As a mom there is always something to do, and often it can feel like there just aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done.
No matter what age your child is, time management for a working mom can be a real challenge, which is where a daily schedule can come in real handy.
As a working mom, your ideal schedule will probably differ slightly to what another mother’s perfect day looks like.
But there are certain time management strategies and pillars that all moms can benefit from, especially those who are currently overwhelmed, stressed or anxious about how they can successfully juggle everything on their plate.
So let’s jump in and take a look at how to manage being a full-time working mom in more detail.
Tips For The Perfect Working Mom Schedule
1. Plan Your Day The Night Before
One of the most effective strategies to help ensure you have a productive day is to plan things out the night before.
Time management-wise, some moms like to use to-do lists or to write down the most important (personal and professional) tasks they want to achieve tomorrow, while others like to block out time in their diary or even create a detailed schedule for the day ahead.
Take a few moments before you go to bed to think about or write down the things you would like to accomplish tomorrow, and what a “good” tomorrow will look like.
This is actually one of the most powerful things all of us can do, because while you are asleep your subconscious mind will work all night to find ways in which you can make those things happen.
2. Hit The Ground Running
While we’re on the subject of evening routines, think about whether there are any essential tasks that you could do the night before, rather than the next morning.
For your child, this will typically include practical things like prepping their lunchbox or deciding in advance what clothes they will wear.
Other examples include unloading the dishwasher, packing the bag you’ll be taking to work, and thinking about what clothes you will wear tomorrow.
Doing all these things the evening before will enable you to hit the ground running, and given you’ll have less to do in the morning, it should make your routine a little less rushed or stressful.
3. Get Up Before Your Child
Many mothers will tell you this is an absolute game-changer.
Waking up 30 to 45 minutes before your child gets up will allow you to do things that will set the tone for a great day ahead.
This might include some self-care activities like exercise, journaling, meditating or just having a shower and eating some breakfast at a slower or more relaxed pace.
If you can control the first part of your morning you’re much more likely to be in control for the rest of your day, rather than having to play catch-up and feeling like you are massively rushing against the clock.
4. Move Your Body
Another advantage to waking up before your child is that it buys you time to get some exercise in.
Whether it’s stretching, yoga, cardio or some other workout, moving your body in the morning has many benefits, including increasing your overall energy levels, boosting your mood and improving your sleep.
Even as little as 10-15 minutes is all it takes to start the day on a positive note and set the mindset for a disciplined and productive day ahead.
5. Delay Drinking Caffeine
Experts say that reaching for water before that morning cup of coffee can jumpstart your system by hydrating your body, aiding digestion and boosting your metabolism.
And while we’re on the subject of H20, it’s important to know that you shouldn’t wait until you feel thirsty to drink water during the day, because by this stage your body is already showing signs of dehydration and the performance of your mind and energy levels will already be suffering.
You’ve probably heard the advice to drink 8 glasses of water a day, which is a good number because it’s easy to remember, and an achievable goal.
But remember you may need to adjust your intake of fluids upwards based on the amount of exercise you do, if the weather is hot or humid, or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
6. Look After Your Mind
Another tip for creating the best working mom schedule is to build in some time to look after your mind.
If you like to write things down and get things off your chest that way, then create some space in your daily schedule for journaling, or even just to do a brain dump where you write down everything that’s on your mind.
Incorporating meditation into your day can also result in several benefits including increasing your levels of attentiveness and patience, reducing stress and helping you stay in the present.
Keep in mind that you don’t necessarily have to practice formal or sitting meditation, because there’s such a thing as active meditation, where you choose an activity and pay attention to what is happening in your body while performing that task.
If you like the sounds of this but can’t see how you could fit it into your day, see the fist tip about waking up early to get some important me-time in before your child gets up.
7. Encourage Independence
This one might take some time to bed in, but it’s well worth it.
The more you can get your children to be independent in the morning, the more time you’ll create to do other things.
The degree to which your child can do things themselves is clearly linked to their age to some degree, but not entirely.
Older children can make their own breakfast if it’s something easy like toast or cereal, and even younger children can do things like play independently or watch 15 minutes of television while you prepare their lunch, pack their bags or even when you’re taking a shower or putting your make-up on.
8. Value Your Time
We’ve all heard the expression time is money, but that’s not the full story.
One of the best things anyone can do, and especially a busy working mother, it to respect the value of their time, and to find ways to “buy” it back.
Examples include grocery shopping online as it will save you a trip to the store, hiring a cleaner so you don’t need to spend your precious downtime cleaning your house, or filling up gas at your nearest gas station even if it’s not the cheapest.
Added convenience typically comes at a cost, but as a working mom that extra monetary cost is often well worth spending!
Moms are superheroes, there’s no doubt about it.
But nobody is able to do everything themselves, and trying to do so might result in you becoming overwhelmed, stressed and excessively tired.
Look for ways you can share the load with your partner – perhaps you can do the school drop off and he can do the pickup, or you can alternate who cooks the meals at home.
And whether you’re a single mom or not, it’s also worth thinking about how others can help too.
Aside from the obvious help from close relatives who may live nearby, you could also do things like alternate school runs with your neighbors if you both have kids who attend the same school.
10. Expect The Unexpected
Even before you had kids you were probably used to experiencing days that didn’t go according to plan.
Throw in a child or two, and it’s now inevitable that you’ll face curveballs on an almost daily basis.
If something doesn’t get done as planned you may need to accept that you’ll need to stay up later that evening, wake up earlier the next morning, or ask your partner or someone else in your support network if they can lend a hand.
The key is to remain flexible, take things in your stride and to keep a positive attitude – all easier said than done but the only reliable and effective ways to deal with life’s minor setbacks.
Sample Schedule For Working Moms
Clearly, no two schedules are alike, especially as we all like to wake up and go to sleep at different times, have different commute times and wind down in different ways.
Below is an example of a typical daily schedule for a working mother, although clearly, it’s up to you how you want to go about organizing your day to get the most out of it.
- 6:30 a.m. The day begins! Time to start your ideal morning schedule which may include some of the activities above, as well as the essentials like having a shower and get dressed.
- 7:00 a.m. to 8:30a.m. Get your child out of bed and ready for the day ahead. Feed them breakfast, get them changed, brush their teeth and get ready to leave the house.
- 8:30 a.m. Leave home. Take children to nursery or school. Commute to work.
- 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Arrive at work ready for a productive day ahead.
- 11:00 a.m. Pump breast milk if necessary.
- 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Grab some lunch and multitask by tending to any personal chores or activities (essential online shopping for you or your child, paying bills, get some fresh air).
- 3:00 p.m. Pump breast milk if necessary.
- 5:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Commute home and pick up kids.
- 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Prepare and eat dinner. Tidy up (perhaps your child can help!). Bath and bedtime routine for your child.
- 8:00 p.m. to 9.00 p.m. Catch up on any work and household chores. Prepare for tomorrow.
- 9:00 p.m. Downtime or me time! Read, watch TV, catch up with your partner, and have a glass of wine.
- 10:00 p.m. to 11 p.m. Bed Time.
