Part-time SAHP with WFH / part-time Homemakers - how do you structure your days to make the most of your time

[ParisintheWinter]

I am really lucky and recognise this is an utter first world problem to have. I'm married to DH with a DD who is 3. DD goes to nursery Mon-Thurs and I look after her Fridays. Mon-Thurs I work, however my work is a bit unusual because I run a charity helping others and we rely on grant funding, but for reasons outside of my control the funding has recently dried up (government cuts etc). I also do some private tutoring but only during term time and only a few hours worth a week, (approx 4hrs).

I am currently trying to get access to different / more grant funding for the charity but not getting any income in the meantime apart from tiny amounts for my tutoring. My DH is supportive and we are very fortunate that he is a high earner so we don't rely on my income. (not a stealth boast - I actually feel icky and guilty saying it).

Anyway we've agreed I'll work for the next 6 months on getting the non-profit back up and running and then if I can't I'll go back into teaching.

How should I structure my weeks to make the best out of my time? Today was my first day and I had big plans and a list but have found myself on Mumsnet and procrastinating! Not what I wanted.

I want to do my work effectively, plus use the time to do housework (laundry, cleaning etc), admin and things for the family, as well as make time to exercise, also occasionally visit elderly parent with dementia, and then care for DD on Fridays.

If you wfh part-time / part-time homemaker / part-time SAHP, how do you structure your days so that you actually make the most of the time and don't just waste it?

I don't exactly fit your bill, but I effectively have a free day today with which I've been very productive and I have good skillz at getting shit done generally, so here's my approach:

• Lists. Physical lists. First thing I do in the morning is write a list of everything I intend to accomplish that day and then I cross things off. This include exercise, "life admin", arranging meetups with friends, etc. The trick is to make the things specific and realistic ("write 200 words of methodology section of master's thesis", not "work on thesis", which is too woolly and too easy to procrastinate on) and also to include exercise, relaxation, and the other good stuff of life. A tiny bit of something gets you further than nothing.
• Small rewards; a square of dark chocolate, thirty minutes to watch a comedy, but only once I've Done All The Things.
• Tackling the things I like least first.
• Making commitments to other people. If I know I'm stalling on something, I try and make a concrete promise to someone else ie. "I'll get a first draft of this to you by Thursday". There's usually someone else I can make myself feel responsible to, or in an extremity I tell DH to nag me if I haven't done X.
• Accepting that some days the list goes to hell and you just need to chill.

I think that getting things done is about 80% mental habit, tbh, and it feeds on itself. Good luck.

Thanks that’s really helpful!

I had a month off recently between jobs and could not believe how much time I had on my hands it was amazing.

I dropped DD at school in my gym clothes, did a workout straight afterwards and then did the housework. I was done with all this my 10 am!!

I found this meant I'd done all the big things and could then do what I wanted with the rest of the time.

Perhaps take this approach and then carve up the rest of your hours with work?