How to Create a Stay At Home Mom Schedule That Will Help You Thrive

Being a stay at home mom is not for the faint of heart. Even though the days can feel long, lonely and thankless, it is a worthy calling that benefits both family and community. A Stay at Home Mom Schedule is the key to helping you thrive and stay focused on what matters most in any stage of motherhood!

10 Expert Tips to Create a Stay at Home Mom Schedule

As a former teacher turned stay at home mom and organization coach for busy heart-centred mamas, I have lived through the transition of working mom to SAHM. Over the years, I have created a flexible Stay at Home Mom Schedule for both myself and other mamas that is life giving. Keep reading to hear my top 10 tips that will help you create a schedule that you love and aligns with your season of motherhood!

1. Reflect First

Before you begin to think about creating a stay at home mom schedule, it is important to reflect on what is working and what is causing daily frustration for you. This first step will help you to create a values centred daily routine that supports your current stage of motherhood.

First, brainstorm everything that IS working in your daily routine. It is so important to start focusing on the positives and recognize all of the good things that you are already doing.
Next, write a list of pain points in your day. When do you feel overwhelmed, frustrated or angry? Taking note of these moments in your day with a neutral mindset will allow your brain to get creative on how to solve them!
Finally, imagine your ideal day. What would you spend your time doing? How would you feel? How would you show up for your people? Write this ideal scenario in as much detail as possible. You will begin to see what you value most by doing this exercise.

2. Plan Ahead to Create a Stay at Home Mom Schedule that Focuses on What Matters Most

Rather than getting trapped in a cycle where you feel like life is happening to you, get into the habit of planning ahead to feel more in control of the way you are spending your time and energy. Begin the process of creating a values centred stay at home mom schedule by following these simple steps:

Decide on a consistent weekly time to sit down and plan the week ahead. Speak to your support network to arrange childcare or plan this time while your children are napping.
Gather your digital and paper planner or calendar and write down any upcoming appointments or commitments you need to attend in the week ahead, don’t forget to schedule in any necessary prep!
Next, time block what matters most to you based on your “ideal day” exercise. If reading with your kids is important to you, schedule in a reading block. If getting outside everyday is a goal of yours, schedule in outdoor time.
Then look for at least one hour in your week that is set aside for your own care. This is essentially a time to fill up your tank doing something you love. It could be anything from doing a hobby to getting outside to meeting a friend or reading a book in the bath.
Finally, schedule in the “chores of life” such as cleaning, meal planning, cooking, laundry, dishes and hygiene.

3. Manage Your Mind: Create Powerful Thoughts Around Your Stay at Home Mom Schedule

Now that you have a flexible, values based stay at home mom schedule in the works your most important work is just beginning! Science tells us that your brain is going to give you a whole bunch of pushback on this new life giving schedule of yours. Here are some tips to help you manage your mind around your new schedule:

Our brains are wired to resist change and choose the path of least resistance. Now that you know this, you don’t need to be surprised when it feels hard to live out your schedule at first.
Decide to honour your calendar, especially when you don’t feel like it! Showing up and doing what you said you would will strengthen your resolve over time.
Learn to form a powerful thought around your schedule. An example could sound like this, “I’m learning that this schedule gives me more time and energy to do what matters most.” This powerful thought will create positive action.
When you feel resistance to something you planned on your schedule, try the 10-minute trick. Just choose to show up and do the task for 10 minutes, even if you scheduled an hour of time for that specific task.

4. Morning routine

A morning routine that fills your cup (and I’m not just referring to coffee!) will start your day off on a positive note. Your routine does not need to be long to be beneficial to you. It can include your children (especially if you have early risers) or can be a time just for you. Here are some suggestions to consider in your morning routine:

Make your bed
Coffee or tea and devotional
Prayer or meditation
Move your body
Read for pleasure
Eat a healthy breakfast
Go on a walk
Get dressed every day
Stay off of your phone for a set amount of time in the morning

5. Evening routine

One of the keys to getting a better sleep and waking up at a consistent time in the morning, is including a nurturing and predictable evening routine for both you and your kids! This is one of the cornerstones for busy moms to feel successful in their stay at home mom schedule.

Decide on a consistent bedtime for your kids. Limit screen time at least one hour before bed. Our routine always consisted of bath time, healthy fruit for a snack, reading and cuddles and then a prayer before lights out.
Use the time you have between your kids bedtime and yours to unwind. Unplug from all devices an hour before bed whenever possible. Enjoy a bath and book, create a simple skincare routine you love, connect with your spouse, or turn on a diffuser with essential oils that promote rest.
If you find your mind racing at the end of the day try a “brain dump.” Have a journal and pen ready by your bed to write down all of the things that are on your mind, this will allow your brain to relax as it doesn’t need to store this information anymore.

6. Prioritize connection

I’m guessing that one of the reasons you chose to stay at home was to connect with your kids. It’s so easy for the daily chores of life to stress us out and take us away from spending quality time with our kids. If you are struggling to be fully present for your children, start small. Here are some simple ways to connect:

Ask your child to choose a book, find a cozy place to sit and read together
Get on the floor and play with your child, follow their lead
Kneel down and make eye contact with your child when you are speaking to them
Plug in your phone and make a conscious decision to, “be where your feet are planted”, even for 10 minutes!
Go on a walk and enjoy nature together

7. Encourage independence in your kids

As a former early childhood educator, I cannot stress the importance of teaching your kids to play independently at a young age. You do not need to be your child’s constant playmate. When we set up our children for success with simple, good quality toys that promote imagination we give them a sense of independence and give ourselves a moment to breathe!

Build independent play blocks into your stay at home mom schedule
Start by showing excitement for their age-appropriate toys and provide examples of how to create and play, then walk away
Stay close by and even communicate that you are going to be doing a task while they play
Encourage your child and show interest when they are ready to show you what they have been up to!
Remember to start small if this is new to you and build up the amount of independent play time slowly, over time

8. Get connected with other moms in your community

I cannot stress the importance of scheduling time in your stay at home mom schedule to get out of the house and connect with other moms. I reconnected with an old friend in my first pregnancy and we invited a few other friends to join a small moms group. These mamas are some of my best friends 12 years later and our children remain close as well! Here are some simple ways to get out of the house and get connected in your community:

Reach out and create a weekly time to connect with other moms who are in the same season of motherhood. You may feel like you are the only one going through the challenges of motherhood, until you meet and chat with other moms!
Visit attractions around your city like the zoo, science centre, parks or botanical gardens
Meet a friend for a coffee and walk
Take a kid-friendly workout class
Serve others at church on Sunday

9. Schedule in time to tidy up and reset your home

Studies show that clutter can negatively impact our mental well-being, particularly among women. Clutter can also create a physiological response, including increased levels of cortisol, a stress hormone. Because we are spending so much time at home, clutter can quickly build up when we don’t have routines and systems in place to keep it under control.

Including regular simplify sessions in your stay at home mom schedule will drastically reduce the amount of time and energy you are putting into managing your things. Choose one drawer, basket or cabinet and release what is no longer serving you.
Try the “After Dinner Tidy Routine.” Enlist the whole family to help! After dinner, set a 15 minute timer and turn on your favourite tunes. Focus on clearing the table, washing dishes and loading the dishwasher, wiping down your counters and table and picking items up off the floor.
Set a 10 minute timer and do a “clean sweep.” You can do this at any time of day, and kids as young as 5 years old like to help with this one! Choose a space and look for garbage, recycling, broken items and miscellaneous items that do not belong in the space. This quick routine will make an immediate difference in your space!

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Get unstuck and simplify the demands of motherhood with a family centred approach to organization and time management. Experience transformation in our weekly “Empower Hour” group coaching session. Gain access to my simple step-by-step system in the SORT Method Course.

Discover the JOY of an organized home and simplified life with kids!

10. Take a nap or schedule in down time

As busy mamas, we have the tendency to go non stop from the minute our eyes open until we fall into bed, exhausted. This way of living can build resentment in us when we find other members of our family are not able to keep up the same pace. We need to schedule rest into our stay at home mom schedule so that we avoid the unhealthy habit of never stepping away from our to-do list to enjoy our life and our people.

Start with reflection. Why do you feel it is difficult to stop and rest during the day? Are you attaching your worth and value to how much you can accomplish in your day? Do you have trouble delegating tasks?
Next, understand the benefits and necessity of rest. Just as our phone needs to be charged in order to keep functioning, so do we! When we stop and give ourselves time to recharge we are able to show up from a healthier place for our people.
Start the habit of resting for a short period of time in the day. Try to set aside the first 10 minutes during nap time or quiet time to just sit and be. Close your eyes, take a few deep breaths and think about 3 things you are grateful for.
Write down a list of things you enjoy doing to unwind and reset. Refer to this list so you don’t waste any time wondering what to do. Here are some ideas: nap, read, journal, watch an episode of your favourite show, call a friend, go outside, enjoy a cup of tea in silence, enjoy a hobby.

How do stay-at-home moms make a schedule?

There is no one right way for stay-at-home moms to make a schedule, the key is finding what works for you. How do you normally keep track of your weekly commitments? If you use your phone calendar or a paper planner, do the same when planning your stay at home mom schedule.

Set aside around 30 minutes per week to plan
Delegate help with the kids if needed – ask your spouse, a neighbour or your mom to watch the kids or plan to create your schedule during nap or quiet time
Begin by placing all upcoming appointments in the calendar. Place an alert on your phone to remind you and also schedule in any prep needed for the appointment.
Next, build in what matters most to you: what will you be glad you spent your time on at the end of the week? This may include scheduling in daily outside time, reading with your kids, playing on the floor with your toddler, or spending an hour in the bath with a good book to recharge.
Finally, schedule in the “chores of life” such as cleaning, meal planning, cooking, laundry, dishes and hygiene
An effective scheduling tip is to leave some open space in your calendar. When things don’t go according to plan during the week and you miss something that matters, you can move it ahead to an open block of time.

What do stay-at-home moms do all day?

It is common for stay-at-home moms to get the question, “What do you do all day?” The work that SAHM’s do often goes unseen but has lasting impact on her children and community. Here are a few things that a stay at home mom may do in a day:

Nurture, care for and connect with her children
Model and support her children with emotional regulation
Teach important life skills
Run errands
Prep and create meals
Plan adventures
Connect with and serve her community
Manage home by keeping up with laundry, cleaning and organizing
Manage schedules and activities

How do stay-at-home moms survive?

A well planned stay-at-home mom schedule is one of the keys to not only surviving, but thriving within motherhood. Daily predictable rhythms help children feel safe, develop life skills and build healthy habits. Routines help moms feel organized, reduces stress levels and helps them find time for what matters most. Here are some suggestions to bring joy to your daily schedule:

Do something you love every day
Take up a project, hobby or meaningful work
Get outside and go for a walk
Play music
Rest when your kids are resting
Read something just for fun
Watch an episode of your favorite show
Take a nap
Ask for help, you’d be surprised at how your community will show up for you!
Ease up on yourself, you are a human being, not a human doing!
Go on dates with your hubby, even if that means ordering in and watching a show together after the kids are in bed

“PIN ME”

Organized With Kids

10 Tips to Create a Stay At Home Mom Schedule