9 Stay-at-Home Mom Motivation Tips That Really Work

In this post: Feeling stuck at home? These stay-at-home mom motivation tips will help you reclaim your time, energy, and purpose—starting today.

Are your days starting to run together, and the projects starting to pile up? You have stuff that NEEDS to be done. But your motivation is gone missing.

Recently, I was on a decluttering binge, and decided to clean and organize my kitchen cabinets. I saved the big one for last. The dreaded pots and pans cabinet.

I had every single pot, pan, baking dish, muffin pan, cake pan, and cutting board I own lying on my kitchen floor. I had washed out the inside of the cabinet. All that was left was to put everything back.

And suddenly, I completely lost all motivation.

Ugh. It happens. We get all excited about a project or task, get partway through, and then lack the motivation to finish it.

Obviously, this was a project I had to finish. Cookware cannot stay in the middle of the kitchen floor. I just had to do it. But not every task is that simple.

Sometimes it seems easier to just walk away from a project, promising yourself you’ll come back to it later. But “later” is pretty vague, and sometimes never happens.

woman wearing a pink shirt looking bored — Is lack of motivation holding you back?

I am a chronic procrastinator. I have lost sleep many, many nights finishing projects that should’ve been done days before.

Over time, I’ve learned a few tricks to help motivate myself to get things done. These tricks are simple, but effective. Hopefully, you can use them to find your motivation as a stay-at-home mom.

Bonus: Read to the bottom of this post to download your Christian Homemaking Guide!

Dealing with Lack of Motivation

When you’re a stay-at-home mom, every single day feels the same. Sometimes you get to the end of the day and feel like you accomplished nothing.

Then, you tell yourself, “I can just do it tomorrow.” But guess what–the motivation doesn’t magically appear tomorrow.

After several days of this, it’s easy to fall into a stay-at-home mom rut. Your to-do list stares you in the face every morning, but procrastination is your best friend!

When the motivation is missing, it’s hard to get it back.

It’s hard for me to remember now, but there was a time when I had a full-time job. I was motivated every day to do my job because I knew there would be a payday at the end of the two weeks.

However, there’s no payday for moms! Being a stay-at-home parent is a lot of hard work, and the rewards are small–if you’re looking for money. Even though the non-monetary rewards are great (happy family, anyone?), they probably aren’t enough.

What’s a mom to do?

9 Stay-at-Home Mom Motivation Tips (That Work!)

Lack of motivation hits us all at some point. And it’s usually about halfway through a big job, or when the floor needs to be mopped. Knowing it will happen is the first step to overcoming it.

Next time you’re feeling unmotivated, and (dare I say it) lazy, remember that it’s temporary.

Here are my best tips for staying motivated and getting things done, even when you don’t feel like it.

1. Start a morning routine.

Routines are a great way to manage your time and make sure that the most important things get done every day. For me, my morning routine is a non-negotiable part of my day.

That quiet time, first thing in the morning, is a great time to get a jumpstart on the day.

I like to have some alone time with a cup of coffee. I read my Bible, write Scripture, and pray. Finding time for myself gets hard once my kids get up. So, having this quality time first thing in the morning is the best way for me to make sure I start my day with a sense of purpose.

Morning is also a great time to knock out an easy task, like emptying the dishwasher or making the bed. These quick chores only take a couple of minutes, but they go a long way toward maintaining a clean house–without a lot of added stress.

The laws of physics state that an object in motion tends to stay in motion. Starting your day with a simple chore helps give you the motivation to keep moving and getting things done all day.

2. Do a brain dump.

Sometimes I get so overwhelmed with everything I need to do, that I feel paralyzed. So I do nothing.

Sometimes the thought process goes like this:

I need to wash the towels.

But there’s laundry in the washer that needs to go in the dryer first.

And there’s laundry in the dryer that needs to be folded.

But my laundry basket is full of clean laundry that needs to be put away.

I should empty the dishwasher first, and I’ll need my kitchen towel to dry the dishes.

I need to clean up the mess from breakfast, but I can’t do that until I unload the dishwasher….

And on and on it goes.

None of these tasks is a huge time commitment. But when they’re added all together, they get overwhelming fast.

First, take a deep breath. Then, get some paper and brain dump it all.

Write down every single thing that you need to get done.

Whatever is on your mind and making you feel overwhelmed, dump it out.

bored woman lying in the floor looking at her laptop — Don’t get lost in the scroll!

3. Break down your daily tasks.

When you look at the list that you just dumped, does it look as overwhelming as you first thought? Sometimes I find that it’s not as bad as I first thought. But even if it is, it’s time to face facts.

You probably can’t do every last thing. And that’s okay. “Tomorrow is another day,” to quote Anne Shirley. You can start again.

For now, look at all you need to do. Break it down like this:

3-5 things that you need to do
3-5 things that you’d like to do
everything else that you can do later

When you look at the list broken down into sections, it seems less overwhelming and more manageable. It will allow you to focus on what matters.

You can also see the things on your list that aren’t as important and don’t need to be done right away.

We only have so many hours in a day. We must do things like sleep, eat, and bathe. Understand that your time is finite, and you can only do a certain number of things. Saying no to some things is necessary.

4. Set realistic goals.

Some mornings, you wake up feeling like you are capable of great things. Today is the day that you will conquer every chore, tackle every pile of laundry, and prepare three home-cooked meals. You’ll probably even declutter the linen closet.

But somewhere between the linen closet and baked chicken, you lose steam. The truth is, you can’t do everything. And if you try, you’ll end up discouraged and less motivated tomorrow.

Instead of setting goals that are impossible to reach, start small. Write your to-do list in the morning, but keep it short and simple. You don’t have to cover the whole day first thing.

It’s okay to reassess at lunchtime. If you’ve made good progress, add some things to it. If the checks are few and far between, cross something out. The feeling of accomplishment will help motivate you to start fresh tomorrow.

5. Try meal planning.

No one tells you that the majority of your time as a mom will be spent at the grocery store, preparing food, and cleaning up after your family finishes eating. Many of us resist meal planning because it seems boring and like a lot of work. But when you learn to do it right, it’s a game changer!

I always struggle with motivation when it’s time to make dinner in the evening. If I don’t know what’s on the menu, it’s tempting to order pizza or get fried chicken at the gas station up the road. (Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it!)

Knowing that I have something in the fridge or pantry to prepare motivates me to skip takeout and eat at home. Cooking and eating are a basic, vital part of everyday life–and will be forever.

Finding a meal plan that works for your family will have a huge impact on your life. There are several ways to meal plan, so you might need to experiment until you find the right fit for your family.

smiling woman outdoors — Get out into nature.

6. Go outside.

I could stay inside my house without setting foot outdoors for days. But our bodies need fresh air. It’s important to spend a little bit of time outside.

When I take the time to sit on my swing for a few minutes every day, my mental health improves, and I feel more motivated throughout the day.

Where I live in South Carolina, the best time to go outside is first thing in the morning. If you wait, the weather will get too hot, and you’re liable to be mosquito food. I like to add a few minutes of porch reading to my daily routine when the weather permits.

Hiking, taking your kids to a park, or hanging out with family members are also great ways to spend time outside. Taking a break and enjoying God’s creation can make a huge difference in your day and help you feel more motivated.

7. Take some personal time.

Sometimes we get caught up in all the things we need to do and forget that we are people, too. Although our kids don’t believe it, we moms have personal interests, hobbies, and things we like to do.

On bad days, it’s okay to take a step back from all the things you do for your family and take care of your own needs. Maybe that means taking a break to read a book, bake some bread, or even enjoy your own nap time. Each of us practices self-care differently, but just doing it is important.

8. Enjoy the little moments.

Mom life can be mundane. It can feel lonely, and sometimes moms feel invisible. But being a stay-at-home mom and being a vital part of your child’s life is an amazing thing.

Spending time with your kids, taking care of your home, being there for your family–these are all blessings God has given you.

When you shift your mindset from “I have to do these things” to “I get to do these things,” finding joy becomes easier. Every day brings challenges, but they also bring joy to those who take the time to look for it.

Whether you’re snuggling on the couch, dancing to your favorite songs, or laughing at funny jokes, life is full of joy. Often, we’re getting pulled in different directions, and we forget to stop and smell the roses.

The good days go by fast, and if we’re not careful, we’ll miss them altogether.

9. Reward yourself.

When I was in school, we got a rewards slip every time we passed a test. It was great to be recognized by having your name called out for making a good grade.

Wouldn’t it be nice if someone congratulated moms for their hard work on a daily basis? The truth is, they probably won’t. That’s why you need to (sometimes) reward yourself.

You don’t need to do something crazy or spend a ton of money. Or any money.

Just allow yourself a few minutes to do something you enjoy. Food is probably not the best idea as a motivator, but it’s okay in moderation. Let yourself enjoy a little treat when you finish a chore you didn’t want to do–and yes, making phone calls or setting up doctor’s appointments count!

But you might also just let yourself scroll social media for a few minutes, read a book, or take a bubble bath.

These things seem small, but you might be surprised at how much better you feel when you’ve worked toward a big goal and rewarded yourself for accomplishing it.

woman dusting furniture — Reward yourself when you complete a task!

Remember Why You Do It

Even when you lack motivation, you still have to get it done. And sometimes that’s the best stay-at-home mom motivation tip of all. Just do it.

The most important work you will ever do will be within the walls of your own home. –Harold B. Lee

The days we spend as stay-at-home moms are temporary. One day, all of our kids will grow up and move out. Then, we’ll be empty-nesters, wishing we could go back to these days. (At least, that’s what they tell me!)

But the most important thing to remember is this: every task, chore, or job that we do should be done for the Lord.

And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
Ephesians 3:23

When we choose to see everything we do as service to God, even the little things are important. We aren’t working for a payday or a reward here on this earth.

Instead, we’re looking for an eternal reward in Heaven.

When you consider that God sees everything you do, motivation might come a little easier!