People often ask if I can share our daily schedule and, while I love seeing posts about these types of things on other peoples’ blogs, I often feel uncomfortable sharing these types of things on my own blog. Why? I think it’s mostly because it feels really vulnerable, because I know some people will nitpick or criticize, and because other people will feel frustrated when they compare their life to mine.
At the same time, I don’t want to live in fear of the 3% and I know that these types of posts can be really inspirational to a lot of people. So, with this in mine, I decided that I’m just going to put our schedule out there in hopes that most people will find it helpful and inspirational.
Before I do that, though, I want to remind everyone — especially the young moms — that I am in a different season of life than you. My kids sleep through the night (though one has a really hard time getting to sleep at night!), they are very self-sufficient, and they are contributors to our home — able to help with cooking and cleaning and pick up and laundry.
So what I can accomplish in a day might look very different than what you accomplish in a day. And that is okay!
Also, I want to give the caveat that this schedule might change next month — or even next week! So don’t hold me to it… because I think good schedules are like good budgets: they are there to serve you and not the other way around!
We try to re-evaluate our daily schedule at least once a quarter — or sooner if the wheels are falling off! 🙂
Here’s what is working for us right now (remember that we rarely ever follow this perfectly, but this is a good idea of what a typical day looks like):
Our Current Daily Schedule
5:00 a.m. — M/W/F — Jesse & Kaitlynn get up and leave for the ice rink at 5:15 a.m. (Jesse then drops Kaitlynn off at school at 7:45 a.m. after her practice)
5:30 a.m. — Crystal gentle wake up (I used to feel like I had to read my Bible first thing in the mornings. But then I realized that it usually takes me 10-20 minutes to wake up in the mornings and so I was giving God my worst time, not my best time. So now, I wake up by scrolling through Facebook and Instagram for 5-10 minutes. Yup, I do. And it flies in the face of every single time management book and expert podcast, but I’ve found that it’s a great way for me to wake up and it’s something I look forward to and savor. Plus, I don’t struggle with getting sucked into the black hole of social media in the mornings since I have things to do and am usually raring to go as soon as I’ve fully woken up.)
5:45 a.m. — Crystal run (I usually answer Instagram comments while doing my warm-up walk and then listen to music and pray over my day and for my family members and other needs while I run.)
6:20 a.m. — Crystal shower & dressed (I lay my clothes out the night before so it makes it so easy to get dressed in something that makes me feel great!)
6:45 a.m. — Get kids up (if they aren’t already awake)… this often involves some coaxing for at least one or two of them and repeated encouragement to get up and get out of bed! 🙂 (The kids are responsible to take their baths or showers either at night or in the mornings every day, to get themselves ready, to get their lunches and backpacks ready, and they usually make their own breakfasts.)
6:55 a.m. — Crystal do her hair and makeup and make the bed/pick up our room (I like to listen to a podcast or music while doing this.)
7:10 a.m. — Crystal be available to the kids — helping them with their hair/making breakfast for them (if they are running behind or sort of dragging), or just being available to talk to them and encourage them (If they don’t need help, I’ll often post my Instagram post for the morning during this time.)
7:35 a.m. — Everyone leave for school — drop Silas off, drop Kathrynne off (Drop Kaitlynn off first on T/Th)
8:10 a.m. — Crystal and Jesse go out to coffee (We usually chat about our day or anything top of the mind, plus read our Bibles/current books we’re reading)
8:45 a.m. — Get home and Crystal get ready for Facebook Live (Jesse is usually working/answering emails/planning his day at this time.)
9:00 a.m. — Crystal do Facebook Live, YourBloggingMentor IG story, MSM IG story
9:45 a.m. — Time together (Jesse and I have this time in our day every day to hang out or do other things… ahem. We try to hang out together at night after the kids go to bed, too, but that doesn’t always happen because it’s too late, one of the kids is having trouble sleeping, or we’re just plain tired and ready for bed. Scheduling morning time to just be together has been so good for us and our marriage.)
10:45 a.m. — Crystal make lunch and leave for work (I work at my employee’s house. Jesse usually works, goes to Crossfit, runs errands, helps with projects around the house, makes dinner in the crock-pot, and/or hangs out with friends during this time.)
2:40 p.m. — Crystal leave to pick up Silas, Kathrynne, and Kaitlynn
3:40 p.m. — Home/unwind time/snack time
4:00 p.m. — Kids do their chores and homework, Crystal and Jesse work on household projects and chores, make dinner (if it’s not already made and in the crock-pot)
Once all chores are done, if it’s not Tuesday or Thursday (when Silas and Kathrynne have Jiu Jitsu), then once chores and homework are done, the kids can watch a movie/show,work on projects or crafts, play with neighbors, or do whatever else they’d like to do (well, within reason!). Typically, Kathrynne and Kaitlynn need most all of this time for chores and homework. Silas doesn’t have much homework, so he’s usually done by 5 p.m. or earlier.If I get everything done before 6, then I will work on extra projects, hang out with the kids, or read.
6:00 p.m. — Dinner all ready (sides made, table set, phones put away, etc.)
6:30 p.m. — Dinner/family time/Bible time
7:30 p.m. — Kids ready for bed — lunches made, outfits out for the next day, teeth brushed
8:00 p.m. — Kids to bed (This is what we aim for, but we don’t often hit it — especially for Silas and Kathrynne who are the night owls at our house! Since they don’t have to get up as early as Kaitlynn, we let them read or work/play/talk quietly in their room for awhile since they share a room and Kaitlynn is now in what used to be my office.)
Once the kids are in bed, Jesse and I will usually make sure the house is in good order and then we’ll either watch a show or talk or read.
9:30 p.m. — We aim to be in bed by 9 – 9:30 p.m. It doesn’t always happen, but that’s what we shoot for!
So there you have it! A little peek into our ordinary every day lives!
Any questions? I’m happy to try to answer them!
