Why is having a daily schedule so important as a stay at home mom? A great schedule is crucial for many reasons: increased productivity, better quality family time, decreased feelings of stress and overwhelm, and more time for self-care and development. Having a stress free routine will not only allow you to be more productive, but also give you more of a sense of purpose throughout the day. Below we’ll break down how to identify pain points in your current routine, set realistic expectations, and give examples of how your day can be set up to be STRESS FREE. I have included your own free schedule template at the bottom so once you feel you’ve got a handle on what you’d like in your schedule you can make your own!

I’m Holly, a stay at home mom to 2 busy littles (1&3) in Canada and I’m so happy you’re here. I’ve been at home with my two children full time since my youngest was born (September 2022). Before I quit my job to be at home with my kids, I was a teacher and principal. My brain CRAVES a schedule. Since I’ve started side hustles (at this point they are hobbies that I enjoy because I’m not bringing any income in), it has been even more important for me to categorize my life a bit more because there really aren’t enough hours in the day to hang with my kids, make meals, clean the kitchen AGAIN and find time for myself.

The importance of having a schedule as stay at home mom

My #1 reason for needing a daily schedule is the sheer decision fatigue I feel in the day. If you’ve never heard of the term decision fatigue in the context of moms, it is the sheer mental exhaustion and decreased ability to make effective decisions after facing so many choices throughout the day. Childcare, household management, personal responsibilities, etc. etc. As we navigate through countless decisions, no wonder it is so impossible to pick what to make for dinner some nights. Decision fatigue can lead to stress, overwhelm, and difficulty in making effective choices later in the day. Having a well-organized schedule provides a sense of control and predictability, reducing stress and promoting mental well-being.

My schedule allows me to balance my time between taking care of my house and daily chores while having quality family time. My older son knows that when his little brother naps in the afternoon he can either help me make supper or play with his toys. This eliminates a lot of issues in our home because he knows it is something that needs to get done and I don’t have to answer “no!!!!” to “can we go outside now??” asked ten times in a row. Having a solid, dependable, realistic schedule will help everyone in your household, including your children.

Without accomplishing all that I do during the day, I would not have time in the evenings for myself. Exercise, side hustles, hobbies or any kind of self-care is a must for a busy mom. You give so much of yourself throughout the day – by prioritizing self-care for yourself, you can recharge and maintain your physical and mental well-being. For me, I have blogging and Etsy. I LOVE a good side hustle for moms, if you’re not convinced you need one yet, read this post and then decide. Whatever way you choose to schedule your day, please make sure you take some for yourself.

Assessing your current situation

Identifying pain points in your daily routine involves recognizing aspects of your routine that cause frustration, stress, or inefficiency. Let’s figure out what those pain points are:

1. Reflect on Your Day: Take some time to reflect on your typical day. Consider the activities you engage in, the tasks you perform, and the emotions you experience throughout the day.
2. Note Areas of Frustration: Pay attention to moments of frustration or annoyance during your daily routine. This could include tasks that take longer than expected, recurring problems, or activities that you consistently dread.
3. Track Your Time: Keep a journal or use a time-tracking app to record how you spend your time throughout the day. This can help you identify areas where you’re spending too much time or where your efforts aren’t yielding worthwhile results.
4. Assess Energy Levels: Notice times of the day when you feel particularly drained or overwhelmed. These can be indicators of tasks or activities that are draining your energy and contributing to stress.
5. Ask for Feedback: Reach out to family members or household members to gather feedback on pain points they observe in your daily routine. They may offer insights that you hadn’t considered.
6. Consider Physical and Emotional Responses: Pay attention to physical and emotional cues such as tension, fatigue, or irritability. These can indicate areas of your routine that are causing stress or discomfort.
7. Evaluate Priorities and Goals: Reflect on your priorities and goals in different areas of your life, such as family, work, health, and personal development. Identify whether your current routine aligns with these priorities and goals, or if adjustments are needed.
8. Review Previous Challenges: Think about challenges you’ve encountered in the past (maybe it’s trying to get supper ready with an energetic toddler who needs attention, or meltdowns at bath time) and consider whether similar issues are recurring in your current routine. This can help pinpoint areas that need attention or improvement.

Setting realistic expectations

First things first, be gentle with yourself. Especially if you’ve never followed a schedule before. Setting your expectations too high will lead to disappointment, burn out, frustration and a desire to quit early on. You’ll need to consider your unique circumstances, priorities and limitations.

Start by assessing your time and energy throughout the day. Consider your kid’s ages, nap times, school schedules, and your own energy levels at different times of the day. Next you can identify your top priorities for each day, such as childcare, household chores, self-care, and any other commitments or activities. Rank these priorities based on their importance and urgency. I have a mix of these. I balance them out as best I can. Some days my children have more independent time while I take care of some chore that needs doing. Other days, I spend a lot of downtime hanging with them while my house is neglected. It’s all about being flexible with yourself and your family. There is no one size fits all perfect daily schedule.

Recognize that your schedule may need to be flexible to accommodate unexpected interruptions, such as tantrums, emergencies, or last-minute changes in plans. Be realistic about time commitments and allow buffer time between tasks to account for these disruptions. Next up, you need to set clear boundaries (with yourself, mostly). Avoid overcommitting yourself. Learn to say no to non-essential tasks or activities that may drain your resources and detract from your priorities.

Dividing your daily tasks and responsibilities into smaller, more manageable chunks can make them feel less overwhelming and more achievable within the constraints of your schedule. Knowing I need to unload the dishwasher, make supper, and do a load of laundry feels like a lot and my ADHD brain starts to unravel a bit. If I chunk it, it’s way more manageable knowing that these activities do not need to occur simultaneously.

Tips for creating schedules that stick and run smoothly

Involve your family! Encourage your partner and children to contribute to household tasks and routines. You can delegate age-appropriate chores to children and enlist your partner’s support in sharing childcare responsibilities. My husband plays with the kids in the morning before work so I can have some time to get ready for the day and get a bit of my to-do list taken care of. My kids LOVE to sweep, vacuum, mop and help with the laundry. Mind you, they are 1 & 3, but it is great practice and they love helping.

If you have small children, you know that it is necessary to be flexible and adapt. Naps may not happen, naps may arise, etc. etc. Accept that your schedule may need to evolve over time as your children grow and your circumstances change. Stay flexible and open to adjusting your schedule as needed to accommodate new priorities or challenges.

Communicate openly with your family about your schedule and expectations. Set realistic expectations with your partner and children about what you can reasonably accomplish each day, and be willing to renegotiate as necessary. My husband and I will usually ask “what are your goals for the day?” so that we can be on the same page. If we don’t communicate and I plan to get groceries while he plans to go for a run, we both end up frustrated. Communication and expectations need to be set so that things can run smoothly.

Creating your ideal schedule

Everyones daily schedule will look different depending on how many kids you have, their ages, if they are home with you or if they are in school, etc. etc. I’ve created a list of big events throughout the day you might want to consider when factoring in timing for your schedule. I’ll also share mine below so you have a rough idea how I schedule my days.

A. Morning Routine

1. Mindfulness Practices
2. Breakfast
3. Getting ready for the day

B. Daily Tasks and Activities

1. Playtime with kids
2. 2. Household Chores and Responsibilities
3. Naps
4. Personal activities

C. Meal Planning and Preparation

1. Making supper and eating

D. Afternoon and Evening Routine

1. Wind-Down Activities
2. Family Time and Bonding
3. Setting Up for a Restful Night

This is not all inclusive of everything you do in the run of a day, but it should get you thinking about any pain points or areas you’d like to address.

What does my day look like as a stay at home mom of two?

It’s full! Yet I don’t ever feel rushed with my kids which is a real blessing. They’re still little, so we don’t have a ton of extra-curricular happening yet. I didn’t include trips we take to the library or the park as it depends on the day and who is (or isn’t) sleeping. This would be my everyday schedule.

The one thing we do hold quite rigidly (for the most part) is their bedtime. It works for them and it works for us. They wake up happy and well rested in the morning and we get time to do things we enjoy. Win/win! I could create an entire blog about why sleep is SO important for kids. Getting them on a schedule early early on was one of our priorities and it is paying off in huge ways. No idea where to start? Check out Taking Cara Babies (I’m not an affiliate, but I should be!). Mama Cara has made our lives 10,000 times better by having children who sleep.

Other things you could do that would make your day run smoother would be to do meal prep on the weekends so that you don’t have to worry about cooking supper every night. OR you could throw some things into the crock pot in the morning and forget about it until supper. I have a go to list of casseroles and foods that are quick, cheap, and healthy to make. This leads me to my next point:

What other schedules could be helpful in my life?

My other two life saving stay at home mom schedules are: cleaning and meal planning. Both have saved me considerable overwhelm and decision fatigue. With cleaning, I know what to focus on every day and for meals I know what to make.

I have a free weekly cleaning checklist you can grab by heading here! I haven’t yet created a meal planner that is pretty enough for the internet, but once I do, I’ll be sure to post it here! It helps me figure out what to get in groceries and helps me save there as well.

Freebie time!

The moment we’ve all been waiting for! Time for you to unleash the power of a streamlined schedule in your home. Click here to access your free daily schedule template. You’ll be taken to a page where you have to click the link to access the template. Edit easily for free on Canva OR download and print the blank version to fill it in by hand.

Have any tips or tricks to share about schedules in your life? I’d love to hear them! Contact me here.

Here to cheer you on!