Are you a stay at home mom struggling with your daily routine? Here’s a few tips for creating a stay at home mom schedule you’ll actually stick with.

Updated: June 28, 2022

A Stay at Home Mom Schedule You’ll Actually Stick With

Being a stay at home mom is no easy feat. Throw owning your own business into the equation and your workload and expectations from your family just doubled. Wearing both hats is a balancing act but it’s doable. Being a stay at home mom is a blessing and by far a privilege I had always dreamed of. When I first decided to become a SAHM, I thought it was going to be a piece of cake. How hard could staying at home be? I was 100% sure that I was going to be the champ of the SAHM club. Our house would be spotless every day, clothes washed and folded, dishes washed, and dinner on the table at the same time every night.

Boy, was I wrong!

Stay at home moms probably have the hardest job in the world. We magically have to do everything and be everywhere without missing a beat. It really is a miracle that we manage to survive. After much trial and error, I finally was able to perfect a stay at home mom schedule that works for me and my family. It varies slightly every day but it works.

The overall goal was to create a simple routine that works. With a few tips and tricks, I know that you can create a stay at home mom schedule that works efficiently for you too.

How to Create A Stay at Home Mom Schedule

1. Make a long list

Before you begin every week you’ll want to sit down with your family to create a long list of to-dos. Things you should include are tasks that absolutely have to be completed before the next week begins. Whether it’s laundry, scheduling important appointments or grocery shopping – be sure to include everything you want to accomplish for the week.

2. Make a short list too

Short lists come in handy for times when things just don’t go your way. You know those weeks where you or your kids unexpectedly come down with a cold out of nowhere or your kid gets hurt at school playing at recess so you have to keep them home? Short lists are perfect for times like those. They can help you to still stay somewhat on track even when things don’t go as planned. Create a short list based off of your long list. I like to take the top 7 tasks for the week that I need to finish. As a rule of thumb, I like to aim to mark one thing off of the list every day.

3. Prioritize

Putting the things on your list in order of importance will ensure that you won’t feel bad about not completing the tasks at the bottom of the totem pole.

4. Wake up early

I fought this one for the longest time. When I first became a stay at home mom, I didn’t think that needed a daily routine and I definitely didn’t think that waking up early was important. I thought that the kids waking up was my alarm clock. Now, waking up early is an essential part of my daily schedule. It allows me to get in that much needed quiet time to become focused and centered before the chaos begins. Take a moment to reflect and maybe even do a small gratitude exercise.

5. Get active

Staying active throughout the day is critical to my success. I try to take at least 30 minutes a day for exercise. Whether it’s walking, a little cardio or a quick yoga session – working out is important.

6. Schedule in down time

As a working mom in the corporate world, downtime was pretty much non-existent. Now, I make sure that I schedule a little every day. People assume that stay at home moms do exactly that, stay at home. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Our days are filled with running errands, carpool pickup, grocery store runs, and so much more. Downtime can make you feel like yourself again. Once the busy day is over, I like to spend at least an hour with my family before calling it a night. Of course, that isn’t always realistic, but I find that carving out that family time makes a world of difference. On the weekends, we pretty much have no schedule. We take those days to just enjoy each other. Sometimes I’ll sneak away for a quick trip to the bookstore or my favorite local donut shop.

7. Relax a little.

Schedules are made to change. Remember that stay at home mom life is very different than being in the workplace. You can create a flexible schedule that works for you and that isn’t so stressful.

Things to Consider When Creating Your Stay at Home Mom Schedule

1. Throw your expectations out the window.

The number one rule when creating your daily routine is to throw any expectations you might have right out the window. Those will do you no good as a SAHM. Expectations will lead to frustration and disappointment which I learned the hard way.

2. Factor in any activities and appointments for your family.

My family has weekly appointments and activities that I always have to account for when creating my schedule for the week. I make sure to include those things as well as travel time to and from so that I’m not caught off guard by the amount of time they take out of my day.

3. Assign family chores

Family chores are a major thing in our home. Let’s be honest, at one point I just got tired of doing everything by myself and decided that the rest of the family had to help out too. Assign age-appropriate chores for your children. Things like drying dishes, wiping down the dinner table, and vacuuming are great examples. T actually loves doing chores and things that most of them are fun!

4. Find ways to schedule in self care

Self care is non-negotiable. You have to take care of yourself if you plan on taking care of an entire family week after week. I like to take one day out of the week when no one else is home to do something that I enjoy. It could be taking a long bath or going to the hairdresser but I make sure to schedule my self care every week.

5. Think about ways to save time during the week

Cutting corners to save time is a life saver. Some of the things I do to save time are meal prepping, online grocery ordering, and pre-planning outfits for my family.

6. Consider your family’s travel schedule

If your family tends to travel a lot, you’ll want to consider planning around the travel schedule. Add less things to your to-do list if you know that you all will be away for a portion of the week.

Why a Schedule Matters

Honestly, I can’t even tell you the endless amount of reasons why a schedule matters. Schedules are golden, especially stay at home mom schedules. I keep them for a few different reasons.

1. They keep me sane.
2. I get things done.
3. I’m more efficient and effective with work and home tasks.
4. Keeping a schedule has helped me to become a happier mom.
5. It has increased my focus.

If you’re a stay at home mom struggling with bath time, nap times, and even just a daily morning routine, try giving these tips and tricks a try.

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