Behind the Schedule: How I Balance a 9–5, VA Clients, and Mom Life (Without Burning Out)
It’s 7:45 on Sunday night after another adventurous weekend meaning time to rally the boys for baths before bedtime to kick start another productive week. My husband and I have built a routine where I start to put the house to bed while the three of them scurry downstairs to start bath time giving me a few moments of reset as the night closes. Though this reset is my way of mentally checking my to do list from the day.
For those that don’t know I have quite the busy life and get told all the time “I am not sure how you manage it all.” The most recent time hearing that sparked a thought – “maybe I should write this blog to lay out how I manage it all.”
So here it goes! Welcome to a day in my life as someone building a VA business (while also working a 9-5) in between trying my best to be a present mom and wife.
Important Context to Know
A few key things to know about me that I have recently discovered explains a lot about how I am able to manage so much:
I am a Generator in regards to Human Design.
Meaning tasks are my best friend and my battery life to accomplish them doesn’t run out really until they are completed.
I am a Gemini (shout out to any June birthdays out there!).
While this doesn’t explain how I get so much done I feel like it explains how I am able to shift between the various worlds I work in and relate to where I am. Kinda like Hannah Montana and Miley.
I am a Tech Expert through Culture Index.
This is an assessment I know through my corporate life but ultimately means I thrive in places where I have autonomy, quick to move on things and strive to be very detailed in what I do.
A Typical Monday in My Life
4:30 AM - My alarm clock goes off and it’s hit or miss that I actually get up right then and there or sleep a little bit longer. After waking up I read & journal.
Currently I read one page from Jesus Calling Daily Devotional, one page from Pivot Year by Brianna Wiest and a chapter from Funny Story by Emily Henry. (I’m taking a much needed break into the fiction world and couldn’t be more obsessed with reading now). After that, I fill in a page in my Good Day journal from anecdote.
5:15ish - I grab my water and head to the office for a client work block. This work block is dedicated time on one client’s work so I am moving through projects rather just little pieces here and there
6:30 AM - Wrap up what I am working on and move to working out for about 10-15 minutes and getting ready for the day.
7:00 AM - the boys get up and we get breakfasts, backpacks ready and my husband and oldest leave for the day.
7:45ish - I clock into my 9-5. I work for a plumbing company based in Denver, CO where I support pretty much anything. My primary responsibilities are managing all recruiting needs, personal assistant to our president, and newly added supporting our marketing manager in an admin capacity.
Throughout the morning it's a multitude of snack breaks for Coop (did I mention I still keep one of my kiddos at home with me? 🙈), letting the dogs out, meetings and emails and starting some laundry.
Lunch Time - Around this time we stop for lunch and Cooper gets ready to go down for his nap.
Nap Time Hustle - I clock out from my 9-5 space and check through my client’s email’s that I manage. During this time I am responding to meeting requests and scheduling appointments with the non profit executive directors I work with.
If I have the capacity for any project work I will work on some content for a Montana real estate agent I support.
4:30 PM - Clock out from my 9-5 and pivot to a weekly client check in call.
5:00 PM - My husband and oldest are home from their day and we immediately get outside for a walk, park hang out, or bike ride before dinner.
7:30 PM - Everyone helps put the house to bed (I can’t get over this idea). For us, that looks like picking up toys, dirty laundry, and doing the dishes. Then it's a bath, books, and bed for the boys.
8:30 PM - Boys are in bed. If needed I check into client work for a minute but most nights I try to spend this time with Tim, catching up on our day or watching one of our shows we follow before bed.
Overall my day moves pretty well on its own and every piece falls into place. Working from home has been a huge blessing in finding this rhythm and getting everything done before the day ends. Though my Google calendar is a HUGE piece of ensuring I am where I need to be when I need to be there.
How my Calendars Balance it all
Managing a calendar isn't about finding more time; it’s about managing your energy and setting boundaries that stick. When you’re balancing a full-time 9-5, a growing client roster, and the unpredictable energy of two young boys, your calendar has to be more than a list of meetings, it has to be your philosophy for survival and success.
Energy Mapping
I don't just look at my day in hours; I look at it in Energy Zones. Understanding when I am most mentally sharp versus when I am most emotionally available changes how I slot in my tasks.
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Early mornings
High-level Client Strategy
Creative Business Work
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9-5 Responsibilities
Recruiting
Executive Assistant Support
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Evening Hours
Family Time - Dinner, walks, game nights
Plan out tomorrow
Additionally I try to keep my weekday client work to the routine weekly tasks. Larger project work I keep to the weekends where I have more time to dedicate and won’t miss the day to day routines.
Protecting My Mental Space
One of my biggest flexes is my ability to walk away from one focus of my life and not worry about it. While I might recap the day with my husband, I am not stressed about getting work done until my next scheduled block. I think that is the Gemini in me, being able to pivot to being a mom/wife, recruiter, or virtual assistant at the drop of a hat.
When the 9-5 day ends, I physically sign out of the VPN and close that laptop before the "Mom block" begins. This has been such a blessing, allowing me to be fully present with my family and not worry about work around the clock.
To support this, while I have access to all my work emails, Slack, and Teams channels on my phone, I get ZERO notifications. This way, if something comes in while I’m at the park, I’m not even notified about it until it’s time to focus on that specific task.
Finding the Balance
At the end of the day, my calendar isn’t a rigid set of rules, it’s a framework that allows me to be the best version of myself for my employer, my VA clients, and most importantly, my boys. Some days the "Presence" block gets interrupted by a tantrum, and some days the "9-5" block runs over, and that’s okay. The goal isn’t perfection; it’s intentionality.
Key Takeaways For Your Week:
Color Code by Role: Use distinct colors for your various focus points, work, personal, family, to see your "Energy Split" at a glance.
Share Calendars with Yourself: If you use multiple calendars share them into one main view so they can overlap for ease of scheduling. I have my recruiter calendar shared to my personal Google calendar along with my VA calendar to ensure nothing overlaps in their respective places.
The Evening Audit: Take five minutes every night to look at tomorrow and ensure your "Energy Mapping" still makes sense for your current capacity and priorties.
Silence the Noise: Turn off work notifications on your phone. If it’s truly an emergency, they’ll find a way to reach you; if it’s not, it can wait until your next scheduled block.
So there you have it! A typical day in my life as someone building a business, managing a 9-5, and most importantly being the best mom and wife that I can possibly be.
If you’re interested in seeing this routine action, make sure you follow along on Instagram where I always share a little behind the scenes!