A Week In The Life Of A WAHM Writer
Planning, prepping and productivity.
So many people have asked how I juggle nursing shifts, 2 young children, a content marketing business and freelance work. I won’t lie. It is not easy. But with great planning, organisation and not wasting time I can get plenty done!
Here is what a week in the life of a WAHM Writer looks like:
Sunday:
I usually work a nursing day shift, from 7am until about 3pm. Once I am home it is all about getting prepped for the week ahead:
- Make and pack Mr 6 school lunch and Miss almost 3 kinder lunch.
- Fold and put away clothes (sometimes my hubby has already done it).
- Pack kids bags and lay out their clothes for tomorrow.
Once the evening bedtime routine is done and both kids are in bed (and hopefully asleep), it is time to do some business and writing planning for the week ahead.
- Sit down with my paper diary and google calendars and plan out the week ahead. This includes everything from swimming lessons and appointments to when the house cleaning, shopping and washing will be done.
- I create and schedule a week’s worth of social media posts.
- I use time-blocking to schedule client and freelance work. I know where and when I will have time to work, so I jot down exactly WHAT I need to do in those blocks.
I aim to be finished by 8:30pm, so that I can snuggle on the couch with my husband and a good book.
Monday:
5:15am: wake up and work out. I never used to be an early riser to work out, but with how busy we are now it is the only time I can fit a proper workout in.
6- 7:40am: I shower and then do some work. Usually social media, checking emails, reading and commenting on Medium posts. My husband has recently started a new job which means he doesn’t have to leave the house until 7:45am. He unstacks the dishwasher and makes the kids breakfast so I can get some work done in the mornings.
7:40–9:30am: Breakfast, quick tidy up and then kinder and school drop offs.
9:30am — 1:45pm: Work
2pm — pick up little miss from kindergarten.
2pm — 3pm: Usually Miss will help me prepare dinner. She loves to “wash” the veggies and “taste them to make sure they are ok” as I am cutting them up.
3:30pm — pick up Mr 6 from school.
Until 7:30pm is strictly family time. Playing, homework, dinner, books and evening routine.
During this time I also re-pack childcare and school bags, lay out tomorrow’s clothes and pack lunch.
As I usually work on Tuesdays I will pack my lunch and work bag and lay out my uniform.
To save time for Tuesday I grab something out of the freezer for dinner, or throw some stuff together to put into the slow cooker.
7:30pm — 9:30pm: Knock off any other work I need to finish for the day.
Tuesday and Wednesday:
The routine for these days changes depending on what nursing shift I am working.
If I am on an early shift (7am-3:30pm):
5:15am — wake up and go to the nursing shift.
4pm — pick up children from childcare and school. Hopefully we walk in the door and dinner is either in the slow cooker (if hubby has remembered to put it on) or dinner is defrosted. I put them in the shower whilst I do the final touches for dinner.
Then the usual chores of packing lunch and laying out clothes.
7:30pm evening routine done. I am usually exhausted by now! If I have client work that needs doing I will knock some of it off now, but usually it is a chill out session on the couch with Netflix or a book.
If I am on a late shift (1pm-9:30pm)
5:15am: wake up and work out.
6- 7:40am: I shower and then do some work. Social media, checking emails, reading and commenting on Medium posts.
7:40–9:30am: Breakfast, quick tidy up and then childcare and school drop offs.
9:30am — 11:30 am work
12pm leave for work
1030pm — home from work and straight to bed!
Thursday and Friday:
5:15am wake up and work out.
6- 7:40am: I shower and then do some work. Social media, checking emails, reading and commenting on Medium posts.
7:40–9:30am: Breakfast, quick tidy up and then school drop offs. My daughter is home with me on Thursdays and Fridays.
9:30am: We aim to go for a walk (weather permitting) and then some morning tea.
1030am — 12md I set little Miss up with a game or activity and I knock off some house chores and laundry
12–12:30 lunch
1230–2pm: I have a strict “quiet time”. My daughter goes to her room and plays, reads or sometimes even naps. This is my “power hour”. I smash out as much work in this 1.5hours as possible.
2–7:30pm: I try to work around my daughter and school pick up at 3:30pm. I use different activities to keep her occupied. From school pick up is “family time”, for play, homework, reading, dinner and our evening routine including making lunch and packing bags.
7:30–9:30: I work on client projects, blogging or Medium.
The Weekends:
Aside from the power planning hour on a Sunday I try to keep weekends free for family time. There are times where I need to complete client work or there is something pressing on my business that needs doing. For the most part, I aim to keep it free.
Planning, Prepping and Productivity
By planning and prepping I make use of small blocks of time, and by ensuring I know exactly what needs doing in each block I am super productive.
It may not look like much time to dedicate to my business and freelance writing, however when you add it up I have approximately 25 hours per week. And when needed, I can squeeze out more over the weekend.
It sounds hectic, but with careful scheduling I have a nice balance between work and life.
Rachel Maree is a writer, mum and registered nurse. Bringing you the real truth to parenting, nursing and writing (even when it is downright ugly). You can read more articles or hire her to write amazing content for you — Rachel Maree.
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