Habits Of A Productive Stay At Home Mom

I have been a wife and a mom for many years and for the first three years of our marriage, I worked part time and went to school.  After than, I got a full time job and worked for a year before I got pregnant with our first child.  I worked for two more years, after she was born and before getting pregnant with my second child.  We then decided that I would be a stay at home mom, as that was my dream job.  But I didn’t just want to be a mom who was at home.  I wanted develop the necessary habits to be a productive stay at home mom.

Through it all, I have always had some kind of a routine, because that’s the way I am.  I’m a creature of habit and I thrive on routine.  But when you make the transition of being a working mom to a stay at home mom, it becomes evident that routine is just as important inside the home as it was when you worked outside of the home.

If you don’t have some sort of routine, your days will seem to run into each other and the struggle to juggle all of your wifely and motherly duties can become lost in chaos.  I found that it was imperative to have some kind of schedule, otherwise, the day would end just as it started…with nothing getting accomplished, my house falling down around my ears and me feeling like a failure as a wife and mother!

14 habits of a productive stay at home mom

I’m going to tell you what worked for me to help me be a more productive stay at home mom and hopefully you can try some of these suggestions for you!   I don’t have kids at home anymore, but I still use these basic routines in my every day life.  Other things have taken the place of “mom” duties, like working from home (which I also did when they were home).  I blog, I paint, I’m a wife, I’m a GiGi …the list goes on.  I like my household to run smoothly and these tips, put into practice, will help SAHM’s, WAHM’s and Working Moms, alike.

Wake Up Early!

That is…earlier than your kids.  I was a much better person if I could get up early and have a little me time to drink my first cup of coffee by myself and collect my thoughts.  Trying to squeeze in a little extra sleep time and being woke up by my children just wasn’t worth it.  My day would begin in chaos and set the tone for the rest of the day.

Getting up before them would give me a chance to get a few things done or maybe even get my shower before they woke up.  It would make all the difference in the world with how my day would go.

Make A To Do List!

Make a to do list (the night before) of what you need to do for the next day.  This allows you to “brain dump”.  It gets it out of your head and on to paper.  Once you’ve written everything down, you can kind of forget about it…at least while you sleep.  There’ll be no fear of forgetting to do it, which is very easy to do when you have children.  There’s also something to be said for the satisfaction that comes when you’re able to check something off your list.

Try to get at least 1-3 things done every day, if you can, no matter how small or insignificant.  It will give you a great sense of accomplishment  and you’ll know that your day counted for something.

Make a list of goals, while your at it.  This will give you something to work towards.  Writing your goals down is a great way to hold yourself accountable.  When you get the goals out of your head and down onto paper, it will make them seem more real and tangible.  Write down weekly goals, then get specific and break them down into daily goals.  Be specific about how and when you can accomplish them

Once you make your list of goals and to-do’s, be sure to look at your list everyday.  After all…what good is it to make one if you don’t look at it again?

Get Ready For The Day!

This is so important.  Just because you’re a SAHM or a WAHM, it doesn’t mean you can or should stay in your jammies or sweats all day.  I know there are days when you ask yourself, “who’s gonna care” or “what difference does it make if I get dressed or put makeup on?”.  But let me tell you, it does.  It’s just as easy to put on something a little nicer as it is to slip on an old t-shirt and gym shorts!

My routine hasn’t changed since high school.  I shower in the morning, fix my hair and put make up on every…single…day.  The only time I’ve broken routine has been when I was sick.  Once I get ready in the morning, I feel like I can face whatever the day throws at me.  (This is also where showering before the kids get up comes into play). If someone unexpectantly stops by, if I have to make a quick trip to town or whatever, I’m ready for it.  It’s also a confidence booster.  When I look good, I feel good.

It also helps to put on something cute.  I know some feel that they shouldn’t wear nice clothes when they are home for fear of messing them up.  Well, I definitely don’t put on my finest clothes, but I have bought some really cute things at thrift stores and garage sales.  Don’t save them!  Wear them!  Get into the habit of putting on something cute.  You’ll feel better about yourself and your husband will surely appreciate it as well.

Try To Stick To A productive Schedule/Routine

If you have young children, this is especially important.  We had a nap time, a dinner time, a bed time, etc.  We all know that changing these routines can be tough, especially on the little ones, so consistency is key.  Children love routine.  It will make yours and their lives so much easier.

The toughest for us was nap time.  My kids hated naps when they were younger, but for us, nap time wasn’t negotiable.  We ALL needed it.  Even if it was just quiet time.  They would have to go to their room and “chill”.  More often than not, they would end up falling asleep.  This would give me valuable time to get caught up on daily chores or whatever needed to be done.

A routine is just as important for adults. Try to wake and go to bed at the same time every day, too!

Do What You Can the Night Before

Get school items ready for the next day, pick out clothes, check for appointments, have back pack ready to go and what ever else you can do.  The more you do, the less stressful your morning will be.

Meal Plan

Always make a meal plan!  This will save you soooo much time and money and will alleviate the stress that comes with trying to come up with a daily menu.

Use that slow cooker!  It can and will be your best friend.  Dump the meals in it, turn it on and let it do the rest of the work.  It’s my most favorite appliance in the kitchen and probably the most under utilized.  There are countless recipes online and on Pinterest.  I even have a post with 10 great slow cooker recipes that you can try!

Freezer meals are a great way to save time, as well!  Take a day and make up several and freeze.  Cook double batches!  When you make a meatloaf, make two and freeze one.  You get the idea.    This can and will simply life so much!

Get Organized

Being organized is key to a household running smoothly and being a productive stay at home mom.  It does take some effort and time, but it’s well worth the investment.  Organization is a beautiful thing!

Don’t be ashamed to ask for help if your house is an unorganized mess and you’re feeling overwhelmed.  Pay someone, if you can, to come in and clean/organize.  If you can’t pay anyone, see if a friend or relative could help you, at least to get you’re head above water, so to speak.  Then, once you get caught up, try to stay ahead of it and keep up with the day to day cleaning.

One thing I did, no matter what, was clean my kitchen every night.  It’s very depressing waking up to a dirty kitchen.  Even if your tired, push through it and do it or make sure it gets done.  I also made sure that the kids picked up their toys and put them in their place, most nights.  That way, we could start our next day fresh if the kitchen was clean and the living areas (or bedrooms) were already picked up.

Get family members to pitch in.  Delegate certain chores to the children, if they’re old enough and to the spouse, if he is home.

If you don’t know where to turn, a daily/weekly checklist is invaluable to keeping yourself organized and on track.  Don’t be afraid to use one.

Just remember…Everything should have a home or a place.  If it doesn’t, maybe you need to de- clutter and get rid of some things.  Having too much stuff is overwhelming in itself.  It’s also very hard to keep clutter organized.  Watch a couple episodes of “Hoarders” and you’ll be tossing out everything! Lol!

Bundle Errands

Having kids in tow can make running errands a time consuming nightmare!  This is right under the “get organized” tip for a reason.   When you have places to go, common sense will tell you to try to get as much done as you can when you’re out and about.  Use this time wisely.  If the kids are in school, great!  Get as much accomplished as you can. If you have to take them with you, organize your route and know what you need to get.  Quick is the operative word.  Get in and get out as quickly as possible.

Stay On Top Of Laundry

Not going to elaborate, too much here.  Do at least one load every day (or evening) from start to finish.  Wash, dry, fold and put away.  Depending on how many people live your house, laundry can get out of hand quickly, if you let a day or two go by without touching it.  The great part about laundry, this day and age, is that it only takes a couple of minutes to load a washing machine, a minute to load the dryer and about 5-10 minutes to fold and put away.  Stay on top of it instead of getting behind, so the laundry doesn’t become a monster issue in your house.

Teach Children How To Entertain Themselves

Moms…this is crucial to your sanity AND to their independence!  You can’t nor should you be the sole entertainment for your child/children.  It’s not your job to entertain them ALL the time.  Teaching them to entertain themselves is ok!  I don’t mean to stick them in front of the T.V. or iPad.  I mean teaching them to learn to play independently by themselves.  It’s good for their self esteem, it helps them to be creative, use their imagination and keeps them from being “bored”.

This can be a learning process for both you and your child, but start with one activity.  Too many toys are overwhelming.  Give them one thing to focus on and build that time and activity slowly.  Every child is different and every day will be different.  What works one day, may not work the next.  But, keep at it.  The older they get, the better it will get.  Start early, though.

Schedule “Me” Time

Having time for yourself is so important. Sometimes, we forget to take care of ourselves because we are taking care of the kids and house all day.

It’s important to set aside some time, whether it be early in the mornings, during nap time or after the kids have gone to bed and do something for yourself.  My husband likes to say “If Momma ain’t happy, no one is happy”!  And I believe that’s true.  Bad attitudes and unhappy feelings are just as contagious as happy ones.

Finding a hobby, if you haven’t already, is also important. I started decorative painting, before my oldest child was born.   It was and still is great therapy!  When I’m painting, I’m not thinking about chores, like laundry, cleaning, etc.  I’m in my happy place.

Join a group or a class.  This can be exercise, yoga or maybe a mommy class where you can bring the kids and interact with other mommies while the kids play.

We all need an outlet and it’s imperative to have one if you’re going to be a productive stay at home mom.  If you like to read, crochet. knit, paint, refinish furniture or whatever, just do it!  Maybe get a sitter for a little while or trade with other moms for babysitting.

Learn To Say “No”!

When I was a young stay at home mom, people would ask me to do things because the assumption was that I was always available.  I would usually say yes and then stress for days, weeks and sometimes months.  Then something miraculous happened.  I learned that magic word…”No”!  Being a SAHM does not mean that you have nothing to do.  For me, it was quite the opposite.  Sometimes, I didn’t have enough hours in my day.

You don’t have to say “yes” to every request.  Being able to say no is somewhat empowering.  You should say yes if you actually want to do something.  Otherwise, it’s ok to say NO!  Trust me…whoever you say no to will get over it.

Let Go Of Perfection

You might need to have a Pinterest detox.  Do what you can and let God handle the rest.  Having a perfect house when your children are young is next to impossible, but it’s possible to have some semblance of order.  Don’t sweat the small stuff.  They grow up too fast.  Enjoy them being little.

Nurture Your Marriage

So many times, our relationship with our spouse can take a backseat to kids and life in general. This is probably the most important relationship.  The kids will grow up and leave.  When that happens, it’ll just be the two of you again.  Don’t forget to take time for each other.  You should nurture and protect this relationship, at all cost.

 

Schedule date night, even if it’s putting the kids to bed early and watching a movie together or discussing your hopes and dreams for the future.  Maybe get a sitter and go to dinner and a movie.  It doesn’t have to be elaborate or expensive.   Just quality time for the two of you.  This will be good for your kids AND your marriage.

Finally…

There’s no such thing as being the “perfect” mom or wife, but with these tips, hopefully, you can develope a routine that can take some of the stress out of your life and help you to be a more productive stay at home mom.  

It is a gift to be home with your kids and so rewarding.  Do what you can when you can and don’t beat yourself up when things don’t go exactly as planned.

Your kids are small for such a very short time.  Enjoy them, hug them, give lots of kisses and be there for them.  That’s what they will remember.  These tips or suggestions are to help you be able to live a “less stressed” life and enjoy the things that count.

What are some of your tips for being a happy, productive stay at home mom?  I’d love to hear from you!

Be sure to subscribe to Love To Frugal so you don’t miss a post!  You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook & Instagram for more money saving, frugal living tips!