Being a mom is hard…being a working mom can feel impossible. Our schedule can get so crazy, and establishing a time management working mom schedule can feel impossible. However, scaling back and simplifying your schedule can help you find meaning, peace, and happiness in all your roles as a mom and a professional.
It’s so easy for us to get caught up in chaos culture . . . Everyone tries to do the most, the fastest. This isn’t a fulfilling way to experience life at all. Instead, keeping things simple, consistent, and focused on just a handful of priorities will be helpful for your whole family. Today, I’m sharing an example daily routine and my top productivity tips to help you get the most out of your busy days.
Here’s my working mom daily routine:
Time management working mom daily schedule
6:00 am – Wake up and get yourself ready
Wake up around 6:00 a.m. and begin your own morning routine. Try not to start your morning in a rush, and instead take things easy. Make coffee, do some stretches, and write in a gratitude journal—whatever helps you start the day with positivity and purpose. Of course, leave time to get dressed and ready for the day as it'll set you up for success. My own morning routine consists of 20 minutes of movement (I love Sculpt Society) and my 5 minute make up routine to ensure I feel my best before I head to school drop off.
6:30 am – Get baby up and feed them
It’s time to wake your infant and do your first round of feeding. Even though work is just a couple of hours away, try to stay present in that moment with your baby.
7:00 am – Get toddler up and get them breakfast
If you have older children, now is the time to get them up too. Wake them up and get some breakfast in their tummies.
7:30 am – Dress baby and toddler and finish getting ready to leave
Now that everyone is awake, get all your kids dressed and ready to walk out the door. Double-check daycare bags to make sure you have everything they need for the day.
8:00 am – Leave the house
Try to get out of the house by 8:00 a.m.
8:15 am – Drop off at daycare
Drop everyone off at daycare or school before heading to work.
8:30 am – Arrive to work and execute your most important task
Once you get to work, write out your 3-3-3 plan. We’ll get into more of this below, but the first 3 are for “3 hours on your most important task.” Do your biggest item first, because once it’s checked off, the rest of the day feels easy and stress-free.
11:30 am – Pump break (if you need it)
Time for a pump break. Don’t bend on these! Keep your schedule firm and don’t let anyone pressure you into taking your break later. This routine will be best for your productivity and pumping process.
12:00 pm – Lunch break
Take another 30 minutes for a lunch break. Even if you work from home, try scheduling a lunch break (I know, this can be hard!) It will help you feel refreshed and ready to tackle the rest of your day. If your daycare has cameras or regular updates, check those as a fun way to connect with your child while away.
12:30 pm – Return to work and execute your shorter tasks
Return to work and complete 3 shorter tasks you’ve been putting off.
3:30 pm – Pump break (if you need it)
Here’s where you’ll put your next pump break if you are pumping or breast feeding.
4:00 pm – Return to work and finish maintenance tasks
Finish out the last 1 hour of work by finishing 3 small maintenance tasks that are essential to your bigger projects.
5:00 pm – Leave work
Commit to leaving work at a set time (even if you're working from home!) For this schedule, that time is 5:00 pm! Set an alarm so you don’t get busy working and miss the end time. Your family time is even more important than your work hours, so show they’re your priority by getting home on time.
5:30 pm – Arrive home, make dinner, and feed Baby
Do your best to use your drive home as decompression time. Listen to music, practice deep breathing, or munch on a snack. If you work from home, try taking a quick walk to help separate the end of your work day and the beginning of family time. When you get home around 5:30 p.m., dinner will need to get started right away. If possible, try to share cooking duties with your spouse or invest in a meal prepping service.
Once dinner is made, serve it. Sit down and really have a meal with your family. When you’re done eating, breastfeed your baby.
For easy weeknight meals, check out this post with my favorite fast-freezer meals!
6:30 pm – Spend time with family
After dinner, your priority is your family. Turn off all notifications and remove common distractions from your life. Stay present with your kids and make sure your time is very intentional!
6:45 pm – Start bedtime routine
Begin your bedtime routine around 6:45. This could include a bath, getting in PJs, taking vitamins, reading books, and, of course, being tucked in.
7:30 pm – Put kids to bed
While this doesn't happen every night, get kids in bed by 7:30 p.m.
8:00 pm – Spend time with spouse
When your kids go to bed, don’t jump up and go straight to housework. Leave space for quality time with your spouse, too. Play board games, watch TV, exercise, or just enjoy your time together.
9:00 pm – Get ready for tomorrow and do housework
For the last 1.5 hours, do some housework and plan for the next day. Use this time for cleaning, meal planning, diaper bag packing, and anything else you need for a peaceful morning tomorrow.
10:30 pm – Bedtime
Time for you to turn it in. Prioritize your sleep by sticking to a set bedtime for yourself.
Time Management Tips For Working Moms
Use a planner to keep track of everything.
Planning your day is going to be a significant part of staying organized and productive. Use a physical planner or calendar app to keep you on track.
Set your work schedule on your calendar.
Set your availability on your work calendar, so that no meetings or calls can be scheduled during your time at home or during your pump breaks. (If you’re breastfeeding.) Most companies have systems for setting your work hours for your team to see. Use it!
Dedicate 3 hours in the evening to uninterrupted family time.
As a working mom balancing her career and her family, it’s important you be present and intentional with your evenings. Devote 3 hours a night to uninterrupted time with your spouse and children. Mute work notifications shut the laptop, and eliminate any other distractions to soak in your time with them.
Organize your work day using the 3-3-3 method.
Work-life balance will be easier if you feel productive and accomplished at work. I recommend the 3-3-3 method of managing your time. You spend 3 hours on your highest-priority project. Then, you complete 3 shorter tasks you’ve been putting off. Finally, you complete 3 maintenance or ongoing tasks for your role. This system has been a game-changer for me.
Time block your day for maximum productivity.
Try to dedicate time once a day where you can go into a separate space (away from your family) to have 20 minutes of “me time.” Your husband should have this time too! Each of you switches off either early in the morning or later at night, giving each of you space to recharge and invest in yourself. I like to do a quick Peloton workout during this time!
In addition to time blocking your day to avoid calls and meetings during non-working hours, it’s also important to time block to allow for plenty of uninterrupted work time. You don’t want calls or meetings every 30 minutes to disrupt your workflow and stunt your productivity. Be strategic about where you place meetings and calls in your work schedule.
Delegate some of your household tasks.
It’s hard for any mom to do it all. When the household duties pile up, it can make work-life and home life stressful and unpleasant. However, if you can pass off a few tasks to others, it can make a big difference. Hire a housecleaner, ask your spouse to help cook, or even try a laundry service . . . whatever you need to thrive.
Prioritize sleep just as much as anything else on your to-do list.
Creating a routine for working moms shouldn’t be only about what you can get done. It should be about getting enough rest too! Sleep should be prioritized near the top of your list. Plan your day to allow for at least 7 hours of sleep!
Reduce distractions and identify time wasters.
If you want to make the most of your days, cut things that waste your time and distract you from what’s important. Social media is a big one! If you struggle with boundaries, set screen time limiters on your phone.
Reasonably multitask where you can!
Multitasking isn’t always effective, but there are times when it can be. For example, if you have a longer commute, you can use that time to make calls to schedule appointments or pay bills. If you like to read, consider listening to audiobooks while you get ready in the morning. Find little windows of opportunity to multitask to increase productivity.
Give yourself grace.
You’re going to have bad days. When you have a family, there are a lot of factors that can hinder time management. Expect these days, give yourself grace, and let it go. You always have tomorrow. This is not the season for perfection. 🙂
Practice better time management with these tips!
I hope this example schedule helped you have a good baseline for your own daily routine. Having a set schedule will help you focus and prioritize what you care about most. Time management is everything when balancing so much as a working mom! If you want more advice from a working mom, browse the New Modern Mom blog which’s all about helping you find joy and purpose in motherhood. I’m glad you’re here!
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