There is valuable time that can be used to get more done while the kids are napping or sleeping…especially for a busy mom. In this article, you’ll find tips on how to use this time wisely so you can actually relax during your down time.
Nap-time is a glorious time…especially for busy moms.
Now, I do often suggest resting or taking time for yourself during your children’s nap times or while they’re in bed. However, there are times that “getting things done” is necessary!
If you’re like me, it’s impossible to enjoy your downtime when you’ve got a list a mile long to accomplish…
Lets be honest, as a mommy it takes planning, organization, and will-power to get everything done. And, everything must be done in order to relax and actually enjoy downtime.
So, let’s discuss some ways to help you get more down while the kids are napping or sleeping.
What's in this post...
Get More Done When Your Kids are Napping or Sleeping
One of the most frustrating things is when your precious baby wakes up early form a nap. Of course, you’re right in the middle of a project. Immediately, you stop everything and do job number one!
Let’s see what we can do to prevent this from happening. The following 5 tips will help!
1. Make a plan…
One of the best habits I’ve picked up since becoming a mom is to plan out my day the night before. Not perfectly… of course. But, an idea of what needs to be accomplished.
For example, the “plan” may be take a bath and read a good book. My plan could also be to clean out the family vehicle or dust the living room.
Whatever the plan, I know that my time needs to be spent wisely. Why? Because, I have an obligation to take care of myself as well as what I have been blessed with.
A good plan will help us become good stewards of our time.
Trust me, making a good plan will help you to not waste time.
I have misspent time that could have been used to better my home or invest in myself because I sat on Facebook or wandered around the house wondering where to start.
What will this look like for you?
- This may be doing your usual chores throughout the day so you can relax at night.
- It might mean doing household chores early (or postponing them) so you can work when they’re asleep.
- Or… it may mean getting up early to work so you can relax or nap during nap-time.
2. Get good use out of that baby monitor…
With younger kids and older kids alike, having them on a monitor will help ease your mind. This will allow you to focus on your task and get more done!
When I’ve lived in a townhouse, I didn’t need or use a monitor because I could hear everything going on… now, things are different. Does that stop me from getting things done?
Nope!
Our two story house forces me to carry a baby monitor when I’m outside or even downstairs working.
I carry the Levana Monitor in my back pocket throughout the house no matter what I’m doing. It’s like peace of mind right in my pocket and allows me to get so much done.
This works for night swims after the kids are in bed, late night garden weeding, or just being in the other end of the house.
Read: My “Daily Escape” to a Quiet Place & Why It’s Necessary
3. Prep beforehand. It’s not just for meals…Â
This is a big one depending on the project… if you have limited time and haven’t done a little prep before, you won’t know where to start.
Sometimes that need is just a mental break and some peace and quiet. That’s ok too..
Prepping beforehand will help with:
Sometimes noisy things or tasks that require trips to the store will need to be done before the kids are asleep.
There’s nothing like having a project in mind for nap time, but not having the supplies at hand to accomplish it. Talk about frustrating… Also, you don’t want to be in the middle of a project and have to stop because you realize that the noise will wake those sleeping angels.
We’ve been renovating our children’s bedrooms one room at a time and some of the projects are loud and messy. The ticket has been for us to prep beforehand.
We’ve been able to get more done when the kids are napping because the noisy things are done before nap-time and we can use that time to get more done.
Meal Planning, Pantry, Kitchen Troubleshooting, Morning Routine, Evening Routine, Daily To Do’s, Chores, Cleaning, Family Priorities, Monthly Goals, Financial Goals, Debt Payoff, Let It Go Inventory, and more!
Learn More4. Do a room sweep (not with a broom)…
One of the best habits I started when my kids were young was the evening sweep! Let me explain…
A room sweep is where you walk briskly and with purpose and return everything back to its original place. This sets the home back in order and organized each time.
I do a nightly “sweep” though the house. It’s sets my mind at peace and helps me mentally prepare for the next day.
This activity can be done quickly, if done every day. Problems arise when days and days go by without putting everything back in its “home.”
I make a point to get things in order so that when the kids are asleep, I’m free to do other things without worrying about the cleaning.
Tips for accomplishing a room sweep:
- Squeeze a few free minutes during your normal routine for a room sweep. Maybe it’s when the kids are eating lunch or playing?
- Knock out the room sweep without getting distracted on other cleaning tasks.
- Visualize how much better you’ll feel when the house is organized and can actually relax after bedtime.
5. Use white noise to get more done when your kids are napping.
If I can point to one thing that really woks for me… this is it! It is one of the biggest life savers in parenting. I use white noise all the time in my home!
Hands down…
Kids sleep better with the white noise. You don’t have to worry about every little noise you make, or even drilling and hammering!
White noise is a great sleep association. This means that not only will it help kids stay asleep during nap-time, but it will help them understand when sleep is supposed to happen.
For me, white noise really helps me be able to rush around the house and do whatever I want without worrying about waking the little sleeping ones.
Since nap-times and sleep times are valuable moments to get important things done, you don’t want to have to worry about being interrupted by a waking kid.
Fast, simple, and free strategies to implement if baby can’t get to sleep, won’t stay asleep, or is unsettled in general.
Fast, simple, and free strategies to implement if baby can’t get to sleep, won’t stay asleep, or is unsettled in general.
This white noise machine would work great for keeping your little ones snoozing while you get some work done!
Julie says
Great ideas
Mia says
I wish there was a way to get more done in the day. Laundry, dishes, anything. With 3 kids 3 and under it seems almost impossible. ???
Rachel Norman says
I AM WITH YOU
Marisol says
Should you use white noise during naps and also during nighttime as well? Or should you use different noise music for daytime and nighttime so baby can differentiate day and night?
Rachel Norman says
I use the same exact white noise (a train track) for all sleeping, but I think you can probably do what you want!
Kristine the Dane says
This is really good. I just had a baby and have now entered nap time again. My second youngest is 5, so it has been some time since I’ve had to think about this topic.
Number one is especially good. Plan out your day. For the fast few years I have been a pretty good planner, but since bay boy came I have not been planning out my days as much and it is true. I end up spending a lot of precious time walking around the house or on facebook. Not smart! :)
Something I have noticed though is that if I have some specific work or task to do I get so much more done if I forbid myself from doing ANYTHING else then that task during the nap. Don’t do anything else, no matter how little amount of time it may take. It is so easy to get sucked in and then you have done 20 small tasks that you might as well have done while the baby was awake…