Those of you who are familiar with my blog or follow me on Twitter will know that I’ve been back for just over 3 months now, having had a year off for maternity leave. And these three months have been a massive juggling act, and a huge adjustment. I finally feel like we have found a routine, and I’m getting better at keeping all the plates spinning. Although still perfecting it.
I have so much admiration for other working Mums who manage work, school and nursery pick ups, and those who also do this with more than one child.
It’s been super tough adapting to a new routine but here’s how I manage my day:
- 6am – Alarm goes off. Get up, have a shower, either wash or don’t wash my hair.
- 6.30am – Have a cup of tea and breakfast, and catch up on blogging email and Twitter.
- 7am – Wake our daughter (I have to wake her most days) and get her ready for nursery, as well as getting her bag packed.
- 7.25am – Leave the house for nursery drop off, and walk to nursery, it takes about 12 minutes to walk there.
- 7.40am – Arrive at nursery and drop off my daughter for breakfast.
- 7.55am – Catch the train into London for work.
- 8.30am – Arrive at work and spend 30 minutes reading emails and planning my day.
- 9am – 5pm – At work busy in project meetings, briefing designers and developers, reviewing work and writing documentation.
- 5pm – Leave the office at 5pm on the dot, any later I might miss the train.
- 5.20pm – Take the train from London back home.
- 5.30pm – Hop foot it back up the hill to nursery
- 5.45pm – Arrive at nursery to collect our daughter, and I will then probably spend a few minutes chatting to the staff about how her day went.
- 6pm – Arrive home and cook my daughter dinner often Spaghetti Bolognese, followed by a Weetabix.
- 6.45pm – Bath and splash time.
- 7pm – Story and bed time.
- 7.15pm – 10pm – Often I will spend this time making dinner for my husband and I, doing household chores, cooking a batch of food for my daughter, catching up on work or writing a blog post.
- 10.30pm – That’s it the day is over. I try really hard to go to bed at 10.30 to avoid being too tired the next day.
And repeat……
This has been pretty much my daily routine for the last 3 months. There are some changes that I need to make to it. I need to get better at time blocking my day, and sharing the chores at home with my husband. We have just got a cleaner which has made life A LOT easier, and that I no longer have to worry about having an unclean bathroom or when I can fit in the hoovering.
It’s been challenging going back to work after a year drinking coffee and eating cake in the local coffee shops. But I am enjoying using my brain again.
How did you find the juggling act when you returned to work, how did you manage it all. I would love to hear from you.
Claire x
I’m finding it quite hard to get into the groove of our routine at the moment…it’s so comforting to know that around 3 months after starting, you’re feeling settled into it. It’s such a juggling act though, isn’t it! I agree too, hats off to those mums juggling school pick ups and 2,3,4 kids…xx #triballove
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Thanks Bridie, you will find a routine soon. I promise. It does take time but you soon find something that works for you. Getting a cleaner has really helped too. Claire x
Oh my goodness you are very organised. My problem isn’t the routine, it’s the fact that I am starting to resent spending so much time away from my children.
Hi Claire
This is so interesting to read – I’m planning a blog post on routines of my different friends who either work/don’t work, have one or two children as I think it’s very helpful to hear how others do it. Thanks for sharing – I’m going back to work in the new year after maternity and already pretty nervous about the juggle with 2!
Why does she have a weetabix after her tea?!?! haha! Sounds a bit hectic but you seem to take it in your stride #fortheloveofblog
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Wow it that really is a juggling act! I image that sometimes it feels like time just leave you behind x
#fortheloveofBLOG
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You are doing so well. Because I work from home my husband struggles to respect my hours and I don’t think he’s quite understood that just because I’m in the house doesn’t mean I available for house chores, chats and looking after Caspian. I wish I could afford an office, but hopefully once the rest of the house is finished we’ll have more space and I can retreat better. Sometimes I wish I was going off to work though my commute into London would take a lot longer than yours. #fortheloveofBLOG
Nadia – Scandimummy x
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I will return to work on January. I’m a little bit sad because my boy will be 9 months and I will miss him:( Although I will spend some time with adults what can be quite good for my brain:D I can see that you doing really great!
#fortheloveofBLOG
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I can’t believe how jealous I was just reading 6am alarm!! Miss H is awake between 5 & 5:30! Glad it’s working well for you it’s such a huge adjustment going back to work; I’ve had my first week at work this week and it’s such a different routine! I would so have a cleaner if I could afford one! #fortheloveofBLOG x
It sounds like you are doing fab! We are a month in and getting there! #fortheloveofBLOG
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Sounds like you’ve got your routine down to a fine art. I work from home so my hours are quite random, but now my daughter’s in Kindergarten, we have to be a bit more organised in the mornings. I do struggle balancing chores with work as that’s one of the downsides of being at home. Either work, or the house tends to get ignored. #fortheloveofBLOG
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I didn’t return to work after my mat leave ended; we decided I would leave due to the workload I would have. I’ve been thinking a lot about returning to work recently though as my daughter is now 2. I was never really very organised (even though I’m a tutor by trade!) but if I do return I will definitely need to stick to a set schedule like yours.
#fortheloveofBLOG
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My routine gets crazier and crazier I swear. I thought it was bad when I worked and had two girls- not I am home with FOUR girls- but with the schol runs, playdates, doing EVERYTHING around here, errands and now SPORTS- stupid stupid SPORTS- I want to pull my hair out nearly every single day.
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You are doing amazingly well, I don’t work and my routine is crazy enough!! I take my hat off to all of you working mums, I don’t know how you do it!! #fortheloveofBLOG
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Wow you are busy! Wait til you have two children going to two different schools lol x
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This routine sounds so similar to mine! I have a slightly longer commute so my husband does the drop-off as I get the train just after 7am. But the very regimented schedule is so familiar. I was like you too – I didn’t fully settle into a routine until I’d been back for 3 months. It keeps getting easier, unless illness strikes; But that’s unavoidable. I would definitely agree about sharing chores etc with your husband. We split the cleaning effort and alternate cooking days. I don’t get as much time in the evenings as I would like but I’m pretty sure I thought that pre-motherhood! Hope you manage to fine-tune the routine over the next three months! #fortheloveofBLOG
Sounds like you’re doing pretty good with that routine!! It is a juggle isn’t it. I’ve just started a new job and everything has been messed up whilst I’ve been training, I hope I find my balance soon too. #fortheloveofBLOG
I am back to work today. While I have tried to arrange for set shifts that match our current routine, and we shouldn’t face too much disruption, i’m still concerned about finding my balance again! x #fortheloveofblog
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Wow that’s an intense full packed day. I admire all mums who can work that much, I really miss work but I’m not sure I could realistically do it and put my all into it. Good luck with it all! You genuinely deserve a medal for fitting so much into a day Xx
#fortheloveofBLOG
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really pleased you i’ve found a routine that works Claire. it is tough going back and trying to fit everything in. I decided when I went back that we’d get a cleaner and it has helped massively. I see it as money well spent tho as it basically gives me back time on a weekend to be with my son 🙂
#fortheloveofblog
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That sounds like a great routine.
I found it super hard the last time I went by to work. Hopefully this time because of hours changing. I will find it a lot easier, with a pick up from the baby sitter and the nursery 🙂
At the moment though I am enjoying the cake and coffee 🙂
Great post.
L x
http://workingmumy.blogspot.com
I know what you mean about having to juggle everything – sometimes I feel like my day is one mad rush, from having to wake up the Popple in the morning to catch the bus to get to nursery, going to work for a full day, picking her up, taking the bus home, dinner, bath, her bedtime, a few ‘free’ hours to do chores/blog, then bed for me. It works but it can be exhausting! #fortheloveofBLOG
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I haven’t gone back to work yet so I have no idea how I will sort out the routine. At the moment none of us get up until 8am which will be a nightmare when school runs etc start – it’s great to read about how your routine works! #fortheloveofBLOG
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I’m in awe of this amazing juggling act – I WISH I had to wake my children – they wake me anytime between 5.30am – 6.15am and I think it would be so much easier if I had a little time to myself at the beginning of the day. I love that you give your little one weetabix at the end of the day too – I usually have something similar lined up too to help with sleeping….. well done for allowing yourself a cleaner – this is a MUST. xx #fortheloveofBLOG
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Claire, that really is a lot to juggle and it sounds like you are doing an amazing job. Hopefully you’ll find a few more ways to free up some time, not just for your lovely daughter and partner but also for yourself. #Fortheloveofblog
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Thanks Jane! Hope so. Off to check out your rustic kitchen post now x
Oh that is quite a juggle for you and a long day too! I would love a cleaner and I’m at home all day! #fortheloveofblog
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I have just gone back to work in the evenings and finding it hard to get into a routine as my evenings used to be filled with cleaning and blogging, now I have to fit it in the day #bigpinklink
Wow sounds like you’ve got it timed perfectly. I’m a SAHM so I’m in total awe of mums like you who juggle so brilliantly. I guess it’s a case of you get used to it and it becomes the norm. Hats off though mama, you’re doing a great job #fortheloveofBLOG
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Time blocking sounds a great way to manage things. #fortheloveofblog
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Really glad to hear that things are settling into a routine, sounds like you have perfected it to me! I am also extremely jealous that you have to wake your daughter, both my girls are up before 6am everyday, I dream of having to wake them up! Lol! #fortheloveofblog
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It’s so nice to see you lovely! That sounds very hectic, but I think that time planning is the most important thing in the world, I work from home and trying to fit that in around life is so hard and I often end up working until 11pm. Thanks for joining us at the #bigpinklink
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It’s hard working out a routine that works for you as you know that some curveball is going to put you off course! Great for you to share this. The day goes so quickly for me. My commute is my chance to organise stuff whilst I’m on my own x #fortheloveofBLOG
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I’m back at work over two years and I still feel like I’m juggling. Although I’m juggling an awful lot better now than I was at the beginning. It all gets easier and the routine becomes the norm. You have a great handle on everything since you went back to work hun #fortheloveofblog
I have this to come very soon! & doing it now on my own with two toddlers, following a relocation, I’m sure it will be lots of juggling! We’ll see how it goes! #fortheloveofBLOG
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Good luck x
Mid juggle ourselves and it is hairy enough
Love this! Drafting a similar post actually as I love nosing at other people’s routines to get tips. You’re so lucky your little one need waking… can you send some of that vibe our way please?!
Kimberly x
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