How to Find Time to Write When You Are a Mom
Let’s face it - mothers have pretty much no free time at all. When they aren’t taking care of the kids, they are looking after the chores or having to go to the office for their work if they have no maternal leave. If you, though, are a recent or an expecting mom who wishes to work from home to have better flexibility in your professional journey, you might be wondering how to achieve that. After all, if you, for instance, are considering writing for motherly, you are certainly on the right path towards it because they are an amazing place for all mothers out there. Being a writer is not an easy journey in and out of itself, even less so when you have children. So, here we are with some tips on how to find time to write when you are a mom.
Split the Housework
One of the main things you can do to ensure you have high-quality mom writing time is to split the housework. Gone are the days when women had to do all the work around the house. Now, you can get your partner to help you out. Sit together and draft some ideas about who can best do what. If you have older children, it’s time to task them with some chores to teach them how to complete those tasks on their own. The latter also helps with setting them up to be independent individuals who can manage their lives easily.
Moms Notes
Yes, yes, we know that the phrase doesn’t tell you much. So, let’s explain more. Set up a ‘mom’s notes’ diary, stack of post-its, or whatever material for handwriting you have at hand. Place it somewhere you can easily reach it but out of children’s reach. Then, every time you have a good idea, jot it down in the notes. For instance, you can write something there even as you lullaby your baby to sleep. Then, later, look at the ideas you’ve come up with and decide if you wish to proceed or let them develop a little in your mind. You’d probably find this incredibly useful if you wish to engage with motherly notes.
When the Kids Are Sleeping
Yes, this is the best time to write. We know you might be tempted to do something around the house or lie down a bit and just relax. But if you wish to be a writer, it’s best to use this time so you won’t have to hurriedly scramble something before you go to bed yourself and get even less quality sleep. Depending on whether you have younger or older children, babies, or toddlers, those hours and the times of the day will vary. If you have older children, the best time to write is when they are at school. But if you have a baby, you’d have to adhere to a different schedule. Some days, it will be more sleep and more writing, other times the baby will be awake for longer and need you more. That is totally okay. You are doing a great job taking care of a human being, a well-loved child, and trying to work at the same time. Don’t demand too much of yourself. The flexibility of your work-from-home schedule is the best part of it all. With it, you can work whenever you can rather than whenever you are contractually obliged to.
Use the Waiting Time
Now, if you have older children, you’re probably taking them here and there, waiting for them in front of the school, waiting during sports, dance, etc. practice. You can utilize this time to write a bit. This can be done even on your phone, thanks to the multifunctionality of phones nowadays. They can be your personal mini-PC, fully within your reach anytime and anywhere. Sure, it’s not necessary to always write while you are waiting. But if you have work that’s pending and you feel like it, you can just unlock your phone and start drafting.
Engage Your Kids into It
If your kids are a bit older, you can turn the ‘mother writing’ time into ‘all writing time’. Simply make it a game. Give your kids a topic and tell them to think of a story. Depending on their age, they can write it down or just come up with it and tell it to you out loud. During the same time, you can write a bit - or longer, depending on the situation. Then you are all good to hear what your kids have come up with - who knows, you might even have another future writer in the family! Or, for instance, if you find yourself in a position among assignment writers, where you need to provide high-quality well-research papers, essays, etc., you can implement the same thing. Of course, change it a bit to fit the age of your kids. For instance, if you are writing a history essay, have your kids think of the historical events they know have happened. It could be anything and doesn’t have to be right because you will be able to correct them later, whereas in the meantime, they work out their intelligence and you are working on your writing projects.
Here are some useful tips, according to the Write Life:
- ‘Get in the habit of writing in short bursts.’
- ‘Use plans, systems, templates, and checklists.’
- ‘Don’t try to write with kids in the room.’
- ‘Swap time off with your partner.’
- ‘Book a writing retreat.’
- ‘Let go of perfectionism (as a writer and as a parent).’
Conclusion
Those are, of course, just some of the ways you can find time to write when taking care of children and wanting to have a writing work-at-home career. You can work what’s best for you and your children, and you can come up with your genius ideas of how to utilize your writing time the best. One thing is certain - being both a mother and a writer at the same time might be hard but it’s worth it at the end of the day.