Some of you may or may not know this but I work from home 4 of the 5 days out of the week and my husband works out of town 3
very long days out of the week. When my husband and I decided that we wanted to start our little family we thought that our situation was ideal. We wouldn't need a babysitter or day care, and we would have an adequate amount of time to get everything done that we needed to in the week. Well while I still think that we have a great opportunity/schedule/situation, it's not as easy as it first seemed it would be.
There really is no perfect schedule because let's face it, you just have to go with the flow when it comes to kids because plans can change in an instant and out of nowhere. It's taken me 5 months to feel adjusted and comfortable with our new "schedule" but everyday is slightly different from the next and I expect it to continue to change as she gets older and more mobile.
I have received some requests to post about working full-time with a baby in the mix so here is a tale about what works for us... it may or may not work for you and remember- "If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done" (ECC 11:4).
Let me first start with this...
You will need: Coffee, Tea, Caffeine of some sort. Pick your poison.
It all starts the night before, I brew my coffee in the french press, let it cool on the counter for a while and set in the fridge overnight so it's ready for me in the morning. In the morning all I have to do is add ice to my tumbler, pour the coffee, and mix in some creamer. I always get Caramel Macchiatos at Starbucks so I'm in love with this creamer.
In order to get any work done your baby will need the following: A swing, play mat, and jumparoo
Here's what a typical day looks like:
AM
8:00ish -our day starts around 8am on average. I feed her, change her, and get her dressed. Then I make myself some oatmeal, prepare my iced coffee while she watches Mickey's Clubhouse, bring her into the bathroom in her
bouncer while I get a quick shower, and get dressed.
9:30, 10:00ish- she sits beside me at my desk in her jumparoo, playing, jumping, laughing, and screaming out of excitement, happy as a clam (usually) while I work.
11:00ish- She will take her morning nap which usually lasts for an hour to an hour and a half.
PM
12:00, 12:30ish- Once she wakes it's time for lunch, I feed her and then make myself some lunch, play a little on the play mat, maybe throw in a load of laundry and then it's back to work while she plays.
2:30ish- She takes a longer afternoon nap around 2:30, during this time she'll sleep for 2-3 hours. So, that's 2-3 hours of work.
5:30-7:30ish- By the time she wakes up it's about dinner time. She eats, I make dinner, we eat, my husband and I catch up on our days, and then we have some family play time.
7:30ish- bath time, story time, and getting ready for bed.
9:30ish- Aubrey is in bed between 9 & 9:30 every night. I'm a night owl so once she's in asleep, I'm awake and on the computer getting work done. I work until 12 or 12:30 usually, sometimes later depending on how heavy my work load is and how awake I am.
She's been waking up around
3:30 am for a snack so sometimes I'll feed her before I lay down to prevent her from waking at 3:30 hungry. Sometimes it works and she sleeps through the night until about 7 or 8 am and other times it doesn't.
*This is our basically schedule for four days out of the week. One of the days that I work from home my husband is also home so he watches her and I can work straight through the day with minimal interruptions. The fifth day, I work a really long day outside of our home and my husband is home with her all day/night.*
Finally, here is what you will need to get your work done:
Whether you are working from home or in an office, it always helps to have some pretty things surrounding your desk that are also functional. Call me Type A all you want, but I have a list for everything in my life; especially now because of "baby brain" (aka I can't remember anything even if my life depended on it syndrome). I'm all about a good pen too and when I have a variety of pretty colors to choose from, depending on my mood all is well at my desk. My iPhone keeps me on track and organized with everything. I always have an alarm set for something too whether it be a pumping session, a feeding, or a batch of cupcakes.
So, this is my chaotic week in a nutshell. I encourage any other working mommas to share their schedules, experiences, and tips in the comments below.
