A Realistic Day Schedule for Moms Pursuing Online Learning Programs

It’s terrific that you have decided to pursue an online learning program to advance your skillset. Okay, even if you are still in the exploration and consideration stage, that’s still a head start. For mothers, returning to school or taking up a skill-building program can be daunting. It requires physical and mental resilience as well as self-confidence.

Nowadays, the availability of online programs has made further education more accessible for those who demand flexibility. Moms who wish to continue their education or change careers can explore asynchronous learning formats to balance studies with life.

However, we all know that’s easier said than done. Even with childcare and ample family support, focusing on studies while also balancing household tasks is never straightforward.

We have prepared a schedule with practical tips to help you manage this phase better. You don’t want to change family dynamics, but you also cannot afford not to concentrate on the program.

Dawn Dedication: Good News for Morning People

5:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m.: Study Time

As a student mom, the early morning period before the rest of the household wakes up can be your golden hour (or two). And this isn’t because our minds magically work better in the mornings. It’s just that this time is peaceful and you are less likely to be disturbed.

Yes, it will be tough. A mother and author writes about mom fatigue on The Atlantic. “Many (mothers) wake up each morning feeling like they could easily snooze for two to 10 more hours. This problem seems to mostly affect mothers specifically, not parents in general.” – Olga Khazan, Author, Me, But Better: The Science and Promise of Personality Change.

But despite this, the quiet of mornings can help you focus and finish urgent assignments or quizzes before chaos sets in.

Try to:

• Avoid scrolling through your phone notifications when you wake up. Use a physical alarm clock if you get distracted by the notifications that pop up on the screen.
• Perform a quick 10-minute yoga or light exercise if you must, but don’t tire your body out. The focus is on studying.
• Coffee is your friend. Scientists have even found that it has heart benefits when consumed in the morning.

Chaos, Clutter, and Cheat Revision Sessions

7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.: Family Time

No surprises here: you cannot expect to get much (if any) studying done at this time. There are kids who need to get ready for school. There are lunches to pack. It’s general madness everywhere.

If possible, sneak in a few 10-minute blocks of cheat revision sessions. These could be scanning PDFs you have downloaded to your phone or studying flashcards while waiting for the toaster to pop. You can use AI tools to generate memory hacks and quiz questions.

Try to:

• Be cautious against feeling burdened by setting high standards for yourself and the household. Expect some slackness in cleaning and laundry, and allow yourself to prepare quick, hassle-free meals.
• Play audiobooks and relevant podcasts in the car during school, daycare, or childminder dropoff.

Core Classroom, Non-Negotiable Time

9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.: Logging in and attending classes

This is when you must transform into full student mode, paying attention to the course material, not the washing machine.

Even if you sign up for an asynchronous program, you may have to set aside these hours for focused study. These formats are common in healthcare and social work sectors, which are also popular with career changers. In fact, some online accelerated nursing programs are specifically structured for people who wish to study at their own pace.

An important aside: Be careful when selecting the right course, as you obviously have no time to waste. According to Keypath Education, looking for authoritative signoff, such as CCNE accreditation, is a safe bet. 

Try to:

• Take notes. Materials come in handy for when you’re brushing up on concepts in other time slots.
• Avoid taking non-urgent calls. People must know that you’re studying at home and are unavailable.

Fingers Crossed for Independent Play

1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.: The Go-With-The-Flow Time

Once your kids are home, it boils down to two things:

• Do they play by themselves or read for long hours in the afternoon? 
• Do you have help in arranging snacks and meals and doing homework-related tasks (those endless school projects that need abundant materials)? 

If yes, you can count on a good study session somewhere in this time block. Otherwise, it is a hit-and-miss situation, with good and bad days thrown in together. 

The best option is to keep a few low-effort targets for yourself, such as revising bullet points from the last lecture or making a list of books you plan to issue from the library.

Try to:

• Encourage your children to engage themselves in quiet, age-appropriate pursuits that don’t (always) involve screens. Try Lego, an addictive book series, or a non-messy craft.
• View afternoon study time as a role modeling exercise for your children. When they see their mom studying with discipline and dedication, they may just be tempted to follow you.

The Juggle Master Period

6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.: Switching between mom and student roles

At this time of day, your motivation will likely be low. So will your energy. While you have been switching parenting and student roles all day, the intensity at this time can be next-level. The idea here is to dig out some study time between playground visits, trips to the supermarket, and dinner.

Try to:

• Keep your expectations realistic. Use incidental playdates to study, but don’t count on them to happen every week.
• Be open to bulk buying or ordering groceries to get more study time.

The Nocturnal Shift

9:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.: Study Time

You should try to use this slot as focused, uninterrupted study time. (If your kids are very small, you should try to arrange support for night-time wakings.)

For times immemorial, we have been told that early mornings are our best cognitive time. Morning larks and night owls have always been in competition, with people assuming the former are sharper and more productive. 

Well, we now know that different people function best at different times of the day and night. New research has shown that your chronotype defines your sleeping patterns and the time you are most active. BBC Science Focus explains that owls function better later in the day. Anyhow, 60 per cent of us are an intermediate mix of chronotypes.

Based on this, you can train yourself to use this time for revising the day’s lessons and completing any assigned readings.

Try to:

• Prepare your body for this nightly study by eating a light dinner and setting ample lighting.
• Don’t push bedtime beyond a reasonable limit since you’ll only wake up exhausted. Focus is important for online, self-paced courses.

Motivation Starts With M Too

Well, it does! Moms have traditionally been expected to have all the answers and know exactly where missing things disappear. They have also been synonymous with being untiring and always prepared. That second expectation is one that can help you stay motivated during your course. 

It will be uphill, especially if you enroll in a full-time program with an expectation of the minimum number of hours. But at the other end of the tunnel lies greater earning potential, more career fulfillment, and satisfying personal achievement.