How to Stop Feeling Drained as a Mom: Practical, God-Designed Rhythms for Peace and Productivity

Have you ever felt like you’re constantly pouring out for everyone else—yet still never feeling caught up?

I was listening to a mom explain her burnout and she said it so well. She said:

“I feel like I’m a Capri Sun—and my husband, daughter, and even my dog all have straws. I’m feeling overworked, touched out, and exhausted. I want to meet the needs of my family without feeling drained in the process.”

And that right there—that’s the crux of what we’re talking about today.

Because the truth is, most moms don’t actually need more hours in a day. They just need to stop working against the way God designed them.

From the outside, it might look like I have more than 24 hours in a day—but just like you, I live within the constraints of time that the Lord gave us.

I’m a mother to three children four and under, I exercise, I run this YouTube channel, I follow my daily routines, I read, and I still make time to spend with friends and family.

It’s not that I do it all. It’s that I’ve learned how to optimize my time in a sustainable, peaceful way.

I’m going to show you exactly how I do it—and how you can too.

These are simple, actionable steps you can implement today to create more peace amidst the chaos.

But here’s the deal—you cannot copy and paste my exact routine. You can take what serves your family, but the rhythm has to be your own so always remember to eat the meat and spit out the bones. By the way, my last tip might surprise you—it’s something most moms believe we’re amazing at… but it’s actually one of the biggest myths keeping us exhausted.

From Mental Fog to Peaceful Clarity

For so many years, I lived in this constant state of pressure—feeling like my brain was running a thousand tabs all at once.

But somewhere along the way, the fog lifted.

Now, my mind feels quiet. My brain fog is gone, I’m not burning the candle at both ends—I don’t feel utterly exhausted all the time, and I can actually enjoy my life while still getting things done.

1. Get Off Your Phone (Saves 6–7 Hours a Week)

The average mom loses an entire workday every week just to phone scrolling—and this time is hidden in small moments that add up to a life spent watching other people live theirs.

I fall victim to this sometimes too. So I started something I call “visiting hours.”

I only have my phone on me for one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening. That’s it.

That’s when I check texts, phone calls, and notifications.

After that, the phone lives in another room, or even my car if I need that separation.

Here’s how this tip tricks your brain: when you put a limit on something that usually feels endless, your brain immediately reframes it as finite. You stop entering autopilot scroll mode because your mind knows there’s a boundary.

Psychologically, this works because of Parkinson’s Law, which says that work expands to fill the time you give it.

Phone use is the same way. Give it an hour and it’ll take an hour. Give it all day and it’ll steal your peace.

Since doing this, I’ve regained around 6–7 hours a week—and restored my attention span.

2. The Brain Dump Prayer (Saves 10–12 Hours a Week)

When I feel mentally cluttered—like all these things swirling in my head that are stressing me out, making me snippy at the ones I love, and stealing my peace—I get out a notebook and write down everything in my head.

This is anything that’s taking up space in my mind in that moment: I need to add eggs to the grocery order, that comment was really hurtful, I’m worried about this child, I just feel so uncomfortable in my own skin right now, give this friend a call… you get the idea.

Then I go line by line and pray over each one.

The beautiful thing about this is that you can physically see what’s been burdening you. And so often, it’s not big heavy worries—but very practical things that pile up and make me feel like I’m drowning.

When you externalize your thoughts—literally get them out of your head and onto paper—your brain stops spinning because it believes the problem is being handled.

Research has found that when you offload your thoughts onto paper, you can regain up to two hours of mental energy a day—nearly 10 to 12 hours a week.

It’s not just psychological—it’s biblical.

Philippians 4 tells us to make our requests known to God, and His peace will guard our hearts and our minds.

Modern neuroscience calls this cognitive unloading—but Scripture called it casting your cares on Him long before psychology ever gave it a name.

3. Dangle a Carrot (Saves 5–7 Hours a Week)

The next little trick is to have something to look forward to either during your tasks or after—dangle a carrot for yourself.

This is called dopamine anchoring—when you attach rewards to mundane tasks, your brain begins to associate those tasks with positive emotion instead of dread.

For me, that looks like:

• Playing a video while I clean the kitchen
• Using a cleaning product I love the smell of
• Pouring my coffee into the perfect mug

Sometimes there are bigger rewards too. These tiny things matter because they trick your brain into anticipating reward rather than avoiding work.

Biblically, this aligns beautifully with God’s design. Ecclesiastes 3:13 says we were meant to take pleasure in our toil—it is God’s gift to us.

4. Time Blocking (Saves 15 Hours a Week)

Time blocking is the structure that keeps me sane as a mother—especially with little ones.

My day is split into six blocks, each with general goals rather than rigid tasks:

• Morning Nourishment Block (4–7 a.m.)
• Discipleship Block (7–10 a.m.)
• Homeschool and Adventure Block (10 a.m.–2 p.m.)
• Quiet Time Block (2–4 p.m.)
• Evening Finale Block (4–8 p.m.)
• Golden Hour Block (8–9:30 p.m.)

Time blocking reduces context switching—that constant jumping between tasks that burns mental energy. Research shows eliminating frequent task-switching can reclaim up to 15 hours a week.

Scripture supports this too: “But all things should be done decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:40).

5. Match Workload to Energy (Saves 8–10 Hours a Week)

As women, our energy naturally cycles.

There are days where your mind feels sharp—and others where folding one basket of laundry feels monumental.

When you align your homemaking rhythm with your hormonal phases, you stop fighting your biology and start stewarding your energy intentionally.

When women plan tasks according to these rhythms, studies show up to 25–30% higher productivity—equivalent to gaining 8–10 extra hours a week.

6. Get Dressed and Make Your Bed (Saves 10 Hours a Week)

This might seem small, but this is where the battle for productivity begins.

Making your bed and getting dressed are keystone habits—small actions that spark momentum. That quick dopamine hit tells your brain, “We’re capable. Let’s go.”

Proverbs 31:17 says, “She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong.”

That five-minute habit can buy back more than 10 hours a week of focused productivity.

7. Rotate Which Balls You Drop

This doesn’t necessarily save hours—but it saves your sanity.

You have a finite amount of willpower. Some seasons your house isn’t spotless, but your health is strong. Other seasons, your fitness fades while your home rhythms thrive.

This creates space to reassess and pivot—without guilt.

8. Stop Multitasking (Saves 10–12 Hours a Week)

Multitasking is a myth.

Your brain isn’t doing multiple things at once—it’s rapidly switching focus, and every switch costs about 20 minutes of efficiency.

Frequent multitaskers experience up to 40% lower productivity.

You can’t control every interruption—but you can eliminate unnecessary ones, like constant phone checking or starting multiple chores at once.

By focusing on one thing at a time, you can reclaim 10–12 hours a week of true productivity.

Stop Fighting Your Design—and Start Finding Peace

You don’t need to be more organized, more disciplined, or more like someone you saw on Instagram.

You just need to stop fighting how God designed you—and start partnering with it.

If you’re tired of living in survival mode, it’s not too late.

You can feel calm, present, and in control again.

It’s always such a joy to have you here.