Work from Home Mom Schedule
As a mom our lives are crazy in general with kids. But if you add in a job then it just makes life all the more chaotic. Though it does not need to be! Let me share with you the tips that help me get it all done, and be incredibly present with my littles.
Even if you do not work from home with kiddos, having your kids on a schedule is so crucial. They thrive knowing what will happen next and knowing their needs will be met.
Back in the day I worked in a law office as a paralegal, and my oldest daughter went to her Aunt’s while I worked. When I got off work we had no schedule, no routine. I was so worried about just filling in what ever I had missed with her through out the day.
I felt like I only got dinner and bed time with my own daughter due to my 8-5. Now don’t get me wrong, I loved my job and my boss. But that does not take away the feeling that I knew somebody else got the majority of her day Mon-Friday.
And when it comes to my kids, I am a bit selfish with my kids time. I want the majority. I love being with them and spending time with them. So it was a huge blessing in disguise when COVID hit and I was home all day with my little one.
That being said, I had 0 idea how to balance staying home full time with my 9 month old and also work full time as a paralegal. My daughter still nursed and needed plenty of attention. That is when I was on Youtube trying to figure out to balance it all. I found Jordan Page’s channel and I watched her Block Schedule Video, I will link it here. That video changed my life forever.
Flash forward to today, I am expecting my third baby in 4 years, work as a paralegal still but now full time from home, and I have the blog. Time management is a huge piece of my day and how I get things done. I still use the block schedule today. It will change how you think, work, and parent.
Using the block schedule will help you balance life, kids, and work in a way that is not stressful. I once read a book called “A Billion Hours of Good”, another life changer. I will link that book here. And teamed with the block schedule, I really do get 99% of what I want to get done, done.
In the book, the author talks about how 1% of your day is only 7 minutes. When I think about that and break my day down into blocks and also 7 minutes it changed everything. It does not take even 1% of my day to clean the bathroom, or start a load of laundry. Sometimes I will do certain tasks (like folding laundry) for only 7 minutes. It helps me stay up on it and not fall behind and it is only 1% of what I did that day!!!
Combining the 1% rule and a block schedule I can get so much done and still have oodles of time with my babies. Now how does the block schedule work and how do I use it as a busy mom and a employee? Lets get right into it.
What is a Block Schedule:
The idea of block scheduling is that you treat a period of time almost like a class in high school. from 1:30 to 3:30 you are in that specific class and that is what you should be focusing on. The thought is the same. You set how long your blocks are, I would recommend 2-3 hour blocks.
I personally have 2 hour blocks. I found that it is the best for me and my routine. If 2 hours is not working for you then try 3 hours. I also have an alarm on my phone that reminds me that my block ends in 15 minutes, and then again that notifies me that my block has finished and the next one has started.
If at the end of the block you did not finish every task that you had in that block, don’t fret. You can start the next blocks tasks and if you have time after then you can try to get things you did not finish in the block above done. If you don’t then do not stress. It can go in the blocks for tomorrow.
How to use the Block Schedule:
It can make it simpler to have certain tasks that are similar for example an errands block, and you schedule all of your outings in this block to batch you tasks outside the home. You can also have unplugged blocks where you make sure to put down any electronic and enjoy some time without screens.
My day to day schedule does change due to my work meetings. Even then meetings are only scheduled 8:30, 10:30, 1:30, 3:30. So I know that there is certain blocks that the meetings will be in. But I do not have meetings every day, so my blocks do change day to day.
The night before I will sit down and map out my blocks for the next day. If that morning I think of something I need to do I will add it in to a block that it fits or make a note to add it to tomorrows blocks.
Make Your Own Flexible Block Schedule:
Everyone’s days and blocks will look completely different. I work as a paralegal with almost 3 kids and a husband who works half the week. So my blocks are going to look very different from most people. What is nice is how flexible the block schedule can be so you can fit it into your lifestyle with your family.
Sit down and try to map out what your blocks are going to look like, and if you need to move things around do not be afraid to. This schedule is meant to serve you and your family.
If you find that certain tasks are not fitting into a certain block then move it around. Maybe you want your 10:00-12:00 block to be your errand block, but your kids like to eat 12:00 on the dot then you may need to move your errand block around, just in case your running around takes a bit longer.
Life does happen and you will need to move things around and regroup. This is the joy of the block schedule, you can move it around, you can shorten how long you do something,(maybe down to 7 minutes), or even move a task to tomorrow.
When you do need to move your blocks around, make sure to talk to your kiddos about it. Kids thrive on structure and routine, but also need to learn to be a bit flexible. By moving maybe one block or two one day can help them learn that being flexible is good, while still having some structure for your day.
Keep in mind your season of life:
Right now I have a job, a blog, and 2 kids. But here in the next couple weeks we will be adding a new born into our life. This will drastically change how our day goes. But that is just the season of life that we are in right now.
We will need to keep in mind all that goes into having a newborn and how that changes all of the time management. How long it takes to get her ready and the other kids, how long she will need to nurse, and how often are just some things to think about when mapping out my day.
If you need extra buffer room in your schedule while you transition into a new season of life, do not be afraid to give that to yourself. This is another big benefit of time blocking.
Get into the mindset:
It is important to be able to be consistent with time blocking that we are keeping our blocks in our mindset. If you don’t then it will not work.
Just like any habit or thing we do in life. If we want to stick with it we need to prioritize it. You may need practice in the beginning just like with anything. This is new, so do not fret over if things do not go the way you planned or if you scheduled too many things into a block.
You will learn your own rhythm for your day and your blocks.
A glance:
I will include what my time blocks look like and the tasks that I do through out the day and when. This may help you get an idea for your own blocks. But do not forget that mine will look different than yours. Truly in the next 6 weeks mine will look different too. Keep in mind your season and that these blocks are flexible to fit you.
Block 1: 6-8 AM
This is my morning block. Tasks you may find in this block would be:
Workout
Bible Study
Make Breakfast
Get Dressed
Work on the Blog
Girls get up
Unload dishwasher
I like to get up before the kids, so that I have some time for me. I do most of my work while the kids are sleeping in the morning for the blog. I found this out months after I started the blog. It took me quite a while to find the system that works for us.
I also found that I thrive if I wake up before the kids and I don’t wake up to them calling me and needing things immediately. This gives me some time to wake up and be the best mom to them that I can be.
Block 2: 8-10 AM
My mid morning block stays pretty much the same everyday. While sometimes I have an 8:30 meeting for work, it is super rare. So 9/10 you will find tasks like this in my midmorning block would be:
Clean up breakfast
Read with the girls
Do some work on my paralegal cases.
Kid’s have free play
Lucy’s Preschool
The kind of lawyer I work for represents kiddos in foster care. My tasks for the cases we work changes everyday. I sometimes need to schedule to see the kids, call their parents/foster parents, their caseworker, or do legal resource, etc. So this block will look different depending on my work to do list that day.
I no longer work full time as a paralegal, it is more of a part time job, but it is still important and can be very time consuming. If someone calls not in a block I have scheduled to be a work block I will still answer the call. If I do I will just right it down in that block, so I can remember to bill for it.
After I get through some of my to do list or all of it, I will take a pause and do the preschool activities I have for Lucy. I also like to take a pause in this block and make sure I read to the girls and maybe have some music time.
If I make sure I give them some good attention before starting my to do list they normally play much better and do not need something every 2 seconds. That being said we do have days like that and my to do list barely gets touched. (thank goodness my boss is super understanding and flexible)
Block 3: 10 AM-12 PM
My early afternoon block is one that does change day to day more so then the others. That being said it still is very similar everyday. I try to get my errands done in this block. I find it helps tucker the kids out so after lunch they’re more likely to take a nap. On a normal day this block looks like:
Outdoor activity (weather permitting)
Errands that take me out of the house, like grocery shopping or the post office, etc.
Work on Pinterest for Blog
Work on new Etsy listings
Fold a load of laundry
Load dishwasher from breakfast
I do not have errands that take me out of the house every day. Though every Thursday is when I do our weekly grocery pick up and I always try to keep it in this block. I will make the order Wednesday so that I have the pick of any time the next day to make sure I can keep it in this block.
During this time the girls will normally still be doing free time and playing, if not there sitting on my lap and helping me schedule out my pins, or making the templates I sell on Etsy. My desk is located in their playroom so I am literally right there if they need me. We often sing songs while I work and I do talk to them the whole time.
This is why we put my desk in the playroom, so that while I tinker around on the computer and work I can still be as present as possible. Once I finish my pinterest, and Etsy tasks, we load the dishwasher together.
My girls LOVE to help me with the chores around the house, having them help me makes the task take 10x longer, but these are one of the joys of being home with the girls. I love seeing how simple and magically anything is to them. They love matching socks and putting away silverware, so I do not care it takes longer. It is building quality time.
Block 4: 12-3 PM
This block is the largest of the day, but also the most laid back. Mostly because if my 1 yr old Lyra does take a nap it is in this block, and she contact naps. So that kind of ties me up. Our block often looks like this:
Make lunch
Clean up lunch
Lucy gets her 1 movie or 5 ish episodes of a tv show
Lyra and I rock to sleep.
Play with the girls.
Clean the focus room for that day*
If Lyra does not take a nap, I try to make connections with the kids. I will color with them, play a game, read, etc. What ever they are wanting to do.
We do limit screen time quite a bit in our house, we want the kids to grow up playing outside and with toys much more than watching a movie. I feel it is not common practice these days but it is what Bryton and I find to be best for our family.
Now, if the weather is permitting we will spend a good chunk of every block outside. My girls LOVE to play outside. So if it is warm and sunny, that day Lucy may not get a movie at all. If she does not ask for it after lunch then we will go straight outside to play.
*I will be doing a post on focus rooms. I do believe it is a concept from the Clean Mama Blog. Basically one day a week I have on room I focus on cleaning more than the others. For example Monday is our bedrooms. So I wash our sheets, make sure I clean up misc. things that have gotten there through out the week, or really anything I need to do. I try to deep clean one room a day. Truly since I do this every week it never takes more than 25 minutes.
This is the block that I am most likely to have a work meeting in, but it is perfect since it often lines up with Lyra’s nap. I can rock her and take the calls I need to while still snuggling my little one.
Block 5: 3-5 PM
Normally this is the block I try to do a craft or an activity. And we make dinner. Depending on the dinner it may take up most of the block. So here is a glance at the tasks that may be in this block:
Art project
Puzzles with kids
Start dinner
Start dishwasher if needed
I will also catch up with anything that I did not finish in the other blocks.
During this block, if dinner does not take that long we may make some cookie or baked good. Also I tend to make bread in this block on Wednesdays.
The girls always help me make the baked goods and bread so we spend some more time together. Often one or both girls will help me with dinner, but depending on the activity we do that day they do not help me.
Also, if Lucy did not have her movie in the earlier block this is where I will add the tv time in if she asks. (If she does not ask, I do not remind her).
This also tends to be the block that I will try to put the tasks I did not finish in. If I did not get to fold the laundry then I will try to fit it in this block. It is a really good swing block.
Block 6: 5-7 PM
This evening block is also pretty laid back. If my husband does work that day he will come home in this block. Then we have dinner and time with Dad until 7. A typical evening block looks like this:
Dinner
Bryton gets home
Play time with Dad
Unload and Load the Dishwasher
Clean up the kitchen from making dinner.
Bryton works 3-4 days a week and he works from 5:30 am-6:10 pm. He is gone most of those days. So as soon as he gets home we have dinner. While I pick up dinner and load and unload the dishwasher he will play with the girls.
This is such a fun block because we get a lot of family time. Even if Bryton has been home that day he tends to entertain the kids while I pick up which is super helpful. It is great to tag team with your spouse and allow them to have some great one on one time with the kids.
Block 7: 7-9 PM
The Bedtime block. Ah the one that as a parent you look forward too. Our bedtime block looks like this:
Clean up the toys
PJ time
Scripture and prayer time
brush teeth
Sing the girls their bedtime song and lay them down
Me time
Once it hits 7, we have the girls clean up. We help them clean their toys since they are so young. But we want them to learn responsiblity. They played with the toys they need to help clean them up.
When the toys are all picked up we go and pick out jammies. Once jammies are on we read a passage from a kid bible book and as a family we pray.
After we read the scriptures and prayer then Bryton brushes the girls teeth while I gather their special blankets and stuffed animals. When that is finished and the blankets are all gathered, we sing a song to them and lay them in their bed.
The girls are normally very good and will go right to sleep. So when they are down, I will finish a chore IF needed. But 9/10 I do not have to and I can start my me time!
I was truly born an 80 year old woman. My me time rotates from doing a puzzle, sudoku, playing some solitaire, and reading. I always have a book I am reading, but sometimes I will not read the whole time. To make sure that I have enough time to sleep and get up at 6 am I go to bed at 8:30-9. So I have some time for just me for about an hour or two. This helps me recharge to parent.
Conclusion:
The block schedule while a simple concept is truly life changing. Especially as a mom that works from home. The ability to be flexible but also have structure is the BEST. If you are a work from home mom the block schedule will make things easier and less stressful.
You will be able to attempt this to you, your kids, and your work schedule. Don’t forget that your day and blocks are not going to look the same as any one elses. Nor do you want them to. You need to find the routine and schedule that works for your family! That is the most important thing.