Regardless of whether you think the idea of a stay-at-mom is liberating or oppressive, without them, many households wouldn’t be able to function. Being a stay-at-home-mom isn’t for the faint of heart. This job requires long hours each day and the work load can take its toll quickly on anyone. Luckily, there are steps you can take to maintain your lifestyle without letting it overwhelm you.

To make your life easier it helps to be super organized. When you know what to expect each week you can multitask accordingly and have your home running like a well-oiled machine. Make use of equipment such as dry erase boards and large wall calendars so you can track your daily activities, plans, and other day to day tasks. The best thing you can do for yourself and your family is to have a consistent schedule each week. Make sure you’re able to allot enough time for what needs to be done while the kids are in school (if they are of school age) as well as when they get home. Organize nap times, snack times, and homework times. Just getting that part of your life together can relieve a lot of stress from your life. If you have kids that participate in school sports or other extra curricular activities, try to arrange for them to carpool with their friends that are involved in the same activities. This frees up time for you in your day to tend to other things instead of spending a significant amount of time in the car.

The good thing about having school age children is that you have the entire day to take care of the house without any distractions. If this is your situation, make the most of your day not only doing chores and preparing dinner but also allot some “you” time in between. Naps are great for adults to take, too! Allow yourself a cat nap when you feel tired or overwhelmed. You’d be surprised how just 30 minutes to one hour of rest can reenergize you. Or take that time to soak in a nice bath or take a shower and indulge in aromatherapy to give you a peace of mind. No one says you have to be working around the house non-stop from the time you wake up until you go to bed. Squeezing in personal time during your days will let you focus on your tasks at hand, not to mention put you in a better mood and give you enough energy to deal with everyone when they get home from school and work.

Avoid being a couch potato! The best way to incorporate exercise into your life is by participating in playtime with your kids. Running around during playtime, taking your kids for brisk walks around the neighborhood or riding bikes all qualify as exercise. Build this into your daily schedule and you and your kids can both stay fit throughout the week without much effort. Additionally, the physical activity will make it easier for your kids to wind down and go to bed easier.

Preparing snacks, lunch and dinner is more manageable if you plan ahead of time and write out on your calendar/planner what meals you’ll be preparing. This also helps you organize your grocery lists and helps you keep tabs on what items you’re running low on. This method is more beneficial to you instead of worrying about what to have on the table within the next hour.

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