Balancing Act: How I Manage a Daily Schedule as a Work from Home Mom with Two Young Kids

Being a mom is a challenge in itself, but for me, having two kids (ages 4 and 5) running around while trying to work from home can feel like a never-ending battle. It is tough to balance work, family time, and personal time, but with a little planning and organization, it was possible to find a system that works for me!

One of my biggest challenges working from home with two young girls is finding a way to keep them entertained while I work. I don't have a designated workspace, like a home office or a corner of a room, where I can work without being interrupted, so I try to schedule my work time or meetings before they wake up or during their quiet time (formally nap time), but if I do have to work while they are living their best lives around the house putting on concerts or pretending to be ninja warriors, I try to take breaks throughout the day to spend time with them.

It can be a challenge to stay focused on work when they want my attention. It can be just as challenging to put work down for a time and focus solely on my girls. This is where planning and organizing come in. I try to set realistic goals for myself each day and prioritize my tasks so that the most important ones get done first. Knowing there are going to be days when the entire schedule goes out the window makes it easier to adjust when plans change.

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Morning

I will start by saying I was not a morning person. I worked my way up to waking up a few hours earlier than the kids because I found I could get so much done before everyone else woke up. I also found my days can be much more peaceful when I am not rushed and have to jump right into the demands of motherhood or work.

I typically start my days with a devotion. It is a way to set a positive tone for the day, by centering my thoughts, calming my mind, and focusing on what really matters. This is one of my favorite devotional journals. Afterward, I will start my work for the day and get done what I can before I have a few in-person clients. If I don't have a ton of work to do first thing, I will get in a 30-minute workout, and by 8:15 am I am making breakfast for the kids. Some days my husband is still home at that time, and he will make breakfast so I can continue working or do whatever I need to get done that morning.

My kids normally sleep until about 8:00 am and will spend time playing with toys and reading books in their room until their sound machine turns green at 8:30 am letting them know breakfast is ready and they can come out of their room.

The morning is normally when we start our chores, get dressed, and walk outside before our daily structured activity.

The girls love helping with chores. It is a great way for us to interact in the morning. Here are some of the "chores" they do:

• help sort the laundry and put clothes in the dryer

• help unload the dishwasher by taking out the non-breakable items

• put away toys

• clean their table and put their dishes in the dishwasher

• help feed the rabbit

• sweep/Swiffer or help dust

Then it's time for a morning walk! There is so much literature regarding the benefits of being outside, so we try to get outside as much as possible. We start by trying to do a morning walk every day. In the winter months, we may walk halfway down the street and back, but on warmer days, even if it is slightly raining we will take about a 20-minute walk in the neighborhood. This is an intentional time when they have my undivided attention and can talk to me about whatever is on their minds, from how birds fly, to why the sky is blue to why they should have a dog.

After our morning walk, we work on the structured activity for the day. I will talk more about our lessons in a future post about pre-kindergarten activities, but this is a time designated for a different activity each day that allows for learning, preparation for kindergarten, and minimal frustration for everyone involved.

We turn on the TV after their lesson for the day is completed and they will watch something related to what they learned while they play. It could be Numberblocks, LeapFrog, Ada Twist Scientist, etc. While all of this is happening I am usually able to get more work done, complete whatever chore I assigned myself to get done for the day, and make lunch.

Afternoon

Lunch is around 12:30 pm and afterward, the girls are allowed to play outside in the backyard, play in the living room, or Facetime their grandparents on the portal until quiet time at 2:00 pm. We love the Meta Portal! The camera will follow the girls around the entire living room while they are doing cartwheels or showing art projects and the best part is no one has to hold it (avoiding the possibility of motion sickness)!

The girls are at the age now where napping is very rare, so quiet time has become the new norm. During quiet time they can lie in their beds, read books, play quietly in their room (separate or together), or listen to their Toniebox. The Toniebox is the modern book on tape and we are obsessed! If you want to learn more about it, leave a comment below and I will make a post about some of our favorite characters!

Quiet time is essential, as I can get quite a bit of work done, as well as a workout if I didn't complete one that morning, but it also allows for the girls to relax and be "bored", which usually results in them coming up with a new game they made up together or playing dress up.

The rest of the afternoon is pretty laid back for the girls, with a snack and free play. I typically have in-person clients and if my husband isn't home just yet, the girls run in and out of the garage working out with them, playing in the living room, and watching TV.

Evening

Our evenings are pretty relaxing. We all eat dinner as a family, my husband usually cleans the kitchen then we all hang out together in the living room. Our hangouts can be anything from watching a family movie, the girls showing off whatever skills they have learned in gymnastics, a dance party, playing in the backyard, or going for an evening walk.

By 8:15 pm the bedtime routine consists of a bath, brushing teeth, and reading a book. We say our prayers and give goodnight kisses, they then may read another book by themselves (or practice their gymnastics) before their sound machine turns on at 9:00 pm. My husband and I will usually catch up on our day and then turn on a show before I fall asleep on him by 10:00 pm. Let's be real, by this point I'm exhausted and can't hang.

Our Weekday Schedule Breakdown

I just want to reiterate that the breakdown below of our weekday schedule DOES NOT happen every day, but it is what we strive for.

• 6:00 am I wake up, devotion, work emails, workout, personal training clients

• 8:00 am Girls wake up, free play in their room

• 8:30 am BREAKFAST

• 9:00 am Get dressed, start chores, clean up their room

• 9:30 am Morning walk (if weather allows)

• 10:00 am Structured Activity (pre-kindergarten activities post coming soon)

• 11:00 am Education TV time, Free play in the living room

• 12:30 pm LUNCH

• 1:00-2:00 pm Free play (in living room or outside)

• 2:00-4:00 pm QUIET TIME/I workout or get more work done

• 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm TV time, free play, personal training clients

• 6:00 pm DINNER

• 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm family time, evening walk

• 8:15 – 8:45 pm Bedtime Routine

• 9:00 pm BEDTIME

Being a work-from-home mom with two young children is definitely a challenge, but it's also incredibly rewarding. There is no "one size fits all" in life, but with a little bit of planning, organization, go-with-the-flow attitude, and self-care, I have found a balance that works for me and my family!