Need all the tips for how to be a more productive stay at home mom? Keep reading!
As I was scrolling on Instagram the other day I saw a headline for an article that read something along the lines of “If Stay At Home Moms Were Paid They Would Earn 184k A Year”. And I have to say, I agree. The daily responsibilities of a stay at home mom are truly never ending. And on top of the perpetual to do list, are children who also need lots of love and attention. And although that’s all we live for….the screaming, whining and tugging at your pants leg isn’t necessarily how we want to spend our days.
Imagine you worked a 9-5 office job. You had emails to send, phone calls to answer, appointments to schedule, all the things. But you also had a baby crawling around, putting everything in their mouth. Add a toddler jumping on your furniture, singing the abc’s all day and that’s what being a stay at home mom is like.
Looking back at the title of this post, you’re probably wondering what the heck I mean now by “more productive”. Let me explain.
Taking care of children all day is a full time job in itself. And if some days that’s the only thing you can do, I get it! I find myself in survival mode quite often. However, it’s no secret that when you’re home with children all day, the household responsibilities can fall behind. And I know I’m not the only one guilty of forgetting to take care of myself throughout the day as well. Nine times out of ten I’m in yesterday’s outfit, with messy hair, eating the crust off my toddlers sandwich and sipping my second cup of coffee.
But taking care of myself makes me feel better. And having a clean house makes me happy. It makes the day run smoothly. Having a plan for the day keeps everything in order. However, since I am a mom, I know that planning around small children is difficult. So in this post I’m going to be sharing how I’m able to play with my kids, get more done during the day and make sure my needs are being met, all while taking care of my children.
Here are my favorite tips for having a more productive day as a stay at home mom!
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Start Your Day Early
I know you want to sleep in mama. I do too. But it’s not realistic. And if you get up before your kiddos, I promise your day will start on the right foot. I don’t know about you but if I’m woken up by my baby crying or my toddler yelling at me, it’s chaos right off the bat. The “mama I so hungy I want food” when I haven’t even opened my eyes is one of the worst ways to start my day.
Wake up before your babies, get their breakfast ready so it’s cooled off, freshen up and just take a minute to yourself. This is also the perfect time to go ahead and take your meds and vitamins instead of waiting and potentially forgetting about them.
Fuel Your Body
If you have a hard time remembering to eat or drink water throughout the day, I have a couple tips for you. When you get up before your kids, as your making your morning cup of coffee, chug a bottle of water beforehand. And after getting their breakfast ready, make yourself food. And a bowl of cereal isn’t going to cut it. Make something you love eating, something that is healthy and filling. Because chances are you won’t be able to eat again for a few hours. And if you’re anything like me, you might forget to eat lunch because you’re caught up in feeding your kids and working around the house. I personally love avocado toast with over medium eggs!
If you don’t have that problem but are guilty of snacking on your kids leftovers, fruit snacks, candy, etc., try snacking on fruit, veggies, deli meat, cheese sticks or protein bars instead.
Ultimately fueling your body will give you the energy you need to chase after your kids all day, play with them and get more things done around the house.
Bring Baby Along
Whether you need to workout, shower, put on makeup, do your hair, do your skincare, etc., bring your baby along! Put your little one in a swing, bouncer or highchair and pull them into the bathroom or bedroom with you. This way they’re in a safe spot and you don’t have to chase after them. Some days they might cry the entire time and you might feel rushed. But at least you know they’re safe and they’re not wondering where you are.
Do One Load Of Laundry A Day
This might not be an option for everyone and I know that. But if you have a washer and dryer in your home, I highly recommend doing at least one load of laundry every day. I think most moms can relate to literally always being behind on laundry. Especially when your kids are small. When my daughter isn’t having blowouts, my son is spilling juice down his shirt or wiping food on his sleeve. Laundry is a never ending cycle in this house.
Do yourself a favor, suck it up and wash, dry, fold and put away one load a day. Laundry is my least favorite chore so I know first hand how badly you probably don’t want to do this. But trust me, it’s better than being so behind that you have to spend five plus hours doing laundry in one single day.
Doing so also means when you’re scrambling out the door for errands, playdates, preschool, etc., you won’t have to hunt for outfits. Or matching socks!
Create A Cleaning Schedule That Works For You
Maybe laundry isn’t a problem for you. But the dishes are. Or the bathroom. Or the floors. Maybe you’re feeling defeated by all of the housework and you don’t even know where to begin.
I understand. Running a household is A LOT of work. But as a fellow mom blogger of mine pointed out, your to do list shouldn’t be costing you time with your significant other or your children.
Melissa over on Mom Life By Design, has made it super easy to create a custom cleaning schedule that works for you. Allowing you to transform your home into a haven, banish mom guilt and so much more!
Not only does she offer an ebook but her course includes a workbook with reflection spaces, a planner, a cleaning checklist and positive affirmation cards. She doesn’t want you to just be able to get more done in the day. She wants you to live your life and create space in your life for things that truly matter.
Plus she’s offering a 20% discount to all of you! If you’re interested you can download the ebook course here: A Clean House Without Stress and be sure to use the code YM20 at checkout!
Meal Plan
I know what you’re thinking, I’m not creative enough to plan different meals. Or I’m not good at cooking. Or maybe, I don’t have time to meal plan.
I hear you. I do not expect you to plan three meals a day, seven days a week. However, planning dinners for most of the week is a game changer!
My husband and I purchase a meal kit subscription box every week from Every Plate and we love it! We spend less money, waste less food and eat meals we wouldn’t normally make at home. We order five dinners a week for the two of us and there’s always enough to feed our three year old. It’s very affordable, delicious and saves me so much time planning dinner and grocery shopping.
If you’ve been on the fence about subscribing to a meal delivery service, do it! You’ll thank me later.
Love these tips! I def need a cleaning schedule!