A Slower, Softer Way to Structure Your Days

If you’re a mom building a business in the midst of raising little ones, juggling naps, meals, and the wild beauty of motherhood, you’ve probably felt the pressure of traditional routines.

The Pinterest-perfect morning schedules. The hourly blocks that never seem to hold. The endless advice about waking up at 5 AM, fitting in workouts, and batching three weeks of content before breakfast.

But if that doesn’t feel realistic for you? You’re not doing anything wrong.

In fact, you might just be ready for something different. This is where I like to follow a rhythm instead of a routine.

This week on the podcast, I’m sharing why this small mindset shift, from rigid routine to gentle rhythm, changed everything for me.

Why Rhythm? 

Rhythm honors your real life, the one with unpredictable nap times, spontaneous dance parties, and the days when nothing goes to plan.

It gives your days a natural flow, instead of forcing every day to feel the same.

It allows for presence. For breath. For being fully here.

Rhythm isn’t about doing less. It’s about doing what matters, in a way that aligns with your energy, your season, and your values.

Rhythm vs. Routine: What's the Real Difference? 

Routine is rigid. It's about showing up the same way, every single day, regardless of what your body, energy, or soul might be saying. It’s linear, masculine, and externally driven.

Rhythm, on the other hand, is flexible. It ebbs and flows with your energy, your seasons, your children’s stages, your hormonal shifts, and even the weather. It's cyclical, feminine, and intuitively led.

I believe rhythms give us structure without rigidity. They allow us to keep the day flowing forward without demanding that we become robots.

So let’s look at how you can create your own rhythm and finally ditch the harsh routine that just isn’t working out.

Tip #1: Create a Morning Flow (Not a Fixed Start Time)

Instead of forcing myself to wake at 6:30 a.m. daily, I honor my body. Some days I wake early, others I sleep in, especially during pregnancy, after rough nights, or when I need to rest.

Our morning rhythm includes:

• Wake up when we wake up.

• I unload the dishwasher and make coffee.

• The girls engage in a hands-on morning activity (books, watercoloring, magnet tiles).

• Breakfast—wherever and however it happens that day.

This rhythm gently anchors our mornings and eases us into the day without pressure.

Tip #2: Use Anchor Moments Instead of Time Blocks 

Rather than scheduling everything by the clock, I plan our day around anchor moments. These are repeating activities that naturally happen and give shape to the day.

Our anchors might include:

• Wake up

• Breakfast

• Lunch

• Tea/story time

• Dinner

• Bedtime

These touchpoints keep the day grounded while the time between them stays beautifully open and flexible.

Tip #3: Prioritize Free Play + Nature Time

We intentionally leave open blocks in our day for outdoor time, unstructured free play, errands, or spontaneous adventures like visiting the library.

Our rhythm changes with the seasons. Right now, it includes lots of time in the backyard, at the park, or even setting up the pool.

Tip #4: Add Moments of Connection (Like Tea Time) 

One of my favorite recent additions is our afternoon tea time and story cuddles on the couch. My girls are loving hibiscus and herbal teas, and I love that this moment signals togetherness and calm before the final stretch of the day.

Tip #5: Keep Evenings Soft and Fluid 

We flow through bath time, dinner prep (often with the girls involved), and bedtime rhythms like story reading, quiet toy play, or imaginative storytelling. Nothing is rushed; everything adjusts based on the energy of the evening.

Tip #6: Write It Down (Then Let It Change)

I love jotting down our weekly rhythms on a whiteboard or in my notebook—not to stick to them religiously, but to check in and make sure they still feel aligned.

Your rhythm is meant to evolve: seasonally, emotionally, developmentally. Let it reflect who you are right now.

Final Thoughts: What Rhythm Could Look Like for You

If you’ve been craving more flow and less pressure… consider adopting rhythms over routines. Start with:

• Identifying your family’s natural anchor points.

• Loosely mapping out blocks of activity types (not times).

• Giving yourself permission to change it all when needed.

Rhythms let us breathe, evolve, and connect more deeply to ourselves and our children. They remind us that we are not machines. We are cyclical, creative, ever-changing beings.

A Gift for You

 

If you’ve been craving a slower way to move through your day, I created something special for you:

The Rhythm Builder Template
It’s a free, printable guide to help you explore what rhythm might look like in your own life, complete with reflection prompts and sample rhythms for different motherhood seasons.

→ Click here to download it

It pairs beautifully with the podcast episode. So pour a warm drink, press play, and let’s reimagine the way we structure our time, not with pressure, but with presence.

🎧 Listen to the episode

You’re not behind. You’re not lazy. You’re in a sacred season. And building your life, and your business, with rhythm is more than enough.