Balancing a family with a job means you have a LOT on your plate each day. Learn how to create a working mom daily schedule to stay organized and stress less!
Long days are the norm for plenty of working moms and you might be thinking, How am I supposed to get it all done?
You could strive to be Supermom but that’s a fast way to get burned out. Creating a daily schedule, on the other hand, is a doable way to keep up with the various tasks you have to handle.
Today, we’re sharing tips on how to create a working mom daily schedule so your days are planned out, organized, and stress-free!
Table of Contents
How to Create a Daily Schedule as a Working Mom
If you’ve never tried to follow a daily schedule before, you might not know where to start. And that’s totally okay! Every working mom’s day looks a little different, after all. These tips can help you decide what to include in your daily routine (and where to put it!)
- Keep a time log. A time log is a record of what you do each day, from the time you get up until the time you go to bed. Keeping a time log can help you figure out how your days flow and what your ideal schedule should look like.
- Time block. Time blocking means sectioning off your days into chunks of time that are assigned to different tasks or chores. If your work hours are the same each day, you can use time blocking to figure out how to make the most of the hours before and after.
- Prioritize. If you’re like many working moms you’ve got 1,001 things to do each day (or at least it feels that way). Learning to prioritize what needs to be done vs. what can wait for another day is a smart way to feel balanced, not frazzled. Pro tip: Use a brain dump list to keep track of all you have to do!
- Be realistic. You might start each day off with the best intentions but something happens to throw you off. One of the kids gets sick, you get handed an unexpected assignment that has a short deadline, the dog runs away–you get the idea. What you have to do in those moments is remember that this is life and it’s never going to be perfect. Your daily schedule is there to help guide you but if you don’t stick to it one day, you just try again the next.
Working Mom Daily Schedule Example
Wondering what a working mom’s daily schedule should look like? Here’s a sample daily schedule for a busy working mom to use as inspiration for creating your own!
6:00: Wake up, shower, and get dressed.
6:30: Get the kids up and start them on their morning routines.
7:00: Make beds and put dirty clothes in the laundry basket.
7:10: Help kids get dressed in clothes picked out the night before.
7:20: Set the table for breakfast, which is a make-ahead meal that takes 10 minutes to heat up.
7:35: Eat breakfast and load the dishwasher when done.
7:45: Do a backpack check and have kids brush their teeth.
7:50: Leave the house for school and work.
8:10: Drop off kids at school.
8:45: Arrive at work.
5:25: Grocery store run, then pick kids up from afterschool care.
6:20: Home to make dinner, then clean up the kitchen afterward
7:00: Play/cuddle time with kids.
7:30: Bathtime for the kids and bedtime routine, which includes last-minute drinks/snacks, brushing teeth, and tucking in.
8:30 – 10:30: Personal time for catching up on chores, reviewing the budget, reading, etc.
10:30: Personal bedtime routine
11:00: In bed, asleep.
This is just an example of what a working mom daily schedule might look like and you might have to do some modifying, based on:
- Your work hours and where you work (i.e., at home or in an office)
- Whether your kids go to daycare or a sitter before or after school
- Who, if anyone, you can count on to help you such as a partner/spouse, parents, neighbors, etc.
On weekends, your daily schedule probably looks very different. There may be more time built in to hang out with the kids, tackle your cleaning routine and laundry routine, and of course, slip in some self-care if possible.
The most important thing to remember about making a daily schedule as a working mom is to create something that fits your lifestyle and what you need.
How to Find More Time In Your Day as a Working Mom
Working moms know that the one thing you don’t have in endless supply is time and you have to make the most of every minute. Here are a few ideas for creating more time in your day if you’re tired of running from one thing to the next.
- Hire help. If you have the budget for it, then it could make sense to outsource some of your tasks. For example, could you bring in a housecleaning service once a week or every other work? Could you pay your teenage neighbor next door to walk the dogs for you so you don’t have to worry about that task? The more hands you can get on deck, the more time you can save.
- Make lists. Lists are a must for any busy working mom who wants to stay on track. There are different lists you can make to stay organized–brain dumps, grocery lists, errands to run, calls to make–seeing it all written down (or typed in your phone’s notes app) can give you clarity about what needs your attention.
- Stick to the Big 3. The Big 3 is a list of 3 things you need/want to accomplish each day. Why 3? Because that’s a doable number when you’re a busy working mom with a to-do list that’s a mile long. As you plan your daily schedule, aim to do just 3 of your most important tasks each day and if there’s room left over, you can add in one or two others that are lower down on the list.
- Use shortcuts. Shortcuts save time and headaches while still allowing you to get things done. What do we mean by shortcuts? It’s things like ordering your groceries online and picking them up instead of cruising the grocery store aisles when you’re tired and hungry or relying on make-ahead meals to cover breakfast and dinner during the week. These kinds of smart mom hacks can help you take care of your family without draining your day of precious hours.
Printable Working Mom Daily Schedule Template
Need a place to jot down your daily to-do’s and routine? Click the image below to download a free working mom daily schedule template!
There’s a template that has times filled in and a blank template you can use to create your day from start to finish!
What’s In Your Working Mom Daily Schedule?
Daily routines can be a lifesaver for us working moms who have so much to do and what feels like so little time to do it. The tips we’ve shared here are designed to help you start putting together a realistic, workable schedule that fits your busy mom lifestyle!
Need some extra help managing your time as a busy mom? Check out The Organized Home for tips on how to create routines that keep your days running smoothly, your house in order, and your family happy. It’s one of my go-to resources for calming the chaos of everyday mom life!