It can be hard trying to get things done at home with a baby. Especially if they don’t nap well, or don’t like playing by themselves.

I’m a little bit of a clean freak. I like my home clean, organized, and clutter free.

When it’s not, I find it hard to function. As you probably already know, keeping a home clean, organized, and clutter free takes a lot of work and time.

When we were waiting for Alexa to arrive I would day dream about how our new life would be. When she was awake we would do tummy time, read books, go for walks, all the stuff you look forward to doing with your new baby.

But then, she would get tired. I would lay her down in her crib and she would take long naps while I did all of my cooking and cleaning. Right?

Wrong. For the first year of her life Alexa was a terrible napper. No matter what I tried her naps averaged 30-45 minutes. At first, it felt impossible to get anything done.

I struggled a lot that first year and learned several tips and tricks along the way to be more productive. I feel as moms it’s our duty to pass down what we’ve learned so that new moms might not have to struggle in the same ways.

Below you will find what helped me that first year to be more productive at home with a baby.

Tips For Being More Productive At Home With A Baby

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1.) Have A Routine

You’ve probably heard it before, kids thrive with structure. This is especially true with babies.

Imagine being dropped into a brand new world. Everything is new to you, every sound, every smell, every noise, etc.

After a few days some things start to become familiar. Those familiar things make you feel safe.

Developing a routine with your baby is important because when they know what to expect, when activities are familiar, they feel safe.

When they feel safe, they’re more likely to feel happy.

When they don’t know what to expect, when activities aren’t familiar, they might feel scared or overwhelmed.

If you want to be productive at home with your baby, keeping them happy is key.

A happy baby is more likely to nap longer, or play independently while you complete a task.

I find it easier to stick to a routine when I have my days written out in a planner.

2.) Set Goals

Setting goals is key to being productive at home with your baby.

When you finally get your baby down for a nap don’t waste time thinking about what to do next.

Make it a habit, before you go to bed at night, to write down what you would like to accomplish the next day.

Be realistic and prioritize.

I like to keep up on dishes and laundry so I do those first. If I have extra time I might clean the bathroom or vacuum the floors.

3.) Set Up Play Stations

I almost never finished all of my goals during Alexa’s naps because they were always so short.

After changing her, feeding her, and playing with her, I would try to go back to them.

However, some babies, like mine, aren’t very easily entertained. This is when setting up a stimulating “play station” can come in handy.

When she was younger a play mat with toys attached to it would work for a little while.

Changing the toys out for different ones helped increase the time she would play.

When she got a little older I got a foam puzzle mat and I would line the perimeter with a few different toys and then put her in the center.

Again, I changed the toys out daily to keep her interested.

I noticed after she played with they toys and they we’re all a mess she would get bored and want me again.

If I set them all back up around the perimeter, sometimes I could get her to play a little while longer.

4.) Talk and Sing

Talking and singing to your baby is so good for their development, they learn through watching and listening to you, and it makes them happy to hear your voice.

If I was trying to get things done but she wanted to be held, I would just start telling her about my day, telling her what I was doing, asking her questions, and singing every nursery rhyme I knew, all while I did the dishes or folded laundry.

She was a lot more content not being held because she was interested in what I was saying.

5.) Multitask

A great way to increase your productivity at home with a baby is to multitask.

In the morning I use to have Devin watch Alexa while I showered and then at night I would give her a bath.

I started putting her in the shower with me and that freed up that time at night that I would have spent bathing her.

If you’re baby isn’t ready to sit up on their own in the shower you can get a shower seat.

Instead of sitting down to feed your baby and then trying to fold laundry when you’re done, try folding your clothes while your baby is chewing.

Being productive at home with a baby is all about optimizing your time so multitask whenever you can.

6.) Wear Your Baby

My baby carrier has got to be the absolute best baby product I own. I would not have made it through that first year without it.

Whenever I needed to do anything and Alexa wanted to be held all I had to do was put her on my back.

My hands were completely free to do just about any task.

Related Reading: Complete Home Baby Proofing Checklist

7.) Let It Go

Yes, I said it. Let it go.

This was one of the hardest things for me to do when I became a new mom.

I was so used to having the time to keep my home the way I wanted it before having a baby.

When she arrived I would get so upset when I would get tasks half completed and she would wake up.

I would be reading to her or playing toys with her but my mind was thinking about everything that needed to be done.

Our babies are only babies for a minute. The dishes will always be there, the laundry, the dirt, it’ll always be there.

Those moments with your baby won’t.

You can’t get them back so you need to make the most of them.

Do the best you can with the time you have and know that it is good enough. You’re doing a great job mama, keep it up ❤

I am sure there are more tips and tricks you mamas have for being more productive at home with a baby and I want to hear them! Please share your secrets in the comments below!

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