5 Tips for Getting Work Done While Your Toddler Naps 

Hey there, Mamas! 

First off, I want to tell you that you are all amazing. It is a tough gig for anyone to face, especially for single mothers abroad, raising a toddler (or two, or three) and making sure they are growing up to become wonderful adults someday. 

As time-consuming as they may be, always remember that you do have a window of opportunity to catch up on your to-do list, and that is naptime. I know it can be hard not to use that time to chill out and maybe take a nap yourself, but if you want to make that 1-3 hours count, here are some awesome tips to kick your productivity in high gear as they snooze. 

1. Don’t Lay Down 

One of the biggest mistakes anyone can do when they want to be productive is to lay or sit down for an extended period of time. I don’t know about you, but if I sit down for 5-10 minutes, my productivity goes out the window. So, once your toddler is down for a nap, try to avoid sitting down, at least for too long. It is really easy to lose your motivation once you feel the softness of that sofa.

2. Get Rid of Distractions 

Turn off the TV, stop scrolling through social media, and get rid of any other distractions you have nearby. This inevitably sucks you in and turns your focus into something that not work-related. Remember, your phone and TV will still there when you done. 

3. Prioritize Quiet and Noisier Tasks 

Naptime means you need to be quiet too. With that said, when you making your to-do list, make sure that the quiet things are during naptime, and the louder ones are for when they are awake (like cleaning out the closet or vacuuming). If you spend their waking hours doing quiet work, you won’t able to do anything while they nap since the loud stuff is what’s left. 

4. Do Tasks You Can Start and Finish During Naptime 

Along with prioritizing quiet things during naptime, also make sure that the things you doing can started and finished in the time it usually takes your child to recharge. If that is not possible, say your task will take 5 hours, and your kid sleeps about 2 hours, ensure that if you break away your concentration that it will not hinder your ability to pick it back up and finish it later. If you have no choice regardless, then clearly mark where you left off, so you do not spend unnecessary time the next day/naptime to figure out where to begin again.

5. Allocate A Few Minutes for Yourself 

I know I said not to sit down and to stay focused on your work. But let’s be real for a moment; you need a bit of rejuvenation too. It does not have to be long; just a quick 5-10 minutes of self-reflection, meditation, stretching, or whatever it is you need to feel yourself will do the trick. For this, I recommend doing this AFTER you finish your work, so you do not get stuck in the sofa trap mentioned in tip #1.   

Conclusion 

With only 24 hours in a day and so much to do as a single mother, not being productive and making the best use of your time is only going to hurt you in the end. As tempting as it may be to relax and flip on the TV while your little one sleeps, think of the bigger picture and how much better you will feel when you start checking off those action items. With that said, take advantage of naptime to get work done. So you can feel less stressed, and more accomplished. Also making you a better, more balanced mother that you and your mini-you can enjoy. 

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