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We all wish that we could add a few more hours to each day. Since that’s not possible, we have to settle for better time management. I am a stay-at-home mom of three amazing, and BUSY, boys ages 1, 4 and 7. Things can get really chaotic, so I have to manage my time well. Below, in no real particular order, I have included six ways to help you optimize your time during the day as a stay-at-home mom. These tips will be really helpful for us moms with kids over the age of 1.
1. Wake up an hour to an hour and a half earlier than your children.
Start your day with time before the Lord. This can be in the form of prayer, study, or worship time. Thank the Lord for the day. Ask Him, specifically, to give you strength and energy and to help you optimize your time during the day. This is an excellent prayer journal to use if you don’t already have one. Next, find a short 20–30-minute workout activity that will get your heart pumping. I like Zumba :).
2. Settle for quick and easy breakfast and lunch ideas.
Don’t try to go all out during the day to make gourmet meals. (Warning: You are entering a no judgement zone!) Stick to things that are frozen or can be prepared quickly. For example, in the morning, make the kids a bowl of cereal, frozen waffles, or if you’re really feeling fancy, a couple microwavable oatmeal packets. If mom guilt starts to sink in, pair it with some fresh fruit or yogurt. For lunch, chicken nuggets, corn dogs, frozen taquitos, peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, and grilled cheese sandwiches are my go-to options. Again, feel free to pair with grapes or sliced apples.
3. Plan your dinner meals ahead of time.
In our house, we eat home-cooked meals Monday-Thursday. Monday, I cook a meal and we eat the leftovers on Tuesday. I repeat that pattern on Wednesday and Thursday with a new meal. If you are like me, you do not have time for meal prep on the weekends. So, what I do is plan the two dinner meals in advance (i.e., the week before). Then, when I do my weekend grocery shopping, I make sure I have all the ingredients before the first dinner on Monday night. On the weekends, mama gets a break, and we eat out!
4. If you have kids 2.5 and under, don’t worry about the state of the house while they are awake.
My best advice here is to just focus on the kids while they are up. This means, feeding them, playing with them, educating them etc. Only focus on tasks that I consider “multitask-able”. For example, washing/drying a load of clothes. Don’t bother folding them yet. Rinsing a few minor dishes off and putting them in the dishwasher. Leave really dirty ones in the sink if you have to. Water your plants. Make the beds. Just simple “multitask-able” things.
5. Take advantage of nap times.
Since I’m not talking about newborns here, don’t sleep when the baby sleeps. Use nap time to get those “non-multitask-able” things done. Now is the time to fold that load of laundry and finish cleaning those dishes in the sink. For some of us, wash your hair and put your deep conditioner in. (Shout out to my natural haired ladies!) You could even use this time to get some work done if you work from home. Edit that YouTube video. (Feel free to check out my YouTube tab.) Get started on those legal policies for your business. (For the legal bundle I use for my blogsite, click here.) Also, here’s a pro tip. Use snacks like fruit, crackers, cheese or nutritional snack bars for older kids to maximize this time before you have to make lunch. No one says lunch time has to be exactly at noon. Use your time wisely sis.
6. Be consistent with bedtime for the kids.
Every day, aim to put the kids to bed around the same time. My suggestion would be no later than 8:00pm. Every mom needs some quiet time at the end of the day to unwind. Read a book. Watch something entertaining or educational. Get more work done if this is the only time during the day you can squeeze it in. Finally, get in bed at a decent hour to do it all again tomorrow.
Being a stay-at-home mom is not easy, but you can do this!
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Be blessed!
[…] To all the moms out there who are regularly home with the kids, often alone, you know the struggle. You operate in survival-mode most days. You have become a master at doing things while holding a child. Your days are jam packed with activities. You are a professional multitasker. Read more about optimized productivity in this post. […]