Why you should get yourself a planner.

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I need some structure. I enjoy having a to-do list. My toddler, my pets, my husband, my house, just run more smoothly on a schedule.

I have officially been back at it as a stay at home mama for almost a month. It’s been amazing, and stressful, and a little isolating, but we’re finding our groove.

Surprisingly, one of the biggest struggles so far is keeping myself busy and getting done what I want to get done, while simultaneously feeling like I’m not doing enough “nothing” with Everest. The procrastinator in me has been poking around, making me think I’ve got all the time in the world. You’d think I would have learned not to listen to her by now, but she gets the best of me sometimes.

So I’ve decided to put myself on a bit of a schedule.

It sounds silly right? Putting yourself on a schedule. You’re a stay at home mom, you’ve got all day to get stuff done.

Wrong.

If you are anything like me, then you’ve found yourself standing at the stove making dinner wondering how in the hell nothing got done today.

How in the world was I home all fricken day and yet I accomplished only half of my list?

I need some structure. I enjoy having a to-do list. My toddler, my pets, my husband, my house, just run more smoothly on a schedule.

Now I’m not saying I plan every minute of everyday. I still have spontaneous dance parties with my kid in the middle of cooking breakfast. And I still accidentally find myself binge watching Grey’s Anatomy for 3 hours… #sorrynotsorry

I just mean a basic list of things I like to get done and a rough timeline of when I like to do them.

Between my side hustle, the blog, and my kid, life was feeling too crammed. Like I was working all day, when the whole point of staying home is to spend more time with Everest, not less.

As stay at home moms that work from home it can be hard to separate the two. We find ourselves struggling to figure out where work starts and where it stops, when we work from our kitchen table.

So, I went old school and bought myself a planner. And I fricken love it.

It helps me keep my shit together, or at least gives me the illusion that its together.

I bought this super cute planner from Bloom off Amazon and so far I’m hooked. Super affordable, cute, lots of awesome pages like to-do lists, contacts, website logins, great quality, and it has nice motivational quotes each month to give you a little pick me up.

It actually really gives me a sense of accomplishment to sit down and plan out my week.

Not only do I plan out my meals, grocery lists, appointments, when bills are due, and other mundane things. I also plan out what days I would, in a perfect world, get certain house cleaning stuff done, and what my goal for the blog is for that day. Whether it be to write an article, focus on Pinterest, or answer comments<3

If you know me well, you know I have some mild, but very much present, OCD about keeping my house clean. I know, I know, everyone that knew me as a child and into my teenage and young adult years, is laughing in disbelief, but it’s true.

Having Everest literally flipped some imaginary switch in me. I thrive in a clean home. Do I still have way too much crap? Yes. Absolutely.

#kindofahoarder

But keeping it in its place and clean isn’t a want for me at this point, it’s a need. Too much clutter and disarray unleashes my anxiety (which also didn’t surface until becoming a mama). And ain’t no one happy if mama ain’t happy.

Side note, if you’re struggling with anxiety and need some reassurance that you’re not alone, you can check out my article:

I had never tasted anxiety, until I drank from the cup of motherhood.

Anyways, back to my planner obsession…

I obviously have the tasks I do every day, like obsessively washing dishes because I can’t stand them in the sink, vacuuming… because dog hair takes over my life, and picking up the same toys 735 times. Then there are the tasks I try to do weekly to make sure the house is mostly sanitary and all that good stuff. Like cleaning the bathroom, deep cleaning the kitchen and fridge, and mopping the floors. Those are the ones I plan.

And let me tell you, it is weirdly satisfying to physically cross tasks off of your to-do list. Weird fact about me… sometimes I’ll write in something I already did just to cross it off and feel more accomplished… go ahead, you can judge me a little.

So, if you too find yourself trying to figure out how to balance free time and get shit done time, when technically, you’ve got nothing but whatever you want time… Get yourself a planner.

You’re welcome.

XoXo,

The Beautifully Mediocre Mama

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