In the 11 years I’ve been running Poor Little It Girl, my schedule and routine has certainly changed a lot. Now that I’m a mom, I had to figure out a schedule that worked for our family where I can be present for my kid but also get my work done.
So with that, working 8 hours a day on my blog and The Blog Societies just isn’t possible anymore. I had to organize and prioritize the few hours each day I have kid-free to get the most work done. Sure I had to change some things (like going from blogging 5 days a week to only publishing 3 new posts a week) but hey, it works for me!
Cathy’s Day In The Life
Here’s a look inside a typical day for me as a full-time blogger and full-time mom!
7:15 am – Morning Routine
Monday morning and we’re tired. Miles goes to school 5 days a week, and getting him out the door and in class by 8 am is a lot of work. I usually get up with Adam around 7:15 am. He’ll wake up Miles, change his diaper and bring him downstairs. I’ll already be in the kitchen prepping his breakfast and making my own cup of coffee. Adam sits with him while he eats and I’ll go back upstairs and get his school outfit put together. His school is relatively close to our house so closer to the 8 am hour Adam will drop him off while I stay back at the house.
8:00 am – Getting Ready
Now that Miles is out of the house, it’s my turn to get ready. Working from home, I use the phrase “getting ready” very loosely. This is when I’ll shower and change out of my bedtime pajamas into a more suitable loungewear look. I’ll also tidy up any toys thrown about downstairs, clean up the kitchen/do dishes, and just sort of make things neat.
8:30 – 11 am Work Work Work
Miles is at school until 12:30 pm when I have to pick him up – so that means I only get 4 hours a day roughly to do everything I need to do for Poor Little It Girl. I start my day by checking my blog post, sharing it to IG stories, writing out my to-do list, and going over my inbox. If I have a blog photoshoot, typically I do that around this time as well but today, I’ll be home doing admin stuff so that’s nice.
Around 9 am I realize I’m hungry but too lazy to go downstairs. I have a bag of gummy bears on my desk so I go for it. Breakfast of champions, right? This is certainly not my normal routine but hey, I’m a tired mom so I’m just going with it.
I have a lot of emails to go through! I hardly ever touch my inbox from Friday afternoon through the weekend so on a Monday…there’s a lot to go through. I email back and from with my virtual assistant to approve any IG story templates, SEO updates, etc. I also am working on a blog post for Monday next week. I have the photos but need to write the blog post and put it all together. This is probably my favorite part of blogging. I love creating blog posts that are SEO-friendly and offer help/advice on whatever topic I’m discussing. (Need help with your SEO? Check out our SEO for Bloggers course!)
I keep my workday organized in Asana but also like a little daily to-do list in a notebook as well. I spend some time organizing my editorial calendar for the rest of 2021 and plan out what I need to shoot with my photographer for the end of the year. How are we already thinking about 2022!?!
11:00 am – Lunch Time
Because my breakfast was far from filling, once it hits 11 am I realize I need to eat a real meal. I head downstairs and make Carbonara for lunch for myself and Adam. I typically sit on the couch for this part, I hate eating at my desk. I watch a little TV and relax. And yes, I share a little bit with Bowie.
11:30 am – Back To Work
I have about an hour until I have to pick up Miles from school, so I head back upstairs to wrap up anything I’m working on for the day. I like to make sure my inbox is cleaned out (the best it can be) and I’ve replied to all Instagram DM’s and comments before signing off at this point. I do all that from my computer because I hate being on my phone.
12:30 pm – School Pick Up and Nap Time
Once I pick up Miles from school my brain has to switch from work mode to stay-at-home mom mode. I love getting him from school. He runs out of the door and gives me the biggest hug and my heart just melts. He LOVES school and it makes me so happy he’s so happy.
After I pick up Miles we come home and hang out for a bit before his 1 pm nap. We’ll spend a few minutes playing with toys and Bowie and then, he’s off to his big afternoon nap. He’ll sleep from 1 pm till around 3:30 pm which is glorious.
1:00 – 2:00 pm – My Nap Time
I was super productive this morning so figured I’d take advantage of a sleeping toddler. I myself crawl into bed to take an hour nap. Miles had a rough night so we were up a few times… so I’m extra tired today. Eye mask is on and I’m out for an hour.
2:00 – 3:00 pm – Run Errands
I know I still have a bit of time before Miles gets up so I try to run to the grocery store. Adam works from home so I know he can keep an ear out for Miles if he wakes up. But he’s a really good mid-day napper and I know he won’t stir before 3:30. I head to the store to get a few things to make dinner and whatnot. I try to meal plan at the start of the week so I know what we’re eating each night for dinner. It makes my life a lot easier to not have to think about it and have a plan. So I get ingredients for lemon chicken, pot roast, shrimp scampi, and tacos – our menu for the week!
3:30 pm – Play Time!
Like clockwork, Miles starts babbling from his crib he’s ready to get up! I’ve put away groceries and grab Miles. We head downstairs to play, watch TV and just hang out. This is our special mommy and Miles playtime so I like to be super present. I will keep my phone upstairs in my office so I’m not distracted. I don’t want to be the mom that’s always in my phone around my kid.
5:00 pm – Miles Dinner Time
Tonight is chicken meatballs, green beans, and cucumbers. The kid LOVES to eat. Adam and I can’t eat this early so Miles eats dinner on his own. I sit with him at the table as he scarfs down his meal. Bowie is at his feet picking up any dropped food like a good boy.
6:00 pm – Prep Our Dinner
About 6 pm is when Adam is done with his work for the day. He comes out of his home office and takes over Miles duty and this is when I’ll start cooking dinner. I pour a glass of wine and Adam will turn off the TV and turn on some music and we’re all just hanging out while I cook and the boys play.
6:30 pm – Parent Dinner Time
Adam and I eat dinner at the dining table and watch a Jeopardy episode we’ve recorded. Adam is really good at this game but me…not so much. But it’s still fun! Miles will either sit on the floor playing or he’ll come up and sit with us at the table and we’ll give him some cheerios or whatever.
7:00 – 8:00 pm – Bedtime Routine
After we eat, I’ll head upstairs and give Miles his bath while Adam does dishes. Miles is in the tub for about 15 minutes and then we brush his teeth and get in pajamas. We then put him down for bed any time between 7:30 and 8 pm. Miles goes down really easily so that helps the process. Just like his mom, my kid loves to sleep!
8:00 – 9:30 pm – Parent Wind Down
After Miles is down, Adam and I will hang out on the sofa and watch TV. We’ll tidy up the toys and just get things settled and ready for the next day. Right now Adam and I are watching Seinfeld reruns which is always a good time. Although Adam likes to quote the show as it’s playing which can be annoying but oh well, I still love him. LOL At around 9:30 my butt is in bed lights out ready to sleep. And then tomorrow we do it all over again!
