Working mums, help with schedules & time management.

[twoby2]

I've always been very independent and 'keep calm & carry on' but I'm really struggling to stay on top of things.
I had to return to work when my ds was 3 months old for financial reasons. He is now 6 months old and its getting harder everyday.
I wake up at 6am rush around to get us ready to leave at 7.30am, go to work and we both get home at 5pm. After we've had dinner & bath there isn't much time for anything else.
Any spare time I do get I'm torn between spending time with my lo or doing the long overdue housework.
There must be loads of other people in my situation. How do you manage it?? Whats the secret??

I'm not fulltime but my saviour is a cleaner. She comes for 2 hours a week when I am at work and it is BLISS. Well worth the cost. If you possibly can, get one.

It had crossed my mind to hire a cleaner.
2 hours a week sounds affordable.
I'll look into it.
Thank you.

Cleaner, online shopping, send your ironing out. Honestly it does get easier, your DS is still very little.

What are you doing between 6 and 7.30? break down the actual tasks and work out if any can be done night before/dropped. Rushing is stressful, and baby will pick up on that.

Do you have an OH/DP, what can he do?

Deffo get a cleaner and just let your standards slip!

Makes sure you enjoy the time that you have together, before you know it your DS will be a gangly teen!

good luck x

RavenVonChaos - 6-7.30 i'm eating dinner, washing up, & shower.
Just get the feeling I'm doing something wrong. Everyone else seems to be coping and I'm not... Its unlike me to get so bogged down.
OH = waste of time.
I'm worried that my ds is going to grow up and I've missed everything because of working full time & spending my spare time doing housework, etc.........

Sit OH down at weekend and tell home which chores are his from now on.

Sorry I meant 6-7.30 in the morning.

Basically I have been doing this for 17 years and you never have enough time! Still lose the plot/forget lunch/miss appointments on a regular basis. Just remember to Stop and breathe.

X

was interested in case i could learn any more tips. agree with whats been said - cleaner, cut corners, online shopping, what can you stop doing? showering twice a day? can you get a dishwasher?

work out what works best for you - i like systems and doing things once a week. so i wash clothes as required then sort once a week and iron essentials (my clothes) only. others seem to prefer doing little and often.

when do you have most energy - do the jobs then.

both your morning and 6-7.30 routines look like they could do with some pruning (unless you like a big breakfast and 3 course dinnner!)

Hi,
I got this:
www.amazon.co.uk/Books-Time-Management-Manic-Mums/dp/B002YDZ18C/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1311164593&sr=8-6
when i had to go back full time when DH started getting laid off. Full of handy tips and just changing the way you look at things.
I lay everything I need out the night before (my clothes, boys clothes, bag for ChildMinder).
Also, bath every second night is very good. Small kids don't get completely filthy so you can skip a night.
Stop ironing. Really who cares?
Shop online, cook ahead at the weekend in batches.
Use a diary (though since I got my iphone I have lost it).
Have a central calendar and make sure that everything is marked in it so you can keep track.
Good luck!

my top tips are

• split jobs in the morning (DH gets the boys ready while I sort breakfast, packed lunch and school bags) and evening (one of you cooks, one tidies up or hoovers) - if you're both doing the jobs they'll be done quickly. OH has no excuse not to pull his weight

• get a cleaner if you can and let your standards slip abig

• break your chores into bitesize 5 minute jobs - that way you can do a couple each night without running yourself ragged

• online shopping and meal planning - when you do cook either do quick (ready in 20 minute meals) or cook extra and freeze portions for quick dinners

It does get easier I promise.

get a slow cooker. just tip things in whilst having breakfast and dinner ready when you get home. and good for batch cooking at weekend and freezing some.

Make packed lunches the night before (sandwiches in fridge, non-perishables packed and ready to go). Get clothes out and get everything as ready as you can before you go to bed. One of you gets kids dressed/ brekkie while the other has a shower then you swap over - other parent has shower while the ready parent finishes getting kids ready. We've got our morning routine down to about 45 mins this way.

For a start, you both have to pitch in. Any other way is madness.

We have a cleaner two hours a week and apart from laundry, tidying & kitchen wipe downs we don't do any housework in the week and only a little at the weekend. I don't iron anything that can't be done in two minutes on the bedroom floor in the morning. We shop online.

Morning:
We all get up at 6am. I shower, dress and do my hair while DH & DS (who is 3) have breakfast and wash.
Dh leaves at 6.45 and I take over with DS, we hang out for around 1/2 hour reading, playing & watching telly while I eat my breakfast.
7.15 I get DS dressed and hair brushed and we leave at 7.30.

Evening:
DH gets back around 5.15; sorts the nursery bag the minute he gets in and gets the tea on...gets DS to 'help'.
We eat very simple, low prep food in the week...meat/fish & veg. Or things made at the weekend to last more than one meal (curry, quiche, stew etc.)
I get back at 6.00 and when we usually eat within 10 minutes.
Chill out together for an hour or so before DS goes to bed. He has a shower/bath every other day.
When he's in bed we do houseworky things. I tidy & sort washing, DH washes up and makes his sandwiches. We both stop to relax/do our own things around 8.30-9.00.

The toddler stage is so much easier IMO. Also, when DS is awake almost everything we do is with him. So if I do put the vac round, he has a sweeper and we do it together. Washing up, he'll be next to me with a dish rag. Laundry, he passes me pegs & helps me fold. This is all play to them if you make it and counts as good, quality time. When DS was a baby I had a sling and used to carry him around while I did stuff (DH just carried him in his arms.) they love that too.