I’m writing this while my baby boy is finally down for his morning nap, sunlight slipping through the curtains, and my daughter is in the living room practicing her newest dance routine.
That sweet, ordinary chaos is exactly what taught me how to stay productive as a work-from-home mom—without burning out or forgetting who I am outside the to-do list.
Maybe you’re living some version of this too.
Emails + laundry.
Zoom calls + school drop-off.
Client delivery + a baby who wakes up the moment you sit down.
If that’s you, I want you to hear this clearly:
You are doing so much better than you think.
The goal isn’t to “do it all.”
The goal is to build gentle systems that make your days feel lighter.
The Shift That Changed Everything
One day, after rushing through client work while bouncing my son on one knee, I realized something important:
Productivity isn’t about squeezing more tasks into your day.
It’s about making fewer decisions and giving your brain room to breathe.
When you stop chasing perfect and start building small rhythms that fit your real life, work begins to feel simpler, calmer… even joyful.
These are the mom-friendly systems I come back to again and again—both for myself here on the island and for the work-from-home moms and founders I support around the world.
Simple, Soulful Productivity Tips for WFH Moms
1. Start with a “Three-Task Morning”
Before the kids wake up—or while they’re happily occupied—choose your top three tasks for the day.
Not everything you could possibly do. Just three.
Three things that will actually move life and business forward.
You can ask yourself:
- What must be done today for my clients or work?
- What will bring me relief if it’s finally off my mind?
- What will bring me joy or momentum?
Write those three down.
Some days, you’ll finish all three.
Some days, you’ll finish one.
Either way, your day has an anchor. Even if everything else turns into beautiful, noisy chaos, you’ll know what mattered most.
2. Use “Nap Time Power Hours”
I’ve sent proposals, outlined projects, and wrapped full campaigns while breastfeeding or working through 40-minute nap windows.
You don’t need long, uninterrupted blocks to make real progress—you just need to match your tasks to your energy and the moment.
Try this:
- Nap time → deep focus work (writing, strategy, important emails)
- Kid play time nearby → light admin (inbox sorting, file organizing, simple updates)
- Evenings → creative, slower work (planning content, brainstorming, reflection)
When you stop waiting for the “perfect” 3-hour block and start using the 20–40 minutes you do have, you’ll be surprised how much moves forward.
Tiny pockets of time, used on purpose, create big shifts over a month.
3. Create a Simple “Home Base” Workspace
Your workspace doesn’t need to be Pinterest-worthy.
Mine started as a tiny corner beside the crib with:
- My laptop
- A notebook
- A pen
- One small plant
What matters isn’t how it looks—it’s what it signals to your brain.
“This is where we do focused work.”
Keep your home base:
- Simple – only what you actually use
- Uncluttered – less visual noise = calmer mind
- Meaningful – a photo, a verse, a quote, or something that reminds you why you work
Even if you float around the house with your laptop, having one “default” spot creates a sense of calm and continuity.
4. Communicate Gentle Boundaries with Clients (or Your Team)
You don’t need harsh rules. Just kind clarity.
With clients across the globe, here’s the kind of language I use:
“These are the hours I’m usually available.
If you message outside them, I’ll respond first thing on the next working day.”
That’s it.
Most people respect your time more when you clearly respect it yourself.
You can also:
- Set expectations for response times (e.g., “within 24 hours”)
- Use away messages or status updates when you’re offline
- Communicate any regular “off” windows (school runs, bedtime, family time)
Boundaries aren’t walls. They’re gentle fences that protect what matters.
5. Plan for Real Life, Not Fantasy You
Fantasy You has three uninterrupted hours, a quiet house, and no surprises.
Real You:
- Deals with sick days
- Handles forgotten homework
- Cooks lunch while answering a quick Slack message
- Gets interrupted right when you hit “deep focus”
Instead of planning your day for the version of you who doesn’t exist, try this:
- Overestimate how long things will take
- Underestimate how much you can do in one day
- Leave buffer zones in your calendar where nothing is scheduled
A little margin makes it easier to be kind to yourself when life inevitably shows up.
6. Build Tiny, Repeatable Routines (Instead of Giant Overhauls)
Big productivity overhauls usually collapse by Day 3.
Tiny routines, on the other hand, quietly change your life.
Some examples you can try:
- Morning reset (10 minutes): make the bed, clear your desk, check your three tasks
- Pre-lunch reset (5 minutes): quick inbox scan and list what’s left today
- End-of-day reset (10 minutes): close tabs, note what’s done, park one easy task for tomorrow
These aren’t strict rules—they’re anchors. Little rituals that tell your brain:
“We’re safe. We’re okay. We know what’s next.”
7. Celebrate Tiny Wins Every Evening
It’s easy to end the day thinking about everything you didn’t do:
- The laundry pile
- The unanswered email
- The content you meant to post
- The toys still scattered on the floor
But here’s the quiet truth: your brain feels what you focus on.
So, every evening, ask yourself:
- What’s one thing I finished today (no matter how small)?
- Where did I show up with love—for my work, myself, or my family?
- What’s one moment from today that I want to remember?
Write them down or say them out loud.
This is how you build momentum—not through pressure, but through gentle, steady celebration.
You become the kind of woman who notices her own growth… even on the messy days.
You’re Allowed to Build a Life That Feels Like Yours
Being a work-from-home mom is a lot.
It’s beautiful and exhausting. Sacred and stressful. Full of contradictions:
- Grateful for the flexibility
- Overwhelmed by the responsibility
- In love with your kids
- Missing the version of you who had more uninterrupted time
If no one has told you lately:
You’re allowed to want more ease.
You’re allowed to ask for help.
You’re allowed to build systems that support you, not just everyone else.
Productivity, for us, doesn’t have to mean hustle, self-neglect, or pretending we’re not tired.
It can mean:
- Choosing three things that matter
- Using small pockets of time on purpose
- Creating one simple home base
- Setting soft but firm boundaries
- And celebrating tiny wins along the way
You don’t need to become someone else to be “productive.”
You get to be exactly who you are, in this season, with these little humans and this business or job—and still find rhythms that make your days feel lighter.
One small system, one gentle decision, one joyful narrative at a time. 🌿
Joyful Narrative 