How To Be A Productive Stay-At-Home Mom (Without The Overwhelm)

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What exactly does a “productive” day look like to you? For some, being a productive stay-at-home mom means getting tons of housework done. And for others, simply keeping the kids clean and fed makes for a good day.

It probably feels like your days aren’t very productive during this season of life. Remember, raising children IS productivity.

However, I suspect that – since you’re here reading this post – you’re probably itching to do more than survive each day.

In my current season, my kids being eight, five, and 2.5, I’m now able to get a little more done. (Although, the daily to-do list can still feel pretty overwhelming!)

So, how do we get stuff done as a stay-at-home mom while avoiding the overwhelm? The key is to implement routines and systems into your home and daily life.

Even small changes can go a long way toward feeling more organized. Which brings us to my list of ways to be a productive stay-at-home mom.

Let’s jump right into it!

mom and daughter lying on the floor with cleaning products; text that reads: how to be a productive stay at home mom without getting overwhelmed

Establish a Morning Routine

Establish a solid morning routine to start out your day strong. Of course, it’ll look a little different for everyone. However, this can really help to set the tone for the day.

Wondering how early you should wake up in order to start the day strong? Do you REALLY have to get up before the kids??

Absolutely not! We all have different life circumstances, so that’s not always possible (or advisable). After all, sleep is also important.

I honestly don’t know what time YOU should wake up. But if you sign up for my Morning Makeover Challenge, I’ll help you figure it out!

The challenge runs over the course of seven days. You’ll receive daily emails to help guide you through creating a morning routine that works for you.

morning makeover challenge workbook cover

Ready to TRANSFORM YOUR MORNINGS?

Do your mornings feel rushed? Are you craving a little more structure in your days, or even a sense of purpose?

Sign up for the FREE 7-Day Morning Makeover Challenge and start making meaningful changes to your morning routine right away.

Over the next seven days, you’ll:

Define your perfect morning routine
Find time in your busy morning
Come up with a solid game plan and more!

ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE

Plan Out a Rotating Meal Schedule

Years ago, I put together a monthly rotating meal schedule, so I never had to think about what was for dinner. I’d simply grocery shop based on that week’s menu, then we’d be guaranteed to have all ingredients on hand.

The schedule consisted of a four-week meal plan. Once we completed the four weeks, we would start over at the beginning.

Currently, I plan out two weeks’ worth of meals when I’m placing my grocery order. Then at the beginning of each week, I decide what we’re going to eat every night. This keeps things pretty flexible, while still having an idea of what’s for dinner ahead of time.

However you decide to do it, meal planning can really help a stay-at-home mom feel productive!

Break Household Tasks Into Bite-Size Pieces

It’s easy for stay-at-home moms to feel overwhelmed by all the things they need to keep up with. And it’s also easy to feel guilty about not being able to do it all.

If you can’t afford to hire a full time housekeeper, there’s no easy way around it. Keeping the house clean and orderly is no easy feat. But I totally get the desire to have some semblance of control when it comes to cleaning the house.

A while back, I sat down and came up with a stay-at-home mom cleaning schedule that works for me.

My method breaks up household tasks into small, bite-sized pieces. I schedule everything using my Google Calendar on my phone. You can learn more about how I created my stay-at-home mom cleaning schedule here.

Listen to Audiobooks While Cleaning

While cleaning can be cathartic in some instances, let’s face it: It’s not that fun. But, it can be a lot more tolerable if you have something interesting to listen to.

Maybe music is your thing; I prefer listening to either a podcast or an audiobook, though.

Over the past year or so, I’ve been trying to do more reading, although it’s not always easy to sit down and read a book. So instead, I’ve been listening to audiobooks over my wireless earbuds. This way, my hands are free to clean or fold laundry.

Our library allows us three ebooks/audiobooks per month via the Hoopla app. (There’s actually a pretty good selection of books there!) I have also gotten access to audiobooks with my free Audible trial.

You can also check out various podcast apps to see what audiobooks are available. We’ve used Spotify before. It can be SO motivating when you have something to listen to, helping to boost productivity.

Sign up for a free trial of Audible Premium and get access to the Audible Plus Catalog of podcasts, audiobooks, guided wellness, and Audible Originals — PLUS you’ll receive a credit to use on one of their premium selection titles, which is yours to keep once your trial is over.

Batch Your Tasks Whenever Possible

Batching is simply completing similar tasks together. I’ve heard this term used before when it comes to work related tasks.

I often batch tasks when I’m blogging (for example, I’ll research several topic ideas or create several different outlines in one sitting).

Batching is a skill I also like to utilize for household tasks, and even when I’m running errands. For example, I plan my grocery pick up orders for a time when I’m already going to be in town. Or, after dropping my girls off at gymnastics or tennis, I’ll run an errand in the same part of town.

You can also use batching at home. Loading or unloading the dishwasher, for example, during downtime after you’ve put dinner in the oven.

Another way I “batch” cleaning is by mopping the bathrooms and the kitchen all in one day. This way, I don’t have to take out the mop multiple times throughout the week; I get it all done at one time.

Automate Recurring Tasks

These days, you can automate quite a few tasks that happen on a recurring schedule. Paying bills, for example.

I used to set them in a pile as we received them, paying them all at once. Unfortunately, they were often forgotten until it was almost too late.

Our recurring bills are now automatically taken out of our accounts. This way, I never have to remember to pay anything other than medical bills anymore.

We also “Subscribe and Save” on items like diapers, cat litter, and pet food through Amazon and Chewy. Having them automatically delivered to our door has been a lifesaver!

Do you have anything else that needs to be done on a regular basis? How can you automate them, or at least simplify them?

Pro Mom Tip: I like to set reminders on my Google Calendar to help me remember recurring tasks.

Plan Out Your Week Ahead of Time

Every Sunday afternoon, I sit down and look over my Google Calendar. I review the activities and appointments we have scheduled for the following week. Then I copy everything down onto a large board that the whole family can see.

From here, I plan out any additional activities for the week and add each night’s dinner to the board.

This way, everyone has access to the family calendar and can see what is scheduled. (Plus, I can glance ahead to see if I need to pull anything out of the freezer.)

>>>STEP UP Your Planning GAME<<<

Ready to automate your weekly planning and save precious time on your weekends?

*Enter Skylight Calendar*

Skylight Calendar is a digital calendar. It helps the whole family easily manage day-to-day life.

Place it in your home’s command center, or wherever it will be most useful. Then you can sync it up with your calendar app. This way, EVERYONE in the house can see exactly what’s going on each day — and it doesn’t all fall upon one person.

(You can see the color and size options, along with user reviews, when you click on the image or button below.)

SHOP SKYLIGHT CALENDAR

Strategically Outsource Time-Consuming Tasks

For most of us moms, doing everything ourselves simply isn’t possible. So don’t feel guilty if you need to outsource help.

Consider hiring someone to clean your house every couple weeks, or even to do a deep clean once a month. There are even laundry services for those who simply can’t keep up with laundry (really, how many of us can?!).

Is your partner away for long periods of time? You might find it impossible to cut the grass or shovel snow while keeping an eye on the kids. Outsource it to a lawn care service, or hire a teenager who’s looking for some extra cash.

My favorite (free!) way to outsource help? Ordering groceries for pick-up! Seriously, walking through a grocery store with kids in tow isn’t my idea of fun.

Thankfully, most grocery stores and shopping centers now offer shopping services. So you only have to pick up your order….and put it away, of course.

If money isn’t an issue, it can be well worth the expense of hiring out some of the most tedious, time-consuming tasks. After all, your sanity is priceless.

Motivate Yourself With a Daily “Reward”

I’m not saying you should motivate yourself with treats. Or that you should buy something every day to reward yourself for completing your to-do list.

But offering yourself an incentive can be hugely motivating.

So, what are some ways you can reward yourself for folding that mountain of laundry? Doing anything you enjoy could be your “reward” for completing the less-desirable tasks:

Reading
Crafting
Gardening
Crocheting
Painting
Sewing
Baking
Hiking
Biking
Blogging

Too tired to actually DO something? Simply lounging outside with your favorite beverage works, too.

Even better? Get someone to keep an eye on the kiddos for a half hour or so while you do it (although we all know that’s not always possible).

Declutter and Organize Your Space(s)

It seems that, when searching online for a solution to any problem, decluttering is always on the list of solutions. (Or is it just me?!)

But it’s on the list for good reason; physical clutter can really take up precious mental space. And that can lead to a lot of issues, including a lack of motivation and loss of productivity.

Need help coming up with a game plan to tackle a messy house? Check out this post to help you declutter and organize, step by step.

Designate an Evening “Toy Pick-Up” Time

Picking up after the kids all day long can get in the way of accomplishing the things that truly matter.

Sure, sometimes I’ll pick up a few things here and there throughout the day. But for the most part, I leave it until the end of the day. Then, at our designated “pajama and pick up” time, the kids clean up their mess (with a little help from me on occasion).

It occurs at the same time every day, just before getting their bedtime snack and brushing teeth. This way, everyone knows exactly what to expect.

Plus, when kids help to clean up their mess, it gives them a sense of responsibility while easing my workload. Win-win!

Prepare for the Next Day

There’s nothing like starting out your day in a frenzy as you try to rush out the door first thing in the morning.

Of course, it feels great to wake up to a clean kitchen. And having clean breakfast dishes can help your morning start out the right way.

But I like to take it a step further by preparing everything we’ll need for the next day.

I prepare the diaper bag, including snacks. I set out water bottles, my coffee mug, clothes, and anything else we need before heading out the door. It really helps to keep me from feeling quite so rushed in the mornings.

And if I’m not going anywhere the following day, it still feels great to put the house back in order. Having a tidy house can go a long way toward starting out the day right!