How to Maintain Your Sanity as a Busy Mom

Motherhood is….totally rewarding. But what about the times when you get so frazzled you just want to lock yourself in the bathroom with a giant glass of pinot noir? (Or pinot grigio…your choice.) It’s a struggle trying to balance all the things that need to be done (work, laundry, meals) with all the things you’d like to do. All that juggling can cause a lot of stress and be a major drain on your time and other relationships.

When you have one or more little (or even not-so-little) ones depending on you 24/7, how can you find the time to be a good mom, and make sure you don’t totally lose yourself in the process? While I am by no means an expert, I thought I’d share some ideas that have worked pretty well for me over the last 10 years. Here are my tips for busy moms to help you get organized and maintain as much of your sanity as possible.  

Mark Your Calendar

Creating a weekly schedule is a huge help in my being more productive and staying on top of day-to-day activities. To prepare for the week ahead, I usually take some time either on Sunday night or Monday morning to take a look at my calendar and write down important dates, events, school-related tasks, and appointments for that week. I’m old school and like to keep track of things in a planner, but you can also use a wall calendar or your phone if that works better for you. You might even set reminders in your phone to give you an extra alert for the really important stuff.

Make a To-Do List

I’m a big list person. If I don’t write it down, it’s very likely that I won’t remember to do it. Because it’s more convenient for me, I prefer using a pen and paper, so I’m constantly jotting things down on sticky notes, in a notepad, or in my planner. But if that’s not your jam, you can use something like an app on your phone or even a dry-erase board on the fridge to stay organized. Whatever it is, find a way to jot down the things that need to get done in a place that you will see it. 

Then, build those to-do list items into your weekly schedule. If possible, try to pick a day to get each of those things done. This way, you won’t be scrambling at the last minute to take care things and can spread them out over the week.

Plan Dinners

Are you constantly struggling at the last minute, trying to decide what to make for dinner? I find that whenever I decide to just “wing it,” I too often find myself having a staring contest with the refrigerator trying to figure out what I can pull together to make a meal. But, if I make a little extra effort to put a meal plan together for the week, dinnertime is a lot less stressful because it’s one less decision you have to make for the day.

For our family, I usually plan 3-4 meals for the week, allowing some days for leftovers or ordering out. I also like to have a few go-to meals stocked in the freezer for added flexibility.

Click here for a list of SUPER easy and quick dinner ideas plus a handy printable meal planner!

Structure Your Day

Having a daily routine also helps me to be more consistent and get more done throughout the day. For example, most days I get up early to squeeze in a workout before the kids wake up. I love doing this because it has me feeling energized and already starting the day with a sense of accomplishment. (BTW, making the bed is another super easy and rewarding task that you can do to start the day off right.) I also like to do some sort of daily devotional or Bible study, so I make sure to carve time out for that either in the morning before things get busy, or later in the day before bed.       

For example, my day generally looks something like this:

6:30 Wake up/Make Bed

6:35: Exercise

7:10-7:40: Shower/Makeup/Get Dressed

7:40-8:00: Breakfast

8:10: Take kids to school

9:00–2:40 Work/run errands

3:00: Pick up kids from school

3:30–5:30: Help kids with homework/play outside

5:30: Make dinner

6:00-7:30/8:00: Relax/family time

8:00: Make lunches/Get kids ready for bed

8:30: Put kids to bed

8:30-9:00: Quiet Time/Bible Study

9:00-10:30: TV/Netflix (aka Mama’s Quiet Time)

10:30/11:00: Sleep

Create a personal routine that works best for you and your needs. Maybe you work full time, or are a stay-at-home mom, in which case your days will look different than mine. There is no right or wrong. The key is to try to stick to your schedule as much as possible so that they become routine. The more you do it, the easier it becomes and the less you have to think about it. Plus, you’ll feel so much more productive at the end of the day.  

Do I always follow this structure? No. Sometimes I need to sleep in and switch to working out in the afternoons. Sometimes there is a party or event that throws the usual routine out of whack. Not to mention that summertime is an extremely lax version of this schedule and can fluctuate greatly. But the point is, I try to stick to a version of this schedule as much as possible so that I can start off the day on the right foot, ready to tackle what’s next.

Make Time for You

I know this is totally cliché and you already know it, but don’t neglect to do little things for yourself every so often. Drinks with friends, a date night, mani/pedi’s…whatever it is, do what makes you feel good. Taking some time to refresh and recharge will have a big impact on helping you maintain your sanity. So go add it to your calendar. (I’ll wait.)

On that note, I’d also like to take this time to advocate that you get out of the yoga-pants-and-t-shirt rut and make the extra effort to get dressed with “real clothes” and a quick 5-minute makeup routine in the morning. Trust me that it will have you feeling so much better throughout your day. You’ll feel less schlumpy (is this a word?), more confident, and believe it or not, it has been shown to have a positive effect on your mood, your productivity and the way others perceive you. So go put on a cute pair of jeans and a swipe of mascara. (I’ll wait again.) When you look good, you feel good, amiright? As moms, anything we can do to feel better and look better gets a big fat YES.

The Last Thing You Need to Know

You. Are. Awesome. Being a mom is no easy feat. You keep doing you and if any these tips and suggestions end up helping you in some way, then that makes me happy.

Is it actually possible to maintain your sanity as a busy mom? Ummmmm….yes? And no. The struggle is real. I’m not saying every day will be perfect, or that some days won’t be a total disaster, but at the end of the day, as long as you and the kids are all still alive and well, then pour yourself that glass of pinot and consider it a win, mama.

As I’ve said, these are just some of the things that have worked for me, but I’d love to hear your suggestions! If you have any awesome mom tips to share, please comment in the box below!