Word for Wednesday: 40 hour week stay at home mom?

I read a post a couple weeks ago that talked about mananging your day as a stay at home a mom/household manager. It sounded like it was up my "discipline" alley. It basically said that if you worked outside the home you would have a pretty consistent 40 hour a week job. We all know being a mom is a 24 hr a day job, but I was challenged to try to look at my week through the 40 hour lens. I'm ignoring weekends...there will be stuff to do on weekends, but around our house weekends tend to be more relaxed, less organized, and less predictable. I'm aiming for the typical 8 hrs/5 days a week model - just to see if it can be done.  I'm counting paid work outside the house in my 40 hours cause its work too.

My purpose with this is to try to increase my productivity and decrease my stress by adding organization. I'm factoring in paid work (teaching, data entry, temporary secretarial work, dog sitting), structured learning time with Ariel, play time with Ariel, meal preparation and planning, grocery shopping and planning, budget management, cleaning, and blogging. I've tried a detailed schedule like this before with poor results, but I think I know my day (and myself) a little better now so I'm going to try it again.

My first draft:

Monday - 8 hours
(7-8 am: wake, read, eat, dress)
8-9 am: Academic Office
9-11 am:  Study Skills conferences
(11-1pm: feed dogs, time with mom/lunch)
1-4 pm: Admission's data
4-5 pm: Ariel's nap, computer - blog (meal plan monday, recipe, gratitude), reader
5-6 pm: make dinner, dishes, feed dogs
(6-8:30 pm: time with family)
(8:30-10 pm: time with husband/relax)
(10 pm: sleep)

Tuesday - 8.5 hours
(7-8 am: wake, read, eat, Remi arrives, dress)
8-9 am: Academic Office
9-10 am: Ariel up and dressed, breakfast, feed dogs, prep dinner, start laundry
10-11:30 pm: focused/learning play time - building, making, naming, reading, talking, singing, dancing, etc.
(11:30-12 pm: Ariel solo play, relax)
12-1 pm: lunch prep, lunch, clean up
1-3 pm: story time, nap time, more laundry, computer: bills and balance, blog (toddler, gratitude), reader, clean surfaces (wipe, dust), ceilings (dusting fans and corners, filters), and floors (sweep, mop, vacuum)
(3-4 pm: relax)
4-5 pm: Ariel up, snack, play outside
5-6 pm: prep dinner, eat, clean up, feed dogs, Remi leaves
(6-8 pm: family time)
(8-8:30 pm: bath time, bed time)
(8:30-10 pm: time with husband, relax)
(10 pm: sleep)

Wednesday - 6.5 hours
(7-8 am: wake, read, eat, Remi arrives, dress)
8-9 am: Academic Office
9-10 am: Ariel up and dressed, breakfast, feed dogs, prep dinner, wash diapers
10-11:30 pm: focused/learning play time - building, making, naming, reading, talking, singing, dancing, etc.
(11:30-12 pm: Ariel solo play, relax)
12-1 pm: lunch prep, lunch, clean up
1-3 pm: story time, nap time, computer: blog (gratitude, wordless, discipline), put away diapers, straighten house (toys, clothes, counters)
4-5 pm: Ariel up, snack, clean/pack for VA evening, feed dogs, play outside
(5-6 pm: drive to VA, read in car)
(6-7 pm: dinner, planning meeting)
(7-8:20 pm: small group)
(8:20-9:30 pm: pick up Ariel, drive home, read in car)
(9:30: bed time Ariel, relax)
(10 pm: sleep)


Thursday - 9 hours
(7-8 am: wake, read, eat, Remi arrives, dress)
8-9 am: Academic Office
9-10 am: Ariel up and dressed, breakfast, feed dogs, prep dinner, start laundry
10-11:30 pm: focused/learning play time - building, making, naming, reading, talking, singing, dancing, etc.
(11:30-12 pm: Ariel solo play, relax)
12-1 pm: lunch prep, lunch, clean up
1-3 pm: story time, nap time, more laundry, computer: blog (gratitude), reader, clean bathroom, grocery prep
(3-4 pm: relax)
4-5:30 pm: Ariel up, snack, grocery store
5:30-6:30 pm: prep dinner, eat, clean up, feed dogs, Remi leaves
(6:30-8:30 pm: family time, bath time, bed time)
(8:30-10 pm: time with husband, relax)
(10 pm: sleep)


Friday - 8.5 hours
(7-8 am: wake, read, eat, dress)
8-9 am: Academic Office
9-10 am: Ariel up and dressed, breakfast, feed dogs, prep dinner, start washing diapers
10-11:30 pm: focused/learning play time - building, making, naming, reading, talking, singing, dancing, etc.
(11:30-12 pm: Ariel solo play, relax)
12-1 pm: lunch prep, lunch, clean up
1-3 pm: story time, nap time, more laundry, computer: skim money stuff, blog (gratitude),Study Skills (grading, planning) reader, finish diapers
(3-4 pm: relax)
4-5 pm: Ariel up, snack, play outside
5-6 pm: prep dinner, eat, clean up, feed dogs
(6-8:30 pm: family time, bed time)
(8:30-10 pm: time with husband, relax)
(10 pm: sleep)


Total: 40.5 hours

I'm really not sure how I feel about this schedule yet. It seems a little too structured, but I know things don't always get done if they are left off the list. On the other hand, I feel like I'm not doing enough when I put it down this way. However, I know things have been left off and our schedule varies a lot. I think I am satisfied for the moment. I'll try it for a couple weeks and let you know how it's going (hopefully).

In case you didn't feel like reading all that mess here's the synopsis - this way I have a structured plan and a more flexible one:
Monday - 6 hrs work out of house, 1 hr blog stuff, 1 hr cook/clean - 8 hours
Tuesday - 1 hr work out of house, 6.5 hrs with Ariel, cleaning/cooking, 1 hr bills and blog - 8.5 hours
Wednesday - 1 hr work out of house, 4.5 hrs with Ariel and cleaning, 1 hr blog - 6.5 hours
Thursday - 1 hr work out of house, 1 hr grocery prep, blog, & bills, 1 hr grocery store, 6 hrs with Ariel, cleaning/ cooking - 9 hours
Friday - 1 h work out of house, 6.5 hrs with Ariel, cleaning/cooking, 1 hr class prep/grading & blog

Wow, I'm beginning to think that posts with the "word for wednesday" heading should translate: helpful for me to write, but boring for you to read. Oh well, it's my blog. You can ignore these posts with my blessing. :)