How To Make Nap Times Productive

Nap times are an important part of a toddler’s lifestyle, not just for them but for parents too. Naps help your little ones get the rest they need to keep happy and active throughout the day, but they also prove to be an amazing asset for busy parents out there who need to do the washing, the dishes, work from home, and everything else the modern lifestyle throws at us. So, here are my top tips for using your toddler’s nap time effectively in order to stay productive!

Schedule naps

Scheduling naps is a surefire way to get your little one into a great routine that not only helps them rest when they most need it, but it helps you schedule your time around their needs. Most toddlers who are younger than around 18 to 24 months tend to need between 2 to 3 hours of sleep through the day. The best way to handle this is to split the sleep time between two naps: one mid-morning and one mid-afternoon.

Your little one won’t always stick to their nap schedule, but for the majority of the time they will, and you’ll be able to plan any work and other house/life duties into the hours that they’re resting.

Make a list and stick to it

Trying to keep track of everything that needs to be done in your head is the worst thing to do when it comes to increasing productivity. You can pick up a daily planner in Officeworks for a pretty small cost, or a plain old notebook works just as well. Before nap time rolls around, have your list of tasks ready to go. Set manageable goals for each nap time and try your best to stick with them. Ticking items off a list is such a great feeling and you’ll start to notice that you fall into a pattern with the tasks you enjoy doing in the afternoon and the ones you prefer to complete in the morning. Either way – don’t forget to schedule in some down time on top of the tasks!

Don’t overdo it

As a parent, you probably don’t have much time to yourself as it is. Not every nap time has to be productive in the typical sense. Sometimes being productive might mean taking a nap yourself to recharge. It might mean running a bath and chilling out with your favourite book for a while. It might mean taking time to put towards a creative passion. If you don’t take time to care for yourself every so often, you’re only making things harder when it comes to caring for the people you love.

Just do your best and trust that everything else will fall into place. It’s not too difficult to make nap times productive if you have a plan. You’ve got this!

Sleep sweet and deep, my dears x

Meet the lovely Isla (12 months) and hear her sleep success story!