Are you ready for summer? I know I’m not quite there yet—I still have a few things left to check off my list. While I was in the midst of preparing, it hit me: “Oh my gosh, how have we not talked about this yet?” It’s high time we discuss getting ourselves fully organized so we can balance home and work effectively this summer, especially with the kids out of school.
We talk about this every year, and it’s incredibly important. Right now, it’s a major focus of mine. Recently, during a coaching session inside Systemize Your Life, we had a fantastic discussion about the changing seasons and how they impact our routines. We’ve grown so accustomed to our routines over the past several months with the kids in school, especially since they settled back in after the Christmas break and completed the second half of their school year. Now, with the impending shift to summer, everything changes—and it can be quite stressful.
This is the perfect time to think about shifting your energy and embracing more joy. How can we do that? The guilt that arises when you’re trying to work while your kids need you can be overwhelming, especially when they’re home all the time during summer. These feelings can be tough to handle until you realize there’s a better way to manage everything.
“Now, with the impending shift to summer, everything changes—and it can be quite stressful.”
Listen Below For The Entire Episode On The Systemize Your Life Podcast
Tip 1: Strategies For Summer Organization Tips For Moms
I’ve tried a lot of things over the years. For the past six years, I’ve been working for myself. Even before that, I balanced working for myself, corporate jobs, and being an independent contractor. Juggling the house, kids, meals, and laundry while trying to work has always been a challenge, especially in the summer.
Once you get used to the routine of having kids in school or homeschooling with its structure, transitioning to the free-for-all nature of summer can be tough. Things often don’t go as planned, making it hard for everyone involved. My goal with this post is to provide you with the resources you need to navigate this shift smoothly.
So, on your notepad, I want you to write down Tip Number One, and here are a few things to consider. There are three main categories here, each with multiple points to work on. The first tip is to **plan before it hits**.
What does that mean? It means not waking up on the first day of summer without a plan. This is crucial for many reasons. You want to start planning now—make it a priority for this weekend. I’m finalizing mine next week, and I honestly feel like I’m a bit late to the game.
Planning and Structuring Your Days
But, you know, there are different types of planners out there. Some families book all their summer camps for the kids at the start of the year because they know those spots sell out fast. If you’re one of those families, you probably already have some activities lined up. Maybe you’ve even booked your vacation spots, whether it’s a camping site or a lodge. While those plans are great and definitely part of summer prep, the planning I’m talking about is a bit different.
What I’m talking about is planning what you want your day and week to look like with your kids. It’s about building a bit of structure into the summer. The number one thing you need to understand is that it cannot be a free-for-all. You can designate a set time of day or even a specific day of the week as a free-for-all, which is something we will do. I might even make Mondays and Fridays our free-for-all days. Those will be our days for lots of movies, swimming, and just going with the flow. They can eat breakfast whenever they want—maybe we’ll just do this on Fridays. I’ll need to feel it out and test it.
But then, on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, it’s structured and game on. This is the kind of planning I want you to think about.
If there are summer camps they want to attend, that’s fantastic. Get them involved in something fun. As for me, I definitely plan on having a sitter come because I can’t spend every single day with my kids all day. I work, so I need to figure out what my kids will be doing while I’m working. This brings me to Tip Number Two.
Tip 2: Balancing Work And Kid Activities For Summer Organization
What are your kids going to do while you’re working? This is a crucial part of planning. Yes, you need to schedule activities and possibly arrange for sitters, but the focus here is on what happens while you’re working. So, I want you to circle this phrase really big: **while you’re working**. What can you do in the summer to ensure you’re balancing home and business during your work hours?
But briefly, here’s what I want you to think about. The number one thing is to know when you’ll be working during the summer and stick to those hours. When you say you won’t be working, don’t work. Period. This approach helps your kids respect your boundaries. You might need to train them and have discussions about this, depending on your relationship with them and their ages. If they know that when you go to work, you’re truly unavailable until you’re done, they’ll learn to wait and avoid interrupting. Consistency is key—if you leave your workspace but continue working, it blurs the lines for them. So, be strict about not working when you’ve said you won’t be working.
Also, make sure you know what your kids will be doing while you’re working and communicate that to them. Give them a visual and a clear understanding of what they can look forward to while you’re busy. Have a conversation with them about their preferences and what activities they would enjoy. If your kids are very young, then your summer schedule might not change much since it’s more of a summer schedule all the time with little ones at home. However, for those of us transitioning into a new summer routine, it’s crucial that our kids understand what’s happening during that time.
Summer Organization Through Communicating Work Boundaries To Kids
We’ve had this experience in our household when my kids are home sick. They don’t always understand what it means for me to work from home. My business revolves around my computer, and I don’t think they realize that while they’re at school, I’m working all day. So, when summer comes and they’re home all day, they just think mom’s always available. It’s important to have a conversation with them to help them understand that this is my job, and I’m working during specific hours. As they get older, the explanation and the conversation will change each year.
The key takeaway here is to make sure your kids know you have work to do, explain when you’ll be working, and clarify what they’ll be doing during those times. Then, when you’re not working, truly disconnect—delete work-related apps, put your phone in another room, and most importantly, don’t bring your laptop out of your workspace. These steps are crucial for balancing work and family life over the summer.
Tip 3: Prioritizing Quality Attention For Your Kids For Summer Organization
Number three: this is the third tip, and I’m calling it “attention.” This focuses on your attention and who you’re giving it to. This piece of advice has been some of the best I’ve ever received and is a solid parenting practice I try to follow all the time, especially during the summer.
The first key is to pour into your kids early in the day. Think about when you’re giving them attention and how that will help. They’re now home all day and not used to seeing the same four walls every day. Yes, you’re going to get them out of the house, do activities, and balance indoor and outdoor time with minimal screen time. You’ve already set the plans for that.
But I want to emphasize the importance of giving them focused attention early in the morning. When setting up your day, make it a priority to engage with them meaningfully. Offer eye contact, physical touch like hugs, and participate in activities together. Whether it’s inside or outside, give them intentional attention when they are at their prime. This sets a positive tone for the rest of the day.
Summer Organization Tips for Moms: Giving Kids Quality Attention
Most people want to dive into their work straight away, but I cannot stress enough how important it is to avoid this. Make sure you give your kids your attention first thing and really pour into them. Whether it’s two hours or four hours, give them what you can. This approach works even if your kids are very young—it’s something I’ve practiced for a long time.
Every time I’ve coached other women who struggle with this and I ask them about their daily routine, I suggest they flip their schedule and start with giving their kids attention. They always come back and say, “Oh my gosh, that was so helpful.” This strategy consistently proves to be effective.
Pour Into Your Kids At Bedtime
Here’s the second piece of advice on where and when to give your kids attention: pour into them at bedtime. I want you to do this 100% of the time, all summer long. While it’s important year-round, it’s especially crucial during the summer when they’ve lost their usual structure. Anchoring them in the morning and at night will help regulate them throughout the day.
When you’re busy cooking, cleaning, making phone calls, or working, this routine will stabilize their nervous system and provide a consistent anchor. Trust me, trying this will significantly reduce your guilt. Being fully present for their nighttime routine is key—leave your phone aside and focus on them completely. This dedicated attention will make a huge difference in their sense of security and your peace of mind.
Bring a book, a drawing pad, or doodle with them—just be available and share that time together. These moments will become pivotal points in your summer that you look forward to and remember fondly. It will change the tone and the feeling we discussed at the beginning. This approach will help you truly enjoy your time together, despite the challenges. It’s definitely hard, but I believe this will make it a lot less challenging for you.
Wrapping It Up…
I’m wishing you a really fun summer! We’ve got some exciting plans for our family that I’m looking forward to. How about you and I work together to make sure our summer is all squared away by the end of next week? I still have a few things to finalize myself, and I think it would be really fun to do this together. Let’s get our summer plans squeaky clean and ready to go!
If you do end up putting any of these tips into place, I’d love for you to take a picture and Share them within our vibrant Facebook community or come over and visit me on Instagram. Not only will it serve as a piece of accountability for you, but it will also encourage other moms who haven’t yet taken action on what they listened to on the podcast today. I’m excited to see a little bit of your summer shared there, and I’ll be sharing some of mine too. And remember that we would LOVE to see you inside of Systemize Your Life as a VIP student!
Thanks so much for being here with me!
Frequently Asked Questions
Any other summer tips that you might have for me?
Here are some other ways you can dig in. Check out some other similar blog posts that can be helpful like: How To Manage My Time In Summer? – Best Tips To Have A Productive Summer or 10 Tips To Make This Summer Fun And Productive As A Work From Home Mom
