Do You Really Need to Be Productive During Naptime? Here’s Why I Stopped Trying

Mama Poe
19 hours ago
5 min read

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Rest Is Productive Too
The Chores Will Still Be There
What Changed for Me
Final Thoughts

I used to look at naptimes as my only window during the day to do anything productive. As you can imagine, trying to load the dishwasher or vacuum the floors can be difficult with twin 2-year-olds running around after me or hanging on my legs.

All phone calls, emails, and household chores waited until the twins were asleep. And then… Cam came. And a baby and toddlers don’t exactly sync up schedule wise.

Sure, there are some days when everything lines up and I get an hour (or two, if I'm lucky) where all three kids are sleeping peacefully at the same time. But I realized something: if I spent that small window of time cleaning, I was leaving nothing behind for myself.

By the end of the day, I felt completely drained. I'd find myself doom-scrolling for hours or staying up until midnight just to feel like I had a little time that belonged to me.

That wasn't sustainable. And even when I did choose chores over rest, I wasn't enjoying it anyway.

I wasn't leisurely folding laundry or happily loading the dishwasher. I was racing the clock, mentally calculating how many minutes I had left before someone woke up crying. I'd feel this burning pit in my stomach the entire time I was rushing around. Every time I heard the baby monitor crackle, I'd stop in my tracks and think, Please don't wake up yet. I just need five more minutes.

Looking back, it makes sense. When we're constantly racing against time, our bodies can respond as though we're under a real threat. Whether you're sprinting through a never-ending to-do list or running from something dangerous, that same stress response can kick in. Your body isn't evaluating whether the threat is life-or-death—it's responding to the pressure you feel in the moment.

Somewhere along the way, I realized I had turned the only quiet part of my day into one more thing my nervous system had to survive.

Here’s why I stopped worrying about the pressure to be productive during nap time.

Rest Is Productive Too

I used to think resting during naptime was a waste of time. But after Cam came, I realized I had the definition of productivity all wrong.

If I spent the only hour or two I had to myself cleaning, crossed a few things off my to-do list, but came out of naptime just as exhausted and mentally drained as I went into it... was that really productive?

If I found myself secretly disappointed when my kids woke up—not because I didn't want to see them, but because it meant I couldn't finish what I was doing—was I really using that time in the best way?

I realized productivity isn't just about checking things off a list. Sometimes the most productive thing I can do is protect my energy so I can enjoy the people I was trying so hard to care for in the first place.

The Chores Will Still Be There

As a self-proclaimed neat freak, I still have to make sure things get done. Not just for the sake of my household working efficiently, but for my own mental clarity. So, just because I stopped doing chores during naptime doesn’t mean I stopped doing them.

Instead? The kids help me now. Even Cam.

Laundry used to be my least favorite thing to do. I would let piles collect all over my floor, often getting to the point where Steven and I could barely see the carpet in our room. Now, I wait to fold laundry specifically when Cam wakes up. There is nothing more entertaining to him than rolling around in my clothes, playing peek-a-boo with one of my t-shirts, chewing on drawstrings, or enthusiastically smacking our laundry basket. It instantly turned something I used to dread into something I look forward to.

The twins help, too, and they love doing it. They help me water our flowers, pull weeds, vacuum, load the dishwasher, and unload the dryer. Does everything take me infinitely longer than it used to? Yes. 100 times yes. But, it’s still getting done.

And maybe more importantly, my kids are learning that taking care of a home isn't something Mom disappears to do alone. It's something we can do together.

What Changed for Me

The biggest thing that changed wasn't my chore list—it was my mindset.

I stopped believing that every free moment had to be earned through productivity. Instead of asking myself, "What can I get done before someone wakes up?" I started asking, "What do I need right now?"

Some days, the answer is folding laundry. Other days, it's answering emails, writing a blog post, or sitting on the couch doing absolutely nothing.

Ironically, once I gave myself permission to rest without feeling guilty, I found I had more patience for my kids, more energy for the afternoon, and far less resentment when naptime came to an end. The dishes still got washed. The laundry still got folded. It just didn't have to happen during the only peaceful part of my day.

Final Thoughts On Being Productive During NapTime

If you're someone who genuinely enjoys folding laundry during naptime or crossing things off your to-do list while the house is quiet, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. This isn't about saying chores are bad. It's about remembering that your rest has value, too.

Motherhood asks so much of us. We're constantly taking care of tiny humans, making decisions, solving problems, cleaning messes, and thinking three steps ahead. We don't have to spend every quiet moment proving that we're productive enough.

The laundry will still be there after nap time. But giving yourself permission to recharge? That might be the very thing that allows you to show up as the parent you want to be for the rest of the day.

And for me, that's become the most productive choice of all.

Posted from the heart,

Mama Poe