Being a working mom is hard. I’m a mom of 5 and I gotta tell you, it’s tough being a Christian working mom. Whether you’re a mom of 1, or 5 or more, I know that this will relate to you. I started working from home a little over a year ago, so I’ve gotten into the hang of what it’s like being a working mom from home.
I want to preface this by saying…I am not the perfect mom, and will never claim to be. These are just some simple tips that help me as I navigate working from home, and I know that they can benefit you too!
Here are my tips for the Christian working mom:
1- Have A Solid Morning Routine
It all starts with your morning routine! Do you feel at ease in the mornings? Or chaotic like me? Either way, even if you do find your mornings chaotic there are still some ways to make it a little less chaotic. And that comes down to your routine!
I know it doesn’t make any sense, and it may sound silly but even if I wake up late, I still have a routine in place and I don’t stray too far from it. It’s easy to get caught up with distractions (especially the kids!) but just remember to be solid in your routine, even if you get a little off track it’s okay!
2- Plan/Prepare Your Meals
Now, I gotta tell you I am the worst at prepping meals. The absolute worst. Maybe one day, I will get on that level. But for now, I am just fine with planning them, because that helps a lot. I plan my meals a week out, with small trips to the store in between. I’m that crazy person who loves to grocery shop so I don’t mind going a few times a week.
We also love leftovers and they make it easier the next night and I don’t have to cook! That is win/win for me!
We also love shopping at Costco. They have so many great things for our large family. I am pretty sure we get a good 90% of our household items from Costco. Shopping there definitely helps my planning and I am a huge fan of their pre-made meals, especially the ones you just take and bake!
3- Give Yourself Grace
This one is really hard for me. Sometimes I am not the best at giving myself grace. However, my husband is. He always shows me grace and that helps me to show it to myself, too. As working Christian moms, we need to give ourselves grace.
We are so busy that sometimes that we don’t stop to give ourselves grace. After our kids are in bed, we think:
- I shouldn’t have said that
- I could have done this better
- Why didn’t I say that?
- Am I filling my kids with Christ and filling their love cup?
And don’t get me wrong- We NEED to think about these things because recognizing them and doing something about it is how we get better. However, we also need to give grace. God gives us grace all of the time. We should show it to ourselves more.
4- Take Small Breaks When You Can
Since I started working from home, taking breaks has been extremely beneficial. By taking smaller breaks, I am freeing up more time for later! Here are some of the quick things that I do with small breaks (think anywhere from 5-20 minutes)
- Prep for breakfast/lunch/dinner
- Start laundry
- Wash a few dishes
- Clean up an area quickly
- Check the mail
- Water the plants
There are SO many things you can do! And even for bigger projects that you’re procrastinating about (because believe me, I know all about those), even taking 5-10 minutes to start helps with motivation!
5- Make Time For Yourself
One of the things that I look forward to as a busy mom of 5 kids, is time for myself. For me, time for myself is watching a movie, working on my blog, writing, taking a shower, having a glass of wine. What does that look like for you?
Take the time for yourself and do those little things that make you smile!
6- Make Time For Prayer
Prayer is so important, but it’s easy to lose focus sometimes. As a Christian working mom, it’s so important to have everything lead back to prayer. I pray all the time in my head but sometimes it’s just nice to really breathe and take a second and be in prayer.
I also love to pray with my kids, it teaches them so many things, including that you are their biggest role model when it comes to modeling prayer.
7- Take Care Of Yourself
Ouch. This one is hard for me, and I have been trying to get better. But the truth is, we cannot take care of anyone else if we simply do not take care of ourselves. That means the basic things, which is crazy to have to remind a mom, right?
Wrong! We need to be reminded! If you haven’t reminded yourself lately, please take this as your reminder right now! Go brush your hair, your teeth, hop in the shower. So many times as moms we put our needs aside for our kids.
But we need to be the best that we can be for them!
8- Get Your Activity In
This definitely goes with taking care of yourself, but it’s a whole other level! Being active is so important. Find what works for you, and make sure to get your activity in. My husband got me a watch earlier that is pretty awesome for checking my activity.
It’s even more awesome when I see my progress when I am working out (which I have gotten terrible at, this is my reminder too!)
Side note: Get your kids involved! My kids love seeing me workout (probably just to laugh at me), but honestly, they love working out too and they always ask to do it with me! It’s a great way to be active and share that with your kids!
9- Spend Time Reflecting
Reflecting on your day is a great way to really deeply think about your day. Now, this isn’t to say dwell on it if you had a bad day, either, but simply to see the joy in your day. Here are some of the questions I ask myself when I’m reflecting:
- What could I have done better?
- What should I have said?
- How can I be better?
- How can I be more like Jesus?
- How can I handle a similar situation next time?
By asking yourself these questions, you are being aware. You are being human. And if you find yourself dwelling, seek God and tell him your worries, and let Him do the rest. All we can do is keep trying. Keep going. With God’s grace that is possible, and so amazing!
10- Have A Solid Bedtime Routine
Before bed, there are a few things that I do every single night that just help things go a little bit better for me. For example, right before bed is when I’ll go to the bathroom and brush my teeth and hair.
It’s just something I do every night that if I were to go to bed without doing those things I’d feel strange and have to get right back up to go do those things. So, find your bedtime routine.
Find those productive things to do right before bed. Even if it’s as simple as brushing your teeth and hair!
Tell me, what helps you the most as a Christian working mom? I’d love to know in the comments!
Related Post: An Open Letter To Busy Moms Everywhere
