Every working mom knows that a good routine can set the tone for the entire day. After returning to work following 18 months as a stay-at-home mom, I quickly realized how much smoother life felt when our routine worked for us instead of against us.
Over time, I gathered simple habits that helped save time and reduce daily stress, from meal prep to outsourcing non-essential tasks when possible. These small shifts made it easier to focus on my family and myself while still managing work and home life.
Related: What I Wish I Had Known About Being a Working Mom
Key Takeaways
- A working mom routine works best when it focuses on preparation, flexibility, and support instead of perfection.
- Meal prep and grocery delivery can save time; consider preparing lunches and bottles the night before.
- Use lunch breaks for self-care or errands to maximize your free time during the workday.
- Incorporate exercise into your schedule, whether it’s in the morning, during lunch, or after work with family.
- Set bills to autopay and organize chores with your partner to create a smoother, stress-free home life.
Creating a Working Mom Routine That Actually Works
I learned that a working mom routine only works when it leaves room for preparation, flexibility, and support, not perfection.
Preparing Lunches
Check with your daycare to see if they will provide meals for your child. This may be an additional cost. Or, it may be included in your tuition! If not, make preparing lunches part of your dinnertime routine. You may be able to package up leftovers for your lunch and put together a quick sandwich for your child (ren).
When you do your grocery haul on the weekends (I recommend using grocery delivery to save time), items that you buy in bulk, such as crackers, Cheez-Its, or cookies, can be broken down into smaller packages. This can help you quickly grab them and add them to a lunch bag. For a brief period, we subscribed to a toddler meal delivery service to make it simpler to serve meals to our toddler.
Preparing Bottles
If your little one is not yet eating solids, prepare bottles the night before and store them in the fridge for use the next day. This might consist of thawing frozen milk in warm water while you prepare dinner. Or, you can also take fresh milk from your pumps earlier that day. Having the bottles ready to go the night before will help simplify your mornings.
Related: Mom Hacks for Easier Mornings
Groceries and Meal Planning
As I mentioned earlier, grocery delivery is one chore I choose to outsource. That is a major chore that I choose to outsource. The fees are minimal compared to the cost of gas and the time it takes to grocery shop every week, not to mention managing the inventory in the fridge and pantry. You can keep a running shared grocery list and add items as the week goes on or when you realize you are low on certain items. Once a week, you can review those items and build a grocery cart.
We only use grocery delivery for our staples and kid-related meal items. The adults subscribe to a meal delivery service (as I mentioned earlier, outsourcing can be beneficial) that eliminates all the guesswork from meal planning and grocery delivery. For the nights that are truly unmanageable and hectic, we default to DoorDash or the beloved frozen pizza we keep on hand for those nights.
If grocery delivery isn’t something you want to commit to, utilize grocery pickup if your store offers it. Truly, it can be a huge time saver.
Pumping Schedule
As a breastfeeding, working mom, my pumping routine is non-negotiable. I block off several 30-minute calendar appointments daily to reserve that time for pumping. But what happens if my calendar has last-minute changes? As we all know, calendars are a moving target. I try to leave enough flexibility in my pumping schedule to shift times as needed to accommodate meetings or urgent requests. If all else fails? I have a wearable pump. I have worn it at my desk to pump when I cannot step away due to meetings and other tasks (and I work in an open office environment!).
Related: Tips for Pumping at Work
Lunch Breaks
I know many people who choose to work through their lunch break. However, as a working mom, any free time you get during the workday is a cherished opportunity to do something for yourself. When I was pregnant with my first son, I once napped on my lunch break in my car because I was so exhausted during my first trimester. While I do not recommend taking regular naps at work, your lunch break can still be a valuable reset during a busy day.
If it’s possible to work through lunch and end your workday a bit earlier, that might be a great option for your routine. If you have a firm start and stop time with a mandatory lunch break, you can use that time in many different ways. I would prioritize self-care, such as taking a walk indoors or outside, soaking up some Vitamin D (don’t forget sunscreen!), or reading a book or magazine away from your desk.
Related: Quick Self-Care Tips for Busy Moms
Exercise
Exercise is the hardest thing that I have found to prioritize as a working mom. There are a few options, though, including before your kids get up in the morning, on your lunch break, after work, or after the kids go to bed. An idea for after work is taking a family walk before or after dinner. This is a great way to get some exercise in and spend time with your family.
Working from home has made this easier for many women, allowing them to squeeze in a quick workout between meetings, as numerous at-home workout options are now available.
Wherever you decide exercise best fits into your schedule, I recommend scheduling it on your calendar just as you would a work meeting. I find I am more likely to do my workout when I manage it that way.
Finances
I recommend setting as many bills as possible to autopay. It’s great to be able to “set it and forget it.” Just remember to review your accounts every now and then to ensure you’re not overspending. I spend two Saturdays a month, for an hour or two, paying bills that are not set up for autopay. I also review our family’s budget to ensure we are staying on track. Try to carve out a set time during the month to work on finance-related tasks all at once.
Chores
I firmly believe that the best money we spend all month, which helps me tremendously with my working mom routine, is on a regular cleaning service. I recognize that this is not a possibility for everyone. There are ways to work cleaning into your daily routine. Create a list of daily, weekly, monthly, and annual chores and review it with your partner to determine who can best handle each task.
Try to complete daily tasks every night before bed. Many tasks mentioned above, such as making lunches and bottles, would appear on this list. Perhaps while your partner puts the kid(s) to bed at night, you can tackle wiping down the kitchen counter and loading/unloading the dishwasher.
For weekly tasks such as cleaning bathrooms or vacuuming, consider splitting them with your partner on the weekends so you can divide and conquer, and still enjoy some of your weekend time. You can work monthly and annual tasks into your routine as time allows. Examples include giving the dogs their heartworm medication or changing your air filters. There are numerous printable resources available to help you organize your chores.
Related: How I Split Responsibilities With My Partner
Example Schedule
Now that we know what needs to be done in a day, it’s up to you to organize your day in the most effective way possible. Consider hiring someone to help with some of the chores, if possible. It’s best to build your routine around the items you must do. You have to be at work by 9 a.m. and home by 5 p.m.? Let’s make that the foundation of the routine! Do your kids have to be in bed by 7:30 p.m.? We can also build that in.
This sample schedule is just one example. Adjust times and tasks to fit your family’s needs.
- 6 a.m. Rise and shine! Get ready for work, make coffee and breakfast, and make sure all bags are packed for the day.
- 7 a.m. Time for baby to wake up and feed, get baby dressed and ready for the day.
- 7:30 a.m. Get your toddler up and serve them breakfast while the baby plays in their activity center. After breakfast, change clothes and brush teeth – begin the toddler battle to get shoes on. (You may need to add in an extra 15 minutes or so for this.)
- 8:15 a.m. Leave the house. Drop kids off at daycare. Commute.
- 9 a.m. Arrive at work.
- 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Pump break (if needed). This is a good time to take a brain break in general.
- 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Multitasking time! Lunch break at your desk if needed — pay bills, renew a gymnastics membership, or handle other quick online tasks.
- 3 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Pump break (if needed). Another good time for a brain break.
- 5 p.m.: Commute home. (Maybe partner picks kids up from daycare!)
- 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.: Make and serve dinner. Clean up and throw in some laundry while the kids play independently. Bath time and bedtime routine. If time permits, consider taking a 30-minute family walk after dinner.
- 7:30 p.m. Get ready for tomorrow (pack lunches, pack pump parts, make bottles). Then, me time! Use this time to work out, shower, prep for the morning, read, spend time with your partner, or watch TV.
- 10 p.m. Lights out.
Remember to Breathe!
Being a working mom comes with challenges, but a thoughtful routine can make each day feel more manageable. With a few realistic adjustments, you can reduce stress and create a rhythm that works for your family. Every routine looks different, and that’s okay. What matters most is finding what supports you and your family in this season.
