First off the bat- I hate the term “working mom”. I saw a quote recently that said, “never in my life have I ever used the phrase ‘working dad’” and that rocked me to my core. I wish I had a term to describe the woman who is working at is also a stay at home mom, when I come up with one, I will update this blog.
Hi, if you are new here, my name is Sarah Bowmar. I am 32 (at the time this was posted), I have a 14 month old daughter, I am 20 weeks pregnant with our son, my husband and I own almost a dozen businesses, and we both work from home. We wear a lot of hats during the day and I get asked constantly on social media how I schedule everything and get everything done that needs to be done. Here are my top tips:
Planner
I am a huge believer in getting everything OUT of your head and down on paper. This customized planner has been a lifesaver for me this year and I cannot go a day without it. I have a note on my iPhone of things to add to my planner if I am out and think of something that needs to be done. This allows me to visualize my day and prioritize what needs to be done!
Independent Play Time
Every phase of having a newborn / toddler has its own challenges and own perks. Of course, when you have a newborn, you want to soak up all of the baby snuggles. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this. That should be the time when you are on maternity leave anyway! Newborns do sleep a ton and there is also NOTHING wrong with answering emails while the baby is asleep on your chest or nearby. You need to do what is best for YOU as a mom who also works.
Once baby becomes more mobile, planning time to work can be a little more challenging but it isn’t impossible. Utilize nap time, wake up earlier and work after baby goes to bed! It’s also completely okay for you to work while baby is playing independently (as always within eyesight of you or another parent or guardian). Independent play is also amazing for cognitive development for baby so never feel bad if they are entertaining themselves, it’s so good for them and their creativity.
Oakley has a playpen where most of her independent play takes place. It allows her to have her own space, only her toys are allowed in there, and she absolutely loves it. Here are some of her favorite toys.
Utilize Car Time
If you can, utilize your car time for phone calls. Not all babies cooperate in the car so this isn’t always an option for everyone but if you can, it’s always a great time to use as your baby is contained. It’s never a guarantee so I save this time for non-meeting phone calls, that way I can get off the phone if Oakley starts going crazy.
Walking Desk
Physical activity is so vital for postpartum hormones. I know that being a mom is a full-time job, on top of your other full-time job, on top of wanting to remain active post-baby. This is why I am a huge proponent of killing two birds with one stone. My walking desk has been the greatest investment I have ever made for this very reason. I can get about 2 miles of walking in before Oakley wakes up in the morning and this means that I get about 40 minutes of work done as well- it’s the best of both worlds! They also make bike desks as well.
Time Chunking
While I was in college, I learned about time chunking. The skill allowed me to finish my undergrad in 3 years and MBA in 11 months. I wrote an entire blog on it last year and it has helped so many people! You can find the blog here
Baby’s Schedule
I mentioned it above but working around the baby’s schedule has been vital for my productivity. She is on a pretty set routine now and based on her bedtime, I can usually guess within 15 minutes when she will wake up. I get up an hour before she does to get 40 minutes of work done (and walk those 2 miles at the same time), I then also have time to start the laundry, switch from washer to dryer, empty the dishwasher that I ran overnight, etc. She’s at the age now where she likes playing in my closet while I am getting ready so I can get ready once she wakes up and after we both have breakfast.
We luckily have a home gym and she has always loved being down there with me. While they aren’t the world’s best workout when she is with me, it’s better than nothing. I also will lift during her naps pending the workday
Online Grocery Shopping / Delivery Services
Running a household, regardless of a baby or not, is extremely time-consuming. Delivery services such as online groceries can help so much with time-saving (plus cost saving by not buying things you don’t need at the store). If you spend an hour at the store each week but can get your order in 15 minutes online and have it delivered, simple tasks can be performed from your computer or phone and allow you to carry on your day. Plus, not having to get the baby in and out of the car and cart is always a bonus. I have our pet food delivered as well each month.
Have A Cleaning System / Schedule
There are a few things I do each day that seem to make keeping the house somewhat clean not such a daunting task. If your baby likes to be worn, run the vacuum while wearing them. I start the washer as soon as I wake up in the morning, switch laundry over before she wakes up, and then fold and put it away while she plays in my closet with me. I start the dishwasher at night if needed and put the dishes away while she is eating breakfast. Once you can solidify a system and a routine, the house cleaning tasks don’t seem so daunting. And your home doesn’t have to be perfect, you live in it- it shouldn’t look like a museum. There’s also no shame in having a cleaning person come out to deep clean once or twice a month if your budget allows for it!
Baby Wearing
As mentioned above, if your baby likes being worn, that’s a great way to get a lot of tasks done around the house. Here are some of my favorite wraps and carriers based on babies age and size
I hope you found these tips helpful! As always, this is an ad free blog thanks to your support by shopping the affiliate links within the blog! I only share products I personally have bought, use, and stand by!
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