Time Frame: 3:00-7:30pm
Goals: Dinner, clean-up, bath, brush teeth, bedtime.
This can be a large block of time, but I’m generally starting to think about dinner, accomplishing some home chores, touching base with friends and family, waiting for my husband to come home from work, and it’s a great time to also catch up on some home life stuff. Our family eats dinner early, around 5:00pm, but just because your daily life looks different than ours doesn’t mean you don’t also have a rhythm for your important tasks! The time doesn’t really matter – even though this is a blog about schedules, ha!
After dinner, our routine can look different, but the main parts include bath time, cleaning up toys, getting PJ’s on, reading books on the couch, brushing teeth, sending everyone in to potty one last time, and then finalizing the bedtime routine by having them all climb into bed. Don’t be fooled – it’s not as simple as it sounds, I generally have to send one person back into their bed at least three times because they want to know if this is the “long nap or the short nap?” and someone else has a hangnail, and the baby has figured out that if he says he needs to go potty you’ll bring him out for quality time in the bathroom … so it’s a circus!
Mom’s Time Block
Time Frame: 7:30pm-11:30pm
Goals: Quiet time, refreshment, creative outlets
By around 7:30, everyone is pretty well settled into their beds, I have a handle on washing dishes and cleaning the kitchen, and by 8:00pm I’m settling into a comfy spot on the couch to either write some blog posts, eat a snack, working on an end of the day hobby, exploring a creative outlet, scrolling social media (Hey, I’m human!), meal planning for the week, or just enjoying some down time with my husband. I’m a bit of a night owl, I always have been, even though all of my children are early risers. But in the end, it’s the most wonderful way to refresh from a long day and conclude my stay-at-home mom schedule.
1. Rolling with the Punches: Stay Flexible, Mama!
Alright, let’s talk real talk—life as a work-at-home mom is like trying to juggle spaghetti on a rollercoaster. The trick? Flexibility, my friend. Kids are like tiny tornadoes of unpredictability, and you’ve got to be cool with the plan changing. So, grab that metaphorical surfboard, ride the waves of chaos, and remember, it’s all about the journey, not just checking off that to-do list.
2. Work Time, Play Time, Me Time: Draw Those Lines!
Picture this: You’re sending a work email with one hand while rescuing a LEGO construction crisis with the other. Sound familiar? It’s the work-from-home mom life, and it’s a wild ride. Set those boundaries like a boss—let the fam know when it’s hustle o’clock and when it’s playtime paradise. Trust us, it’s like magic when everyone’s on the same page, and you get that sweet blend of productivity and quality time.
3. Love Thyself: Mom’s Self-Care Hour (or Five)
Repeat after us: self-care is not selfish; it’s survival. Sneak in those moments of bliss, whether it’s a power nap, a guilt-free chocolate break, staring at the ceiling for a minute (we won’t judge), or going. out to get the mail just so you have approximately 1. 5 minutes of silence and fresh air (yes … some of us have even timed it …). Your sanity is the MVP of this game, so make sure you’re on the winning team by prioritizing your well-being. You’ve got this, mama!
4. Routine-ish: Because Flexibility Rocks, but So Does Predictability!
Routine? Yeah, it’s like the North Star guiding your day, but don’t stress if it’s not military precision. Let’s call it a loose guide, a gentle nudge in the right direction. Kids love routine, but life loves throwing curveballs. Embrace the chaos, stick to your loose framework, and watch the magic unfold in the glorious mess that is your day.
5. Mom Tribe Alert: Connect and Conquer!
Mama, you’re not alone on this island. Seek out your fellow work-from-home comrades, because solidarity is like a warm hug for the soul. Whether it’s a virtual coffee klatch, a WhatsApp group, or a good old-fashioned text chain, connecting with other moms who get the struggle is gold. Share the wins, laugh at the fails, and let your mom tribe be the wind beneath your superhero cape. Together, we rise!
“A mother is she who can take the place of all others but whose place no one else can take.” – Cardinal Mermillod
A Real Life Work at Home Mom Schedule
And there you have it, fellow work-from-home warriors! The daily schedule of a work-at-home mom may be a whirlwind of multitasking madness, but it’s also a canvas filled with love, laughter, and the occasional spilled sippy cup. As we navigate this rollercoaster, remember that you’re not alone in this adventure. Each chaotic moment is a page in the story of a resilient, superhero mom doing her best, and that’s something to celebrate.
So, as you dive back into your bustling routine, take a moment to pat yourself on the back. You’re a master of flexibility, a champion of boundaries, and a maestro of the mom tribe. Embrace the unpredictability, revel in the routine-ish, and savor those self-care moments like a secret indulgence. Your journey is uniquely yours, and it’s shaping a beautiful narrative filled with the love and dedication that only a work-at-home mom can bring.
In the grand symphony of work, parenting, and me-time, remember to cherish the small victories, dance through the challenges, and find joy in the everyday chaos. Your hustle is unmatched, your heart is boundless, and your ability to wear multiple hats deserves a standing ovation. So, here’s to you, the unsung hero of the home office—the work-from-home mom extraordinaire! Keep shining bright, embracing the messy magic, and savoring every delightful moment this extraordinary journey brings. Cheers to you, Supermom! 🌟👩💻🦸♀️
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