Whether you’re brand new to parenthood or have a whole tribe of mini-you’s running riot around the house – you’ve likely considered or decided on the possibility or feasibility of becoming a stay at home mom.
It’s one of the most rewarding and challenging experiences that a mother can face in the modern world, but with so much time staring you in the face, the question of what to do with it all may feel like a hurdle too large.
Whether you’ve got too much on or don’t have enough things to fill the day – we’ve got 6 tips that you can incorporate to maximise your enjoyment and fulfillment of being a stay at home Mom!
1. Stay hydrated
No matter where you are in the world, no matter what you’re doing and no matter the time of day – it’s vital to stay hydrated.
I’ve found that staying hydrated improves my mood, keeps me focused, prevents headaches and even makes my skin better. But it’s not as easy habit to pick up. But so few of us actually stick to this resolution, failing before we’ve even started.
One great tip that I’ve latched onto is to always have a bottle of cold water nearby at all times of the day. I personally own a Kool8 water bottle, a modern water bottle that keeps my drinks cold for up to 24 hours. I’m also very much into giving back to the community. So when I learned they give 20% of profits away to charity, I had to support the cause and get a nice bottle in the process.
Not only has it helped me to stay hydrated, but it looks super cute too. I picked up the lime green colour and it goes with me everywhere I do. The more water I drink, the better I feel, I can’t recommend it enough.
2. Keep organised
Keeping organised for what you need to do in your day is one of the best ways to maximise the productivity in your life and your fulfillment.
Keeping a diary and making to-do lists is a great way to tick off tasks as you go, making you look forward to completing chores rather than putting them off. You’ll find that the busier you are, the faster the time goes, so you’ll have more space in the day for passion projects (as you’ll read about in a second) or relaxing on lazy days.
There’s plenty of other fun ways to do this too. From post-its around the house to getting the kids to help with daily tasks – make it fun and it’ll feel more like play and less like work. Once organized, you can spend time with your kids and help them learn these enjoyable videos here.
3. Take care of your body
Taking care of your body is something that most Moms brush off, blaming a lack of time for poor mobility, fitness or health.
With careful planning, organisation and time management, you’ll be more than capable to set 30-minutes aside every day for at home activities. Whether that’s simply stretching, yoga or getting out for some fresh air with a walk or jog. Making sure to get outside is a must for clear headspace, even if it does involving wheeling around your little rascals.
A simple walk through a park, adventure through some woods or stroll to the shop can have huge health benefits for you and your family. It’s just a case of prioritising and making time for that exercise.
4. Focus on a passion
In my eyes, the very best part of becoming a stay at home Mom is the time that can be dedicated to focusing on passion projects.
Whatever your passion, whether it’s arts and crafts, reading, fitness, watching Disney movies or wrenching your car – when you’re spending more time at home, your passion projects can be reignited and pursued like never before.
Depending on your situation and how you want to play it, you can quite easily turn your project into a business, if you so desire. It’s never been easier to create a startup business from the comfort of your own home and by basing that business around something that you love – it’s a recipe for success.
Spend your time learning about your passion and about business by using online sources, YouTube videos and how-to’s to develop your skills and even build an empire.
5. Develop your diet and meal prep
Last but by no means least on the list is the development of you and your families diet and meal prep for the following day/s.
Implementing more fruits, veg and lean protein sources is a great way to improve your diet and health. If you’re looking to increase the number of vitamins and healthy nutritional sources, don’t be afraid to experiment, do a little research and develop a food plan for the whole family. Multivitamins are really great for your health!
In addition to multivitamins, I would also suggest a good cadence for prepping meals – for yourself and your family. Meal prep is one of the biggest lifesavers that I’ve implemented into my day and not only saves time, but a ton of effort and countless hours deciding what to cook for dinner. Making meals in bulk throughout the day and freezing can be a great option when there’s little time in the evening to create a culinary masterpiece – but it doesn’t mean that simplistic ready meals are the only choice.
Meatballs, pasta dishes, lasagne… everything can be prepped in advance – trust me – you won’t regret it.
6. Build a morning routine
Chances are that your kids have a morning routine, right? That means that you probably should too.
Maximising your morning is a great way to make sure your day gets off to the best start possible. Wake up and get started before your children, maybe pack their lunches, workout, get ahead on emails – whatever you need to do in the morning, try to get it done before the school run.
Your morning routine doesn’t have to end there though – carry it on through to the afternoon and you’ll be able to get the most out of your day – whatever it may entail.
By now I hope that you’re starting to realise there can be a hell of a lot more to being a stay at home Mom than maybe you first expected.