Allow me to introduce our Day In The Life guest writer, Lauren! She’s a wife and mom of 3, an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, an excellent sourdough baker (can personally attest to this!) and lives in Union County. I am so inspired by the way she structures work and family time in her day!
A Little About Lauren
Hi! I’m Lauren, wife to my college sweetheart and mom to three precious kiddos ages 8, 6 and 3. We live in Union County, just south of Charlotte, we are passionate small business owners and faithful followers of Christ.
I’m an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach at Lauren Litaker Wellness, and I also manage vacation rental properties for Popi’s Porch Vacation Homes. My husband represents the fourth generation of his family business, Litaker Insurance, where he currently serves as President.
In the summer I work about 25-30 hours per week and have dedicated childcare two days a week. I complete the rest of my work in pockets of time throughout the day, in the evenings and on the weekends. I thrive on a good routine, the Holy Spirit’s guidance, and Asana (a free project management software). No two days look the same but here’s a glimpse into a day in the life on a random Monday in June!
Connect with her on Instagram or her website!
A Day in Lauren’s Life
5:00-7:00 a.m.
I throw on gym clothes, start a load of laundry, eat half a banana and hydrate with Relyte before heading to Burn Bootcamp for metabolic conditioning (one of my favorites!). My husband and I rotate going to either the 4:45 a.m. or 5:30 a.m. class 5x a week and it’s my turn to “sleep in ” a bit so I get to go to the 5:30 a.m. class today.
As soon as I get home from the gym I sit down to read scripture, pray and/or journal. Our church is currently doing a summer series on the Sermon on the Mount, so I’ve been digging deeper into Matthew 5-7 this week.
Then I take 15-20 minutes to shower + get ready for the day. Thanks to dry shampoo and a curling iron, I usually only have to wash my hair once a week. Over time I’ve learned to keep my routine as quick and simple as possible to be able to get ready before the kids get up (hello, 3 minute makeup face!).
My husband usually leaves for work sometime around 6:30 a.m. this time of year. During the school year we tag team the kids morning routine but I solo parent it in summer time.
After I’m ready for the day, I unload the dishwasher, start another load of laundry, make a protein smoothie, and lay out breakfast options for kids on the counter. If I’m moving efficiently in the morning, I can usually squeeze in a quiet solo breakfast and homemade chai tea (food before caffeine, always).
My husband cooks a bulk breakfast on the Blackstone on Sunday mornings (pancakes, turkey sausage/bacon and fried eggs) and I chop up fruit for the week. On weekdays, I just lay out the breakfast options on the counter and the kids can grab their own food. My oldest will usually heat up breakfast for the younger two. Sometimes we throw in some greek yogurt or homemade sourdough for variety, but we all typically eat from these standard 5-6 things each day.
7:00-9:00 a.m.
The kids start their morning routines at 7 a.m., and once their routines are complete, they come down for breakfast. Fostering capable, independent children is important to us, so the kids make their beds, clean their rooms, brush their teeth/hair and get dressed on their own (although I do still help our 3 year old).
The kids eat, put their dishes up, do their morning chore (from their “popsicle stick” chore list), and then we sit down for a family devotional. Right now we’re enjoying the Indescribable devotion about God and science!
After our devotional, we pray, I fold a load of laundry, and the kids have free time.
9:00am-3:00pm
Today is a child care day, so I have from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. to see clients and work on the more strategic parts of my business. I have two client sessions, and a few email communications to follow up on. I also spend time researching and writing content for a hormone harmony email and social media series that I’m working on, and do some planning for a back-to-school wellness speaking engagement.
On my non-work days, we head out on a “morning adventure” like the park, library, pool or a museum (and usually an errand too). Sometimes we pack a picnic lunch, or sometimes we come home for lunch followed by a 1 hour rest time and 30 minutes of TV. I’m able to get some computer work done during this 90 minute period each day.
Lunch is usually leftovers for me. Today I had leftover chicken enchiladas and the kids had a big “snack tray” with the sitter – fruits, veggies, turkey, crackers and hummus.
3:00-4:30 pm
I clock back in as “mom” and we grab a snack (homemade zucchini muffins and yogurt), and head outside for as long as we can bear the heat. Our street is always full of neighborhood kids out playing, so it’s an easy afternoon activity most days.
4:30-6:00 p.m.
We head back in to cook dinner. On my workdays, I opt for something simple and quick. Tonight it’s frozen grilled chicken reheated in the skillet, sauteed squash and zucchini from the garden, and roasted potatoes in the air fryer. The kids eat it all separated on a plate and my husband and I make a big bowl.
In the summer the kids usually turn on a movie while I cook and rehydrate from playing outside in the heat.
Then we eat as a family and follow it up with “putting the kitchen to bed” (aka wiping down the table/counter, sweeping the floor, feeding the dog, starting the dishwasher, and putting away anything sitting out in the main living areas). It’s all hands on deck!
6:00-9:00 p.m.
This time of day varies a lot. Usually the kids go back outside until it’s time to shower and read in their rooms. And either my husband or I have computer work to do, a meeting to head out to, or a client scheduled. We divide and conquer bedtime routines with the kids depending on who needs to work. Bedtime with our youngest is a simple book, song and prayer in bed, and a hug and prayer with our older two downstairs before they head up on their own. The kids are all in their rooms by 7:00 p.m. and asleep by 8:00 p.m. (it’s taken many years of training, but our kids are all great sleepers now).
Tonight we’re both finished with work by 6:45 p.m., so we head outside to work in the garden with the kids before putting them to bed and then enjoy an hour of downtime watching TV and catching up. Our goal is to be asleep by 9:00 p.m. most days to be well rested for our early alarms.
That’s a day in the life!