Many moms, myself included, enjoy working from home while still providing an income for their family. From direct sales, working remotely, and starting your own business, there are tons of options out there. But you will need a work at home mom schedule for any type of job at home.
Becoming a Work at Home Mom
After having our first baby, my husband and I decided it made sense financially for me to go back to work. I dreaded the end of my maternity leave, even though I loved my job as a 4th grade teacher.
After our second baby, we were able to afford transitioning to a single income. Like many stay at home moms, I had the hopes of earning income with a side hustle.
It was my dream come true!
Finding time to work on my business was not easy though. Feeling overwhelmed with all that needed my attention, I knew that something had to change. I needed to get organized with my time.
Set Priorities for Your Work at Home Mom Schedule
What is your biggest priority throughout your day? When you go to bed tonight, what do you need to have done to feel accomplished?
Here are some examples:
- Devotions
- Working out
- Having a clean house
- Keeping your children alive and happy
- Getting your children to school/childcare
- Having a healthy marriage
- Spending time with your children
- Having a social life with your friends
- Writing a blog post
- Creating 4 Pinterest Pins
I want my family to be a bigger priority than my work. Unfortunately, there have been seasons when I prioritize my business over family. I love working and could work 24/7. Thankfully my husband keeps me accountable and doesn’t let me do that. Understanding your priorities is the first step in creating an effective work at home mom schedule.
Activity:
List down all of your priorities for your day. Creating a personal vision statement can be helpful also to help you set your tone for your day.
My personal vision statement currently is “I want my husband and kids to feel loved today as I grow my business.”
Ideal Day: How to Plan Your Schedule WAHM
I love doing this activity and updating every couple of months.
Activity:
Write down what your ideal day would look like. Now, I’m not talking about a vacation in Bora Bora. I mean what would your ideal, typical day at home with your children look like?
Questions to consider:
- What time would you get up?
- What would you prioritize in those precious minutes before the kids wake up?
- What time do you eat?
- Do you have blocks of time that are technology free?
- What are work hours?
- When is family time?
As a visual learner, I love seeing examples, so here is my current ideal day.
5:00- Get up and start my devotions
6:00- Work on computer
7:00- “Momming” block (get kids breakfast, change clothes, clean up kitchen, etc.)
8:00- Workout & shower
9:00- Preschool activities & play time with kids (run errands if needed)
11:00- Lunch & cleanup
12:00- Household chores, tidy before naps
1:00- Nap Time (work time for me)
4:00- Kids play independently as I finish up working on computer
5:00- Supper & cleanup
7:00- Family time
8:00- Kids in bed- all screens off for the night
8:15- Self-care for momma (read, bath, adult coloring book, etc.)
9:00- In bed
Identify Work Time as a Working Stay at Home Mom
Once you know your ideal day, you can focus on the best time to work in your work at home mom schedule.
Think realistically about how many hours can you commit to working daily?
I like to break up my work time into two categories, uninterrupted and interrupted time.
Activity:
Create a list of all of the items on your to-do list. Highlight the tasks that take just a couple of minutes to get done. We are going to put these in the Interrupted Work Time category.
Uninterrupted Work Time: Daily Routine for Work at Home Mom
This is where the magic happens.
Sketch out some uninterrupted time where you can get a ton of stuff done.
Some ways to do this would be:
- Hide your phone.
- Eliminate ALL distractions.
- Hire a babysitter or have your husband watch the kids.
- Then crank out as much work as possible.
Activity:
Decide when is going to be a good, uninterrupted work time for you?
- Morning before the kids are up
- Nap time
- Evening
- After the kids’ bedtime
Decide what tasks are best for uninterrupted work time. What are big projects that you will work better without disruptions? Some of my favorites are writing blog posts and email newsletters.
TIP– Create your to-do list the night before. When your uninterrupted work time begins, you will know exactly what needs to get done and be able to hit the ground running!
Interrupted Work Time: Daily Routine for a Working Stay at Home Mom
Interrupted work time is when your kids are around and will need you. They might play independently for a while, but then start fighting, or they need to go potty, get a snack, or just want you to read them a book. Pick a few quick jobs that are easy to pause and pick right back up in a couple of minutes.
Some examples:
- Creating Pinterest pins
- Scheduling social media posts
- Creating a reel
- Sending an email
Final Thoughts on a Work From Home Schedule
In order to create your own ideal work at home mom schedule you’ll have to do some thinking. But also know that things don’t always go as planned. Don’t worry about missing a day or two here or there. Focus on consistently showing up and doing something most days and you’ll be more productive than you know!
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