Hey Working Mama!! Some days are hectic and lack any type of routine! You must be very intentional about the time you have with your children. I know because this was my DAILY struggle.
But, I have found a secret (that’s not even really a secret) that has improved by feelings about the time I spend with my children.
I figured out what I was lacking before, thus it was a well thought out routine!!
It’s nice to have a structured routine, and as a result, you know what you’re doing every day.
Here are some tips to get you onto the perfect routine, which will help you feel satisfied and fulfilled about your time with your kids.
Tip One: Set a wake-up time
You want your wake-up to be at a similar time every day and will likely be a few minutes before your baby (or kids) will wake you up.
By waking up before the rest of the hours, you ensure that you can have a few minutes to yourself to get ready.
Not a morning person? That’s okay. Some people want to wait until the last possible second to sleep, but just make sure you give yourself enough time to get through everything you need to do. Getting your body into a daily habit of the same wake-up time will enhance your night’s sleep.
Tip Two: Set a bed time
I used to be in the very bad habit of waking up early and going to bed late. (I admit sometimes I still do). I have chosen to prioritize sleep and help myself get a good amount each night (7-8 hours).
“Most adults need 7-9 hours of sleep a night,” according to ninds.nih.gov. And “in general, people are getting less sleep than they need due to longer work hours and the availability of round-the-clock entertainment and other activities.”
If you are feeling stressed, overworked, and overwhelmed, more sleep is better than less. I thought I could cut out my sleep and get more done, however, the time I was spending was less effective.
Tip Three: List Your Day
Think about what things that you do every day and write them out on a list.
That way, you know what time or around what time to schedule everything.
This is a great time to plan out some things you WANT to do in your day, and you may not currently. This may include a 5 minute quiet time in the morning or a 15 minute walk after lunch. You decide what you need in your day and make it happen!
Tip Four: Star your Priorities
What are the things you must get done no matter what from the list above? Some things you do without thinking and without intention. Other things you want to make sure you do not skip when life gets crazy.
Night before
Think about what you can do the night before to be better prepared for the morning. This could mean setting out clothes for yourself and your children, preparing lunches for the next day, or setting up your coffee.
What do your evenings look like from the moment you leave work? From picking up the kids to getting gas, make sure there is time for everything you want or need to do.
You might have a toddler and a baby. And you want to make sure that you’re very intentional about the time that you have with your children when you get home. Some of that involves cooking dinner, eating dinner, cleaning up from dinner, play time, getting ready for bed.
Bonus! Think about ways that you can incorporate your kids into daily tasks and spend quality time together.
Maybe sing together while cleaning dishes! Or, your could think of all of the fun things you did that day over dinner. Write out your intent with how you can bring the kids into your routine.
Morning of
Next, you want to think about what you do in the morning and how long that takes just for yourself to get ready.
For instance, maybe you put on your makeup in your home. You drink some coffee and have 10 minutes to reflect on what your day is going to be like. These are not mere mundane tasks, they are part of the routine.
Tip Five: Think about the weekly routines
After you’ve thought about your daily routine, think about your weekly routine. What days do you have off?
You can utilize these days for things like meal planning, grocery shopping, and other preparations for your week.
I know it can sound daunting to be a working mom and to plan out these things in advance. But believe me, you will feel so much better once you do.
Tip Six: Think about the monthly and the yearly routines
I like to plan this out in a journal of some kind at the beginning of the year. It’s never too late to think this through, but I keep a virtual list of these things on my computer so that I have one place to store all the info.
When I store it on my computer, I don’t have to keep going back to old planners to see if I am missing anything for the next year.
Special seasons of life
If you’re coming back from maternity leave, you want to make sure you have extra time in your day to prepare for the unexpected. Blow outs, extra outfit changes for baby, or spitting up on your own outfit are all things that could cause extra time.
Make sure to think about how long the baby typically takes to eat and how many times they’re going to eat before you leave for the day. And then give yourself a little bit of extra buffer room if you’re the caregiver who drops the baby off at daycare, etc.
You want to give yourself some extra time to be able to interact with the person who’s going to take care of your baby all day.
Also
If you are pumping at work, you will want to check out this post that I did about how to continue breastfeeding while being a working mom. So, you want to plan out the time that you’re going to have to pump either on the way to work or before work.
And while you’re at work, think about anything that you can accomplish in your downtime.
Tip Seven: Plan for a “Plan B”
Of course, not everything gets done. But this is a good place to start for now. You may want to have a list of what to do if something doesn’t work out.
Keep in mind that you don’t always have to follow a rigid routine, but routines and schedules can keep us all sane in this crazy time of our lives.
It is a season one day we will miss it. But for now, we want to maximize our time with our babies.
And, we want to maximize our time with our families so that we are not spinning our wheels, just thinking about the long to-do list that we have. With a schedule and a plan, you can know exactly what you will get done.
Tip Eight: Do a Reality Check
By now, you should have a comprehensive list of everything you do during the day. Take a minute to make sure your expectations are realistic.
There’s nothing worse than putting 30 things on your to do list when you know you can only accomplish three.
Now, you may want to do some reflection after a month or two of implementing your routines. Throw out what isn’t working and try something new.
A well-thought out routine means that you are controlling your day, not your day controlling you!
Alyssa from mamalyssa.com
Your Turn
Are you conscious of your routines, or is your day running crazy without control? Let me know your favorite thing you do in your day below.
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