5 Ways That Have Helped Me Become a More Productive SAHM

Between having a husband that travels for work, homeschooling, housework, meals, and being pregnant (baby #4), I’ve been trying to find ways to help me keep on top of daily life and get more stuff done. So today I wanted to share 5 ways I’ve become a more productive as a stay at home mom.

Here are 5 ways I’ve Become a More Productive Stay at Home Mom:

1. Start the Night Before

• A clean kitchen– for me, it’s a mental thing. I cannot go to bed with dishes on the counter (clean or dirty). When I walk into the kitchen in the morning I can go straight into making breakfast.
• Decide breakfast the night before. Just deciding has been a help! It may seem a little too simple I know, but try it! And at least once a week I make baked oatmeal in the evening and pop it in the fridge for a bake and serve breakfast.
• Lay out {my} clothes. Since we homeschool, I don’t have the kids lay out their clothes on a daily basis unless we need to be somewhere early in the morning. The big kids (6,5) can reach all of their clothes and they get dressed by themselves after breakfast.

2. I get dressed shortly after waking up.

• I have been getting dressed before breakfast. I find that I don’t “lounge” around as much and can jump right into making breakfast and start my day.
• After breakfast and getting things cleaned up and toddler dressed is when I finishing getting ready- contacts, make up, hair, etc. The kids are usually content and start playing without much bother to me. Melanie (2) usually ends up in the bathroom with me and she will brush her teeth and then play in the sink while I get finish getting ready. Now, somedays I do just throw my hair in a bun and put my contacts in, but I find if I get ready I can rush out the door on last minute errands without worrying about not being ready.

I know a lot of people talk highly and suggest getting up before the kids, but my kids are naturally early risers (up by 6:30) and with a baby coming in less than a month it just isn’t going to happen for my season of life.

3. Make a daily task list.

I’m a list maker, ask my husband! He kindly reminds me to add things to my grocery list and will make sure I write myself a note if there is something he needs me to remember. No shame here!  With that said, I usually have a list of stuff I want to get done/errands to run/menu plans etc. for the week ahead. When looking at the list(s) as a whole, it can get overwhelming, so everyday I choose 3-5 tasks to get done for the day.

Examples:

• vacuum out the van
• paint nails with the girls
• sweep and mop hardwood floors
• bake bread
• go to library
• wash kitchen towels
• pack hospital bag
• OR I revert back to my easy, flexible Homemaking Schedule

4. Meal Prep in the Mid Afternoon

I aim to get homeschool done in the morning so afternoons are free for the kids to play. Except for the occasional (ahem) sibling fight I can get a good start in the kitchen.  I have been spending more time in the kitchen either making an extra batch of dinner or making something else to pop in the freezer (post coming!) to bless my future self when baby boy comes 😉  I really like doing this and I may keep it up 1-2x a week after we get settled in with baby.

nacho/taco salad night — my kids love this AND it’s easy!!

I know in my house it feel like chaos starts as soon as I need to start dinner, but since doing this afternoon prep I haven’t been stressed or upset with the interruption due to not being on a dinner ‘time crunch.’ Dinner has been served on time (or early) and less after-dinner rush to get baths, books, and bedtime.

• make energy balls or as my kids call them, chocolate balls for dessert or tomorrow’s snack
• chop veggies for dinner (taco night: wash produce/chop tomatoes/shred cheese)
• double check that nothing needs unthawed
• prep & stick in fridge until you need to put it in the oven (casseroles or lasagna) — make a double batch, label, and put it in the freezer
• even if it’s an easy meal putting the pans on the stove and dry ingredients out on the counter helps!

5. Stop Being a Slave to Your Phone

It’s amazing how much “more time” I seem to have these days. Not only that, but I found that I was getting irritated with my kids interrupting me because I was more interested in my Facebook feed than their needs.

It’s amazing how much “more time” I seem to have these days. Not only that, but I found that I was getting irritated with my kids interrupting me because I was more interested in my Facebook feed than their needs.

• turn off the push notifications, especially with sound. I wasn’t even realizing the constant noise all day long until my husband made comments about how my phone was ALWAYS making noise. My kids are more important than FB feed, an email telling me about a sale, and Instagram thread.
• If I happen to come across an article I want to read I will open it in a new tab, if I don’t have time to read it right then I can come back to it later in the day.
• I enjoy YouTube, but I stopped sitting on couch with my phone in my hand. I now watch it while I’m cooking, or folding laundry, getting ready for the day, or after the kids go to bed.
• stop taking my phone with me to the toilet. I knew this was a problem when Melanie was starting to potty train and insisted on grabbing her toy phone in order to sit on the potty. yeah, I know you don’t have to tell me.
• My phone is kept in the kitchen during homeschool now. I will go get it to look something up (homeschool related) or to take a picture and send to hubby but that’s it. Besides the kids, my morning coffee is the only other thing that has my attention 😉
• If I watch a movie or tv show before bed, wifi gets turned off for the night and my phone gets put up.
• I now have pockets of time during the day to do other fun things like: drink a hot cup of tea, read a chapter or two, snuggle on the couch and read an extra book to the kids, make a phone call without multi tasking, or an extra minute to clean the ever-dirty toilet…. totally your choice 🙂
• If I’m out with the kids, like Library Storytime for example, I’m in the moment. I don’t sit there scrolling through my phone. If I expect them to pay attention, I need to lead by example.

I’ve been implementing these for the last few weeks and it’s really been helpful and I’ve definitely been more productive. If I can get more done at 36 weeks pregnant, so can you!!

Come back and leave me a comment, email me (findingfaithsfuture@gmail.com) and feel free to leave a comment here with your productive tips!!

Pin It HERE