How to Structure your Day as a SAHM | Plan your Day

Before I became a SAHM I was under the impression that women that stayed at home with their children had all the time in the world… I was WAY wrong!  I was amazed at how quickly each day was passing, yet I felt like I was getting NOTHING DONE!  Because of this, I had to figure out how to structure my day as a SAHM so that I could optimize my time and gain that feeling of accomplishment each night.  So I compiled a list of tips that I follow each day and believe can help you  learn how to plan your day to get the most out each moment with your kiddos too!

#1 Start with a Broad List of Priorities:

What is important to you for your kiddos and yourself to accomplish each day?  

For myself, my broad priorities are:

1. Learning activities
2. Social activities
3. Physical activities
4. Cleaning the house
5. Bathing
6. Eating

#2 Break Down Each Broad Priority to Include Activities to Satisfy it’s Objective:

For each category come up with a list of things for you and your kids to do either together or separately that will fulfill the goal.  For example, if learning activities are also one of your priorities, maybe your breakdown would look like:

• Read two chapters of my book (me)
• Read two books about numbers or letters (child)
• Go to library for story time with the librarian and read part of a novel during it.  (both)
• ETC…

Or if physical activities are important to you, maybe your list would look like:

• Workout during naptime (me)
• Go to the park (child)
• Go for an adventure/scavenger hunt walk (both)
• ETC…

Below is a graphic with more examples from my priority list to help you plan your day. 

For more combination activities, check out my post 8 Activities for Kids of Highly Efficient Moms.

#3 KISS (Keep It Simple Sally!)

When coming up with activities for your broad priority list try your best not to be too overzealous.  As moms, by nature, we feel like we need to “do it all” but in all actuality we really can’t.  It took me a WHILE but I finally stopped setting unrealistic goals for myself.  So instead of writing “clean the house”, write each cleaning activity: dust,  vacuum, bathrooms, laundry, etc…

#4 Break Your List Down in Days of the Week:

When you plan your day, make sure to designate certain days for certain activities.  Structure to our week is super beneficial to our mental status.  This way we can break up larger tasks over the duration of the week rather than trying to squeeze them all together on Friday. 

Take the “clean the house” breakdown example.  If you just break it down you are likely to leave all of the pieces till the end of the week.  However, if you assign different tasks to certain days than they all get done stress-free!  For example, I know that I do laundry on Monday and Thursday morning.  

#5 After you plan your day…WRITE IT DOWN!

I cannot stress this enough!  I used to put off writing down any kind of schedule or keeping any kind of planner too but once I started I was addicted!  Writing it down helps you to:

1. Visualize your day.
2. Prioritize your daily activities.
3. Reduces the risk of forgetting to do something important.
4. Reduces your stress level.
5. Keeps you motivated and on task.
6. If your child can read/ you share it with them it allows them to prepare for the day.
7. Gives you that feeling of accomplishment when you complete each activity.

I write my broad priorities with some breakdowns on my dry erase, magnetic calendar.  I just write all the way down all the Mondays, Tuesdays, etc… 

For example, my Monday’s look like this:

1. Laundry
2. Walk
3. ABC’c
4. ABC art
5. Gym/Social Play (my daughter plays with friends while I am at the gym.)
6. Lunch
7. Pool/Park/Project/Play (weather dependent)
8. Snack
9. Mommy Shower
10. Dinner
11. Family Walk
12. Bath (daughter) while I read
13. Bedtime 
14. Write daily schedule for the next day
15. Mom & Dad time

I like my broad board because it helps me to write my daily plans. 

The daily planner that I use breaks down my day into:

1. Priorities 
2. Appointments
3. To-Do’s
4. Cleaning Tasks
5. Things I need to purchase
6. Meals
7. Water Count (bc I would forget to drink the recommended amount of water if I didn’t have it one there!)
8. Words to live by (I like to add a fun quote for motivation).

This sheet is my daily lifeline!  I rarely, if EVER, forget to do something solely because of this sheet.  And trust me, I have even tried scheduling in my phone with multiple alerts and STILL forget things!  

I love this planner so much I think that everyone should have it!  So if you are interested in giving it a shot to plan your day to see if it works as well for you as it does for me, I’ll send it to you!  Just enter your email below!  Oh, and I also added a little something extra for you!  I added a weekly workout plan with routines for each day of the week!  Go get it, mama!

Get your FREE Daily Planner and Weekly Workout schedule sent straight to your inbox!

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For more workout options check out my post, Customizable 30 Minute Total Body Workout!

#6 Just Because You Have a Schedule Doesn’t Mean You Have to Stick to it!

Life is full of uncertainties and surprises.  If something comes up that’s okay!  If you and your kids are enjoying something and spend more time than you “planned” doing it, that’s great!  Enjoy it!  If you just don’t feel like it, that’s cool too!  Things change and schedules do too!  The most important thing is to do what is best for you and your family!  Enjoy your time together, laugh together, love together and maybe get things done together 🙂

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