As I always say, the key to doing it all is being organized! So today I am sharing with you how I plan my days, and top things to consider when I do. As well as Sofia's current 8 months schedule, which shifted a bit from the previous one I shared at 6 months.
1. Sofia's nap schedule is what guides me to plan my days. Since she turned 8 months and slightly prior to that, she shifted to 2 naps per day instead of 3, and overall more awake time (see current schedule chart below). So I make sure those two naps are good naps: always at home. Or else everything else I do during the rest of the day, will be with a grumpy fussy baby.
2. I do all my computer work while she naps, and, when I put her down to sleep (8pm - 10pm, sometimes until midnight if I have to get extra things done). Luckily, thanks to the type of business that I run, the rest of work I can keep up on my iphone or ipad (emails, editing photos, writing pitches and press releases, social media planning for clients, etc).
3. I typically only schedule ONE outing activity with Sofia per day. And it is always right after her first or second nap. So she is happy and active. The outdoor stimulation once a day is NEEDED. If she doesn't, she also gets grumpier at home, which lets me do less.
4. I go to the gym as soon as my husband is back, so I can get back home on time for dinner + bath + bedtime. This is my "me time" completely alone. This is why I love doing it by the end of the day as a little mind & body break and as stress release.
5. I always block an hour of play time together too, the rest of the day at home, I let her play more independently, always in the same room of course. I feel like babies need both: a bit of playing with you, a bit of playing alone. And I block those times accordingly to her mood (her playing alone only works as soon as she wakes and is at her calmest).
6. For social outings (non work related) I do an hour and a half per day (max) and they are all great work/baby breaks too (although I bring Sofia, having that hour of adult conversation also gives my mind a social break, and Sofia has fun too):
- I try to do 2-3/week with my friends, meeting at places that are fun for Sofia: parks, strolls, rooftops, pools...
- Then 1-2/week with a friend mom & her baby (its less often because I have less friends with babies, this will probably shift!)
- And 2-3 with my husband as a family. Typically these are on weekends.
Having time frames BLOCKED is what works most efficiently to get things done. If I know I only have an hour to be at the gym, I am focused and waste less time. If I know she naps for 1.5h, and I only have 1.5h of computer time at a time, I am extra productive and get a LOT done! I feel like the busier I am, the more activities I have scheduled, the more I do! So I plan the weeks in advanced to know what I am going to tackle each day.
