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Block Scheduling + Weekly Eats

^^Our tomato surplus is finally here. What should I make!?

Now that Mazen is settled in school during the day, I have about 6 weeks to get my life together until the baby comes. Because I know life with a newborn needs to be go-with-the-flow and unpredictable (two things I do not do well!), I think this need to hyper control my days now is in preparation for that.

Efficient post-bus stop breakfast of yogurt with fruit and almond butter + frothy Nespresso

I’ve been trying to implement a block schedule for my daytime to compartmentalize my tasks and focus on one thing at a time. One of the pleasant surprises of having such an early bus stop is that my day now starts with a bang at 7:15. I suddenly have two hours that I didn’t use to have, and I need to make the most of that time.

Lately my days have been going something like this:

7:15 / Kiss Mazen goodbye on bus

7:15 – 8 / Morning chores, tidy up, laundry load in, kitchen clean, dishwasher empty, prep dinner if necessary

8-10:30ish / Morning work time at desk (writing, editing, emails, paperwork, etc.)

10:30ish-12 / Workout (this is flexible, could also be more work!), shower

12 / Lunch

12:30-2:30 / Work time either at desk or creating/photographing/doing

2:45 / Meet the bus

2:45 – 5:30 / Playtime with Mazen (or keep working if he’s with Matt or schedule out-of-home appointments like doctor’s appointments)

5:30-6 / Finish/warm up/complete dinner and pack Mazen’s lunch (this is our only screen time block for Mazen too, if he’s not playing with the neighbors or otherwise content)

6 / Dinner as a family (on days when Mazen isn’t here, T and I usually eat closer to 7)

7 / Bedtime routine

8 / Relax

Lunch: Tuna salad, chips and crackers, apples

[Side note: I’m sure there are some of you reading this who can’t leave your office or work really long hours and would really love the choice of “saving fluffy things for the afternoon.” That used to be me. For the first 2.5 years of my working life I despised having to be in an office from 8:30 to 5:30 and sought a career change. A flexible workday was the number-one reason I went back to school in 2008, so that was and always will be a high priority for me. No matter where my career heads in the future, flexibility is a must. When I wrote this post earlier this year, a few people wrote “must be nice” comments, so I feel the need to remind you all that this post is about my life.]

The above block schedule has been working well because I start the day getting my home organized. I can’t work in chaos (like if the kitchen counters are messy) unless I have something really urgent.

After the house is in order, I like sitting down for a while and feeling productive before breaking for a workout. While I could do my workout before Mazen wakes up, I’m just not much of a morning exerciser at this time (especially pregnant!). I think when I have a toddler at home and less daytime flexibility, early morning workouts make more sense for me. But for now, just before lunch/midday is my favorite.

I like saving my creative work for the afternoon when I’ve gotten my digital life organized that morning. If I’m going to make a recipe or take photos of something, right after lunch is my favorite time. And errands are always easier for me to tackle in the afternoons, because I mentally feel like I’ve gotten something accomplished until going out to do “fluffier” things.

Lastly, I’m trying to really focus on time with Mazen in the afternoons and giving him my full attention. We’ve been playing Legos or games together or occasionally doing something active outside. During busier seasons I did a little too much multitasking. Especially with the baby on the way and Mazen in school for long hours, 3-5 is our golden hour (if he’s not running around with our neighbors!)

Lastly, meal planning has been going much better since I decided I needed to put some effort into it! I’ve been gathering a lot of recipe inspiration and we’ve had some really good and also really easy dinners of late.

Like this baked ziti with homemade salad!

The end.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. You might like the book by Daniel Pink called When. It’s all about how timing is the most important thing to consider when doing pretty much everything. When you said you like saving creative stuff for the afternoon – that’s a big thing in the book! You’re tired and less able to be very sharp minded and analytical, so having a more open “tired” mind actually makes your creative time even better!

    Reply

  4. I dislike “must be nice” type comments so much. If you don’t like something about your life you can: change it, accept it, change your attitude about etc, but don’t knock others for THEIR life.

    Reply

    • Couldn’t agree more. I know sometimes people honestly do feel like they have no choice, but there is always some level of choice – it just might require a major lifestyle change.

      Reply

      • You both are thinking rather narrowly, don’t you think? What about, for instance, a single mom without a college degree, without family money or support, trying to make ends meet and living paycheck to paycheck? Does she have a choice, or is she a victim of structural inequality and doesn’t need women in positions of privilege such of yourself patronizing her by declaring that it’s “her choice”?

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        • That’s a rather specific situation and I would empathize with her. That’s probably not the majority of blog readers who have time to write “must be nice” comments.

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    • It’s easy to say “change it, accept it, change your attitude about it” when you’re coming from a place of privilege. It’s great to have a positive mindset, and we can all improve our circumstances by thinking positively! However, I think we forget that the grand majority of this country can’t just choose to make a “major lifestyle change” and have the ability to work from home, or with the flexibility we desire. It simply can’t exist for all of us all the time.
      Kath, you’re more than entitled to share what works for you, but these posts get negative reactions not because we are jealous haters (I love my life!) but because women in the workplace are fighting uphill to catch up because of a pay gap and absolutely abysmal maternity leave practices in this country. I don’t think women should change their attitude about a system that doesn’t have their best interest in mind, and it would be awesome to have more solidarity from you instead of telling us to choose workplaces that allow this kind of flexibility.

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        • “However, I think we forget that the grand majority of this country can’t just choose to make a “major lifestyle change” and have the ability to work from home, or with the flexibility we desire”

          So does that mean those of us with full time office jobs only enjoy blogs that talk about the drudgery of a 40+ hour work week? It “must be nice” to be Beyonce but do people go to her concerts to roll their eyes and have a bad time? Then why would people come here and throw shade if they’re happy on the inside? This is Kath’s blog. About HER life. There are a thousand others out there. Stop beating this dead mommy shaming horse.

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          • I’m plenty happy, Tonya, but I appreciate your concern! I think there’s some confusion about sharing kind and constructive criticism vs. being a mommy-shamer. I love my 40+ hour office job, even with its hour-plus commute each way. However, I’m interested in making things better for ALL WOMEN, and I think a great way to begin to accomplish that is for women to acknowledge their relative privilege in being able to choose flexible workplaces and non-traditional jobs. All things being equal, we could all be happy for the choices others are able to make about their careers. But all things are not equal.
            I also think that asking Kath to reconsider her perspective on a subject isn’t bullying, and she’s also an intelligent grown woman who can defend herself (not that I’ve aimed to put her on the defensive!). It would be different if I came in saying “ugh she has no idea what it’s ACTUALLY LIKE out there,” but that’s not the situation at hand. I certainly don’t think presenting a different idea is “throwing shade.”

            Reply

            • “However, I’m interested in making things better for ALL WOMEN”

              Awesome! Send us a link to your blog where you tackle those issues.

              Kath–more pumpkin bread recipes, please.

              Reply

              • Tonya, I actually work in the nonprofit sector and volunteer quite a bit/put my money where my mouth is. Thanks for asking. I didn’t think it was a requirement that I write my own blog to comment. Is it?

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          • I agree! Plus, so often I realize that it’s MY perspective that can make a major shift in my day. If I treat work as a chore or something I cannot stand, then my mood is awful, and I have a negative outlook. But if I appreciate where I am, even if it is an office RD job, and I value the connections I make with my coworkers and patients, then I feel very happy. So with that, I don’t feel jealousy reading your posts, Kath. I’m happy for you!! Being happy that others live differently doesn’t mean we should feel envious. I could choose to look elsewhere for a job if I wanted, but I have chosen to find the happiness in my present work.

            Reply

              • <3 Thank you! I still have my "off" days when I'm a negative Nancy, but I would much rather be the person who makes other people feel happy in my presence! Also, constantly griping is not attractive. So things are better when my mood is as it should be: pleasant. 🙂

                Reply

  5. We are so alike!

    I did the same kind of scheduling for myself. Since kindergarten started and last week I lost a client that gave me about 5 hrs of work/week, things haven’t gone exactly as planned – but I have tried to stick to a few parameters. One thing I did was assign certain days for specific kinds of tasks in order stay focused….I’ve found that with the extra hours kindergarten has provided me, the Target calls seem louder and more frequent! 🙂

    This is my daily framework on top of the everyday stuff I have to do (desk work, workout, housekeeping, dinner prep):

    Mondays – housekeeping and finish up any weekly laundry that started on Sunday
    Tuesdays – errands & appointments
    Wednesdays – creative or organization projects at home, garden, holidays, etc.
    Thursdays – errands & appointments
    Fridays – forward planning (make appts, buy tickets, plan social events and travel) + social time (I only do lunches or coffees with friends on Fridays)

    I’m finding that I still have some leftover time so I’m trying to drum up more freelance work so I’m less Target-tempted 🙂

    Thanks for sharing your approach. Keep us posted on how it goes! I’m forever in a state of trying to be most efficient, live my values and achieve that ever-elusive state: BALANCE!

    Have a great, productive day!! <3

    Reply

    • Love it! I have tried the theme days, but I was having to overlap too much, so I think a theme hour works best for me : )

      Reply

  6. It’s so interesting to see how others structure their days. How have the earlier mornings been going with getting Mazen up and ready for the day? I remember you were worried about that.

    Reply

    • He’s been up close to 6am naturally the past few days! (Even on the weekends). I’d say his body clock has 100% adjusted.

      Reply

  7. There are two things that the beautiful tomatoes on your windowsill are screaming at me…

    1. A refreshing gazpacho with fresh herbs as a nod to the end of summer.
    2. A Panzanella salad with all of the lovely things that you put in your salads. Great Harvest bread, cheese, sardine salad, etc.

    Mmm…tomatoes…

    Reply

  8. My son just started Kindergarten! He gets home around 4:20 usually, so it’s such a rush to get everything done and give him wind-down time. But it’s fun! We have to come up with a good routine and are trying to get in the swing of things! Hoping by next week it’ll be better! I’m just so grateful my work is letting me come in a few minutes early so I can leave a few minutes early and get him off the bus. YAY!

    Reply

  9. Wow. I can’t believe the baby is off to school and another is on the way! Have you guys decided on a name? Don’t spill the beans yet–just wondering if you’ve made a decision. 🙂

    Reply

  10. Our tomatoes just hit their peak, too! I had a bunch of Romas and three different varieties of cherry tomatoes that I used to make a huge batch of tomato sauce over the weekend. It freezes very well for future use over pasta, in lasagna, etc. It’s great to have the “taste” of summer produce when the weather turns colder!

    Reply

  11. I love my work and only work 25-30 hours a week, but this post reminds me that what I crave is consistency. My work schedule is all over the place so I can’t build a weekday routine or establish habits based on time and order of daily tasks. The baked ziti looks delish!

    Reply

  12. It’s always so fun seeing other freelancers’ schedules so that I can get ideas to improve my own! Is your schedule the same every day? I’m surprised you don’t do errands and appointments in the morning or middle of the day, it’s soooo nice to grocery shop when everyone else is in an office, my fav! Do you include time for hobbies in your blocks? Also must know is this the same pasta dish you made when you talked about your bedding recently? You’ll have to share your recipe, it looks so good!! I’d love to hear more about how you are planning ahead with work for maternity leave and beyond, do you think your days will change much with baby?

    Reply

  13. I think it’s fabulous that you are able to make your work schedule flexible so that you can have time with M in the afternoon! Enjoy every last minute of it while you can before Baby B arrives. Life with 2 is definitely more unpredictable and I felt like a neglected my poor older son when his baby brother was born. Good luck and keep up the great work!

    Reply

  15. I’ve been thinking about how to structure my days now that I will be retiring in 3.5 weeks after 40 years of working as a registered dietitian. Everyone has different goals, priorities and challenges but we all get 24 hours/day no matter what.

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  17. I’m a stay at home/working mom to one 8th grade girl who takes the bus very, very early! My husband and I swap out dropping her off at 6:45 each day and I pick her up every day at 4:00. We are about 3 weeks into the school year, and every year seems so different! This year I volunteer every other week for a non profit art organization on Wednesdays which takes up most of the morning. My work for the non profit also takes up about one full day per week. I also do my personal jewelry work every morning for about 2 hours. Besides that:

    Monday = prepping for the week – just meal planning, making sure laundry is put away properly, making sure the house looks nice, making any necessary appointments
    Tuesday = anything hanging over my head that I’m dreading tackling – whatever I’m putting off! Workout with trainer at 4:15 with my daughter
    Wednesday = Work – volunteer meetings and actual volunteer work
    Thursday = Work work – catch up
    Friday = Friend day! Lunch with friends – done by 3:30, Workout with trainer at 4:15 with my daughter then ready for the weekend

    Reply

  18. I do NOT understand people’s hate and desire to write “must be nice” comments OR the ones that try to justify it. I’m sorry but people just need to understand life isn’t fair and the grass is so often greener on the other side. I sometimes dread going to work and yearn to be home but then if I have a day off but no plans, I get antsy and wish I had something to do. Being home doesn’t mean you live a glamorous life or have less responsibilities. Isn’t the beauty of life and reading lifestyle blogs all about diversity? I don’t want to read a blog that mirrors my life: I want to read about others fun times, advice, opinions, etc. Your blog is raw and you are very open so if people want you to continue to be, they should be accepting and supportive. Lastly, do people forget the sacrifices you made to shift your life drastically to achieve your goals?! You had to go back to school, which is no easy task, and you didn’t snap your fingers and just get to this point. It’s taken you years, hard hard work, and connections to find a profession you love and excel at. To that I give a huge high five. To those that want to bring up the single moms with low income and such, sorry but that’s not applicable.

    Now that I’ve vented, I have to say I love your schedule! It sounds very efficient with room for modification. Coming from a person who loves planning and list making, this post made me feel so calm and organized. :))

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  19. In my opinion, the biggest thing people are missing here is that you can enjoy your life while still being able to recognize your privilege, which I think Kath does. Everyone’s life looks different and is a product of how they were raised, the opportunities given to them, their choices, etc. If we evaluate every situation with a “must be nice” lens, we’d never be able to enjoy anything. It’s all relative – one person’s must be nice situation is different from the next person’s. Just because you want to improve your life doesn’t mean that you aren’t grateful for it or don’t recognize your privilege or have empathy for those less fortunate.

    Kath, keep doing you’re thing! I, for one, love reading about your life wether or not it mirrors my own. After all, isn’t that how we all learn?

    Reply

  20. I am a fairly new mom…my little guy is almost 9 months old (where does the time go?!). Before I had him, I worked 40hrs/week in an office and anticipated going back to work full time. I even had daycare lined up. The idea of a flexible schedule had always appealed to me, but I wasn’t sure how to make it happen. Well, after baby arrived, I decided that there was NO way I was going back to work 5 days a week. I hustled and made a ton of phone calls to people I knew. My persistence paid off! I’m now working at my old job part time and doing freelance social media marketing. I’d love to pickup more freelance work and stay home another day with my little guy, but I am SO thankful and grateful for the flexible schedule a couple days a week. I should add, working from home can be HARD! This post has inspired me to be more intentional with my time…I’m in desperate need of a schedule on the days I’m home. I’m going to start on Monday 🙂
    All of this to say, we all have a choice to stay in the jobs we’re at or go look for something new.

    Reply

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