Bismillahirahmanirrahim..
Assalamualaikum wbt.
[Motherhood Series] New Mothers and Productivity
“O
Messenger of Allah! I want to go out and fight (in Jihad) and I have to
ask your advice.” He said: “Do you have a mother?” He said: “Yes.” He
said: “Then stay with her, for Paradise is beneath her feet.” [Sunan an-Nasa’i]
Being A Productive New Mother
A new mother is a unique being.
She stands at the threshold of a
journey in which every step she takes can earn her immense reward in the
dunya and akhirah. And every deed she does form the basis of an adult
who is deeply and firmly rooted in the deen of Allah (glorified and exalted be He).
“A woman is a shepherdess in charge of her husband’s house and children and she is responsible for them” [Sunan Abu Dawud].
So, how can a new mother become a productive new mother?
“
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) said, “…do as many deeds as you are capable of doing, for Allah (glorified and exalted be He) will not become weary (of giving you reward)… the deed liked most by Allah (glorified and exalted be He) is one to which the doer adheres constantly, even if it is small” [Sahih Muslim]
5 Ways to Manage Your Housework as a Productive Mother
Begin your day at Fajr
“A successful woman is one who wakes up early and gets going,” says my
mother, and I agree with her!Every time I stay awake after Fajr, I am
able to complete my studies, finish my household chores and am more
cheerful throughout the day. Don’t sleep after Fajr. Recite Quran and
get on with your work for the day.Yes there will be days when you will
not be able to wake up no matter how hard you try, but don’t make this a
habit.If your child wakes you up in the middle of the night, recite the
dua for waking up in the night. Do dhikr, make dua as you change the
nappy or feed the baby. Offer 2 raka’ah of Tahajjud. Try your best to
pray at the earliest.
As you analyse your day and get
into the rhythm, you will be able to manage praying on time often.
“Don’t delay prayers or you WILL miss it. Housework never ends,” said a
mother of three children and a one-month old baby.
Plan your day before it begins
Making a to-do list for the tasks that needed my attention the night
before or at Fajr helped me
stay focused and also feel a sense of
achievement at the end of the day. There are some excellent articles on
tips for stay-at-home moms. You can also grab some handy mom-worksheets
at the
resources section.
Nap times
Use nap times for completing tasks that need your concentration the
most. If the baby does not have a nap routine yet, then find his natural
body pace and soon you will know the times when your child gets tired
and needs a nap. If your little one still refuses to sleep, then put him
or her in the sling and switch tasks. Go for grocery shopping, as the
rhythmic movement of the trolley lulls the baby to sleep
Take rest
Take a nap. “It’s a sunnah,” says a friend happily. Chalk out a time in
the day when you can truly sit down and drink your tea or coffee in
peace. No matter how much work awaits you, relax for those 15 minutes
each day. This helps reduce stress and the self-pity attacks of “Oh my
God, I have so much to do!”
Dress up for success
Pyjamas, however comfy they may be, is not very good for productivity.
So get out of them in the morning! Dress up the baby and yourself in
clothes that you could leave the house in, so you could do so if need by
without a big fuss.
Being a productive mother must
also include increasing your beneficial deeds as you go through your
day. Here are five different ways you can become a productive new mother
through beneficial deeds. Try out these five tips to ease your
housework as a productive mother, In sha Allah:
About the Author:
Sana Gul
is a mother of two and a student , learning the Quran and the Seerah.
She works for Islamic Lifestyle , a group aiming to help people live
their lives according to the Quran and Sunnah. She also writes for the
blog
islamiclifestyle4u.wordpress.com.
