Time Blocking for Summer Sanity: Why I Lower My Standards and Still Get Things Done

mother in a force field being shielded from her kids in the morning
Let me be totally honest: when summer rolls around and the kids are home, my perfectly planned days go out the window. The house gets louder, the snacks disappear faster than I can buy them, and the question “what are we doing today?” is asked before I’ve even finished my coffee.
For a while, I thought I just had to hustle harder during summer. Keep the house clean, keep the kids entertained, keep working, keep smiling. But let me tell you—that approach led straight to burnout.
So now? I lower my standards.
And no, that doesn’t mean I give up. It means I shift my expectations to match the season. Summer is just different. And that’s okay.
One thing that has truly saved my sanity during these wild summer weeks is time blocking. But not the super-rigid, every-15-minutes kind. I mean loose, flexible blocks of time that help me set a rhythm without feeling trapped.
Here’s what my Summer Time Blocks look like:

Morning Block (8 AM - 11 AM)

This is kid-focused time. I try to be present and hands-on. We might go for a walk, head to the park, or just hang out at home. The key here is to avoid diving into work and emails until the kids have had some attention.

Midday Block (11 AM - 2 PM)

This is when I get some work in. My kids get screen time, quiet time, or activity bins I’ve prepped. It’s not perfect, but it gives me a window to respond to emails, knock out tasks, or make client calls.

Afternoon Block (2 PM - 5 PM)

This is when I let go of expectations. The house will probably be a mess. We might go outside, run errands, or just chill. I keep it light, and if nothing “productive” happens, I don’t beat myself up.

Evening Block (5 PM - 8 PM)

Dinner, clean-up, maybe a walk or a movie night. We all do a quick reset together—nothing major, just a 10-minute tidy so the house doesn’t fall apart. Then I get the kids ready for bed.

It Doesn't Always Go As Planned

And here’s the truth: some days it all goes off the rails. Someone gets sick. Someone melts down. I lose patience. That’s when the whole “lower your standards” mindset kicks in.
It doesn’t have to be a picture-perfect summer. It just has to be livable.

When I started time blocking with grace—and let go of trying to do it all—I started enjoying summer a lot more. I wasn’t trying to keep up with Pinterest moms or juggle a million tasks. I was just doing what worked for us.

So if you're in the middle of a chaotic summer, try this:

  • Divide your day into a few blocks.
  • Pick one thing to focus on in each block.
  • Let the rest go.

Lower the bar. Raise your peace.