I have only been at this for a year, but one thing that was helpful for me was to schedule an afternoon every week for thinking and planning. It’s a good time to come up with to do lists, thoughts about what is actually working for our family, organize vacations, volunteer projects, major projects around the house, etc.
It helps me to be more organized, but also more intentional about my time.

I work out or have a club sport nearly every morning after school drop offs. Then walk the dogs and run any errands like to the post office, library or grocery store. Pick up or make lunch and then shower. (I shower first if I have lunch plans with a friend.) By then it’s around 1 pm and I do household chores like laundry or meal prep, take the car in for service, go to my own doc appointment, get my hair cut, pay bills etc and pick up my first child by 2:30. Once a week on Fridays I volunteer so I need all my errands and chores wrapped up by then.

I SAH and have school-aged children. After I drop them off, I come home and leisurely drink coffee, catch up on news and eat a small breakfast, and then walk my dog or go on a hike. I do morning clean up: unload dishwasher, clean up kitchen, make bed, put in laundry, and then I take a shower. By this time it’s around 11am. I usually have errands to run or sometimes I meet friends for lunch/coffee or maybe I have projects to do around the house or have other obligations. Some days are busy, and some days are quite nice and relaxing. Enjoy your time.

Honestly I went back to being an SAHM with a little part time work recently and it feels like about 20 mins pass while they are at school. You won’t have trouble filling up the time. Read for a while and then go exercise and then do errands and straighten up. The kids will be back by then..

School-aged children

What's SAC? I think your question is a little confusing

What's SAC? I think your question is a little confusing

Anyone?

I went on a leave after an illness a year ago. I won’t be able to start back at work until mid-year 2020. I really want to make the most of this time. I don’t want to fall into any poor habits. Do you schedule “lazy time” into your days in any specific way to prevent this from happening? I’d love to sit and read with coffee, for example, but I feel like I could do this and let time escape me. Any tips for successfully sliding into this new role would be appreciated. Thanks!