When we moved to Nevada last month I became a full time, stay at home mom for the first time. I’ve always worked part time outside of the home with kids, and I was SO ready to be done with that phase of my life and embrace the stay at home mom gig.
While it’s definitely been an adjustment on my end, it has been so nice to have extra time to be at home rather than being at work! I can actually veg and watch a show during nap time because I know I’ll have the evening to clean up the house and do laundry. I’m not scared to leave the house in the afternoon for fear of getting stuck somewhere and unable to get to work on time. I actually make dinner almost every night instead of eating bulk cooked chicken and rice for two meals a day!
All that being said, I’m pretty sure it’s my experiences from working outside the home that have made me appreciate and value my alone time at home, and have made me intentional about getting things done when I’m on my own. I know how crazy my life was when I was juggling more responsibilities, so it makes it a little easier to juggle the ones I have now!
Whether or not you stay home with your kids, you know how challenging the motherhood role is! Here are some tips that help me manage my time and be intentional while staying home and working from home with my kids!
- Weekly Schedule: I make sure to plan outings for every day of the week at least a few days in advance so I know what our week is going to look like. On days when we don’t have play date plans, I’ll pick a new park to check out or look for events going on at the libraries close to our house. When I have a snapshot of our weekly plans, I’m able to plan chores and errands around those events so I’m not scrambling to do everything in one packed day!
- Chore Days: If I were to try to cram every errand and chore into one day I would be a complete mess! Every day I do a different chore–running the dishwasher, doing all the laundry, folding the laundry, vacuuming the floors, cleaning the bathrooms, etc. Some chores are done once a week on a certain day, and others are done every other day or however often they’re needed.
- Errands: I only go to the grocery store once a week and it’s an amazing system! I get everything we need for the week in one trip and don’t have to brave the store with two toddlers for another 7 days. I always go with a list, and try to stick to it as exactly as possible. If I know I have errands to run in different parts of town, I’ll tackle them on different days so I’m not driving the kids all over for hours at a time. I try to save outgoing packages and mail so I only have to go to the post office once or twice a month.
- Getting Dressed: I found that if I get myself and both kiddos dressed within the first 30 minutes of waking up that we’re all a lot more productive! We’re all able to switch from sleeping mode to playing mode much faster, and it’s easier to get outside and play before it gets too hot. Getting ready earlier on makes us much more productive throughout the day!
- Veg Out Time: Whenever possible, I try to schedule an hour of time every day where I’m just doing what I want. Whether that’s watching a show, working on a project, or browsing Pinterest–anything that isn’t a chore or work! Sometimes I have to multitask and do some work or folding laundry while I watch Netflix, but I need that me-time to decompress and mentally prepare for the next day. I’m a noticeably better mom when I have that time to myself to just be me!
- Find a Hobby: Having a hobby that challenges me creatively and mentally has made a huge difference in my energy and motivation throughout the day! Before I had kids, I worked 80+ hour weeks at two different jobs because my husband was in school and I didn’t have anything else to do. Even when my work load decreased, I had the hardest time finding a hobby and would be bored out of my mind in my spare time. Once I started blogging, all of that unused energy and creativity that I didn’t know existed came out and gave me something to get excited about everyday! Anything that challenges you–painting, crocheting, gardening, photography, cooking, designing, hiking–whatever it may be, find it and channel your energy into it!
7. Support System: There’s a reason the saying goes “it takes a village” to raise children! Being a stay at home mom puts all of the responsibility of keeping two toddlers occupied and learning on me–and there’s no way I could do that without friends in similar situations to do playdates and outings together! If you’re new to an area or don’t have many mom friends, join some local Facebook mom groups, search out other moms at church, at the library or park, or even at the grocery store. Chances are they’re also looking for some mom friends and you can both benefit from getting to know each other!
8. Exercise: I am not someone who naturally enjoys working out, and I talked more about that in this post. But sticking to a plan and doing it as often as I can has helped me in the obvious ways, I’m physically stronger and more capable to play with my kids, but also in the less obvious ways by challenging myself and mentally feeling accomplished after working out! I only workout at home, and they’re 20-30 minutes so very achievable and I’m never overwhelmed by the prospect of exercising!
Implementing all of these tactics since entering this new role has really helped me stay intentional with my kids while being able to work from home, solo parent, and stay mentally sane through it all. I know this topic is talked about often among stay at home moms, so I hope these tips help someone who is struggling or looking to make a change in their life!
Photos taken by Lauren Gerek Photography in Las Vegas, NV. I highly recommend her for lifestyle, in home photoshoots, I love these sweet and simple moments that she captured for our family! She’s great with kids and moms and was very easy to work with!