How to Make Stay at Home Mom Life More Productive

I had to learn “how to be a stay at home mom”. It is a life that relies on consistency and schedule whether you like that life or not. That was the only way I found I could get anything done. It is also a job that requires you to think on your feet and go with the flow, regardless of what “has to get done” that day. And it can be a job that is mentally draining. Here are some of my tips on how to make stay at home mom life more productive.






1. Make the Bed Everyday. The entire house can be dirty, but a made bed makes things look a whole lot cleaner. I have no idea why. But I swear it does. My dad would make his side of the bed and my step-mom would make hers. Whatever works!

2. Get dressed everyday. Even if it is in sweat pants or leggings. The more put together you feel, the more things you’ll feel like getting done. Promise.

3. Keep a Calendar. I have a calendar because I would tell myself there was something I wanted to go to (like story time for the kids) or needed to go to (like a doctor or dentist appointment), but it would fall right out of my brain. The notorious "mom brain". Once I started keeping a calendar, I would keep my appointments more frequently. I also like to keep a daily agenda or goals for the day.

4. Find Time for Self Care. Easier said than done, right? This one, you will have to get your spouse on board. Don't be like me and feel like because it's "your job" to stay home with the kids all day that you shouldn't expect him to pitch in with the kids. He honestly should want to spend one-on-one time with the kids so he can be a quality presence in their lives that they remember. Or find a close friend, family member, or even a neighbor you can trade time with. I understand not all situations are the same and - for some people - it can be harder to find time. But time to yourself is essential when you are around children 24/7.

5. Squeeze in 30 minutes of activity. Take the kids on a walk, do baby time yoga sessions, or, if you can afford it, drop the kids off at the gym daycare and get your work out on. Getting your heart rate up for 30 minutes everyday will help your mental state. This one was unexpected for me. I heard it all the time, but ignored it. But I swear, it works!

6. Find a cleaning schedule that works for you. There are tons of Printables online for cleaning routines. And some may say "the chores can wait" and while I agree with this to a degree, clutter is terrible for your mental state plus getting your children in on helping with the chores will help them in the long run, so they can start learning to take care of themselves now. I have a rule about "stuff", if you don't play with it or use then I will donate it to someone who will. Another reason I'm a big fan of experience gifts. Plus absence of too many toys has been known to inspire creativity in children.

7. Don't put too much on your plate. Between keeping up with the house and children there are so many things on your list already. The last thing you need to do is take on more than you can handle. You don't want your plate too full to the point where you feel unbalanced and possibly become unhinged. It's okay if you aren't the perfect, craftsy-Pinterest mom. I know expectations can be high, but try not to stress yourself out about what someone else is doing or what you see on the internet. Be vocal about what you are doing and remember that it is enough.

8. Find your tribe. You need to be around people. And goodness knows I know how hard it can be to reach out and try to make friends, but if that is what you need to do then do the scary thing and at least try. Go to church, go to a local moms group, find a library with a story time, find a local toddler music class, etc. I found a local LeLeche Meet Up (Breastfeeding) that helped me find other moms.

9. Keep Easy Dinner Items on Hand. It is completely okay if you feed your family cereal for dinner. I like to keep eggs on hand because I can make quick scrambled eggs for dinner and my husband is happy because we didn't eat out plus it's something I know everyone will eat with no complaints. Win-win for me too because it is so easy and I didn't have to drive anywhere to pick up food.

10. Communicate. Remember to tell others around you about your needs. Talk to your spouse or significant other and ask them about how they are feeling as well. Ask for help from those around you if you need it. There is no shame at all in asking. I never asked for help because I felt like if I did then that meant I was failing, but I was wrong and you will find there are so many people around you who want to help as well. This can help you find your tribe as well.

I remember the early days when the kids were around me 24/7 and I wish I had started implementing some of these ideals sooner. My anxiety and stress levels are way down. And my periods of depression have been coming on less frequently and are shorter if they do show up. (I have suffered from depression off and on since I was a teenager.) Don't feel guilty about asking for time to yourself or even time away (even if it is just a little drive down the street). Being a stay-at-home mom is a hard, mentally draining job. There may be people in your life that will say things like, "well, you should be grateful for the opportunity". And to them I say, "well you should never complain about your job either because you should be grateful for the opportunity". See the ridiculousness? Maybe they say it out of jealousy? I have no idea. But because we may complain about how hard stay-at-home mom life can be, that does not mean we don't love our children.

I had to be a stay-at-home mom because of our financial situation. Once I started vocalizing that this is the reason to others, they stopped criticizing me as much. But others shouldn't be critical especially if they have never been in your situation. 

If you do choose to go back to work, there is no shame in that either. I would have if I had a degree or years of experience to fall back on. But I promise things will get easier. And remember, you got this. 

What do you think of my tips? Have these tips helped you?


22 comments

  1. I really like your list. I never lived by one, because I worked full time. But I did have a pocket calendar ��
    I didn’t have the smartphones and such as there are nowadays. Which would have helped in the communication department. I worried if I didn’t hear from my kids or didn’t know where they were! The making the bed chore - well, I really never knew if the kids made their beds in the morning?! I really which I could have had more me time! I shared on Pinterest. Thank you for sharing!

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  2. Your list makes sense. Anyone who works at home, as a Mom or at any job, would benefit from these actually.

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  3. I am a work at home mom and it gives me the best of the working and mom worlds. I like my work, make enough to contribute and make my own hours and see my family.

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    1. I consider myself a work at home mom too. Stay at home moms contribute enough regardless of whether an income is brought in. These tips can help work at home moms too, I highly suggest checking out.

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  4. oh my friend could not agree more with this ha. im a stay/work at home and it can def be a lot some days. thanks for sharing how we all try to do it all! xo

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  5. This is a great list. I especially agree with keeping easy dinner items on hand. That is a sanity saver sometimes!

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  6. Nice list. I work from home. I don't make the bed though since I don't see the point. And I am all about easy dinners!

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  7. I used to be a SAHM and these are excellent tips! I used to get dressed no matter what was going on, because helped me to feel better about myself and life in general.

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  8. These are some great tips to help stay at home moms be more productive. I love that you gave this advice to help more moms make the most out of their day.

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  9. These sound like some great tips - I think finding your tribe no matter how you work, or where you are in life is such a big thing.

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  10. I remember when I became a stay-at-home mom. It was quite an adjustment. This would have been helpful for me when I first started out as a SAHM.

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  11. This is great because, even though I don't have kids, I feel like anyone can make good use of these suggestions! Thanks!

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  12. I am not a mom yet but I feel like one because I take care of my niece and nephew. I do try to have some me time because it gets crazy here.

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  13. I do all these things except I don't get dressed everyday. I am more productive in my pajamas. LOL. Great tips!

    -LYNNDEE

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  14. I think these are great suggestions for all moms. I especially love to keep easy dinner items on hand because in the morning cooking a homemade meal may sound like a good idea, but as it nears closer to dinner popping something quick into the oven may be the ideal option.

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  15. Being a stay at home mom isn't easy. I try to make sure that I do a load of laundry a day when I have it. I like also keeping meals that I can toss in the crockpot or in the oven for a quick, easy meal.

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  16. Great tips. I’ve been a work at home mom since my daughter was born and it can be very isolating. Being part of a mom’s club saved my sanity.

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  17. I absolutely love these tips! I find that I struggle with putting too much on my plate which then makes the days as a stay at home mom more difficult. I am working on this right now :)

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  18. These are great tips, yes I am now at stay at home mom who works in blog. But I love it.

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  19. It's important to make yourself feel great, I think it gives you that extra boost of energy to go through the day and finish everything you need to do. These are great tips! Even for those who work at home.

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  20. This is great advice, especially the tip about not putting too much on your plate. It can be easy get weighed down and exhausted by all you're trying to do.

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  21. These are all great. I totally agree about getting dressed and prepared. It makes a big difference for me and my motivation.

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Thanks!
♥,
Diana