As summer winds down and the scent of new notebooks fills the air, working moms everywhere are preparing for one of the busiest—and most bittersweet—times of the year: back to school. Between balancing work responsibilities and managing your family’s schedule, preparing for the new school year on top of working full time can feel like a juggling act with no intermission.

The good news? With a bit of planning and the right mindset, you can ease into this transition smoothly—and maybe even enjoy it.

We’ve teamed up with our mom friends from KARL STORZ North America Women's Employee Resource Group (WERG) to bring you five practical tips to help working moms prepare for the back-to-school season with confidence, calm, and a touch of grace.

1. Get Organized 

“Organization is essential, especially when juggling different academic environments.” Says Sara Colon, Supervisor of Design Verification Engineering. “My high school student tidies and organizes his workspace at home.” says Sara. An organized workspace is key to success, fostering a sense of calm and efficiency amid the back-to-school rush. “I assemble a ‘care package’ for my college student that includes some of his favorite snacks and several handwritten notes offering encouragement” Sara adds. Having everything you need where you can find it helps ease the stress for older students as well. 

Consider updating your family calendar with school schedules, extracurriculars, and important dates. Whether you’re a digital planner kind of mom or prefer a big wall calendar in the kitchen, having a centralized place for everyone’s activities helps keep the chaos in check.

"I pull out last year’s school schedule, and together we tweak it based on this year’s class times and afterschool activities. We sit down and map out the whole day—when she wants to relax, when homework happens, getting ready for bed, even where chores fit in. And yes, we negotiate a fair amount of TV time too!” Says Pauline Kino, Principal Marketing Manager.

“Doing it together makes such a difference. She feels heard, and because she helped create the plan, she’s much more likely to stick to it. It becomes our schedule, not just something I’m enforcing." 

2. Focus on Health and Wellbeing 

Back to school often means back to germs, busy mornings, and skipped meals—so it’s more important than ever to prioritize your family’s health. 

“Health and wellness are important too. We schedule annual physicals exams and review the importance of sleep, nutrition, exercise and self-care.” says Sara.

To support health and wellness, start reinforcing good sleep habits and consistent bedtimes a week or two before school starts if you’ve let that slip over the summer. Stock your fridge and pantry with nutritious, easy-to-prep foods for breakfast and lunchboxes and to ease the mental load. 

“Doing some basic planning helps to remove the mental load for later - for me this often boils down to food and chores.” Says Project Manager Kunjal Patel. 

“I have a quick list of recipes that I know are easy to make and the ingredients stocked in my pantry/fridge, or a step further of prepping those meals over the weekend and pre-packing daycare lunches and on-the-go breakfasts. This makes our mornings less chaotic and our evenings are spent connecting instead of scrambling to figure out meals.”

It’s also a great time to teach life skills “For my college student, we have candid conversations about independence, budgeting, and maintaining balance away from home,” includes Sara.

And don’t forget about your own wellness. A healthy mom is a better-equipped mom, so carve out time for rest, movement, and self-care—yes, even during the chaos. Kunjal even suggests self-care can include outsourcing meal prepping or Doordashing a comfort meal.

3. Ease Back Into Routine 

Going from summer freedom to school-day structure can be jarring—for everyone. Instead of flipping the switch overnight, gradually transition into your school-year routine.

“As the new school year approaches, I help my kids ease back into a routine by encouraging early wake-ups and structured mornings,” Says Associate Field Marketing Manager Tinnesha Brower. 

Wake the kids up a little earlier each day, reintroduce structured meal times, and set screen time limits. Practice your morning routine a few days before school starts to help work out any kinks (like where those missing shoes always disappear to). 

Older kids thrive on route as well, there’s just may look different than balancing screen time and bed time. “For my high schooler, we reinforce routines that support academic success, from managing time wisely to seeking support from teachers or counselors,” mentions Sara. 

4. Shop Smart 

Back-to-school shopping doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Start with a master list of essentials: school supplies, clothing, backpacks, lunch containers, and any tech your kids may need. Then, set a budget and stick to it.Involve your kids in picking out a few favorite items—it can help them get excited about the new year.

“It's the perfect time to go shopping!! But smart shopping. 😉 “ says Amy Jeanes, Customer Success Manager. 

“My kids are 4 and 7 years old and we rarely buy them things. Aside from Christmas and birthdays, this day is special for necessities. A few weeks before school starts, I pick a couple of backpacks or lunchboxes that I'd approve of and put them in my cart online. I let them shop from my cart instead of all over the place.” 

And remember, you don’t have to do all your shopping at once. Veteran mom and CEE Operations Supervisor Aloma Barsaleau tells us that while her kids were grown, she had a system for shopping: 

“We’d make sure to get the basics for supplies to start the school year. After school starts, then we go shopping again to obtain anything special that the teacher requests. That way they aren’t overwhelmed with more than they need.” 

This not only allowed her to break a large task into more manageable chunks, but also enabled her kids to gather data like what trending before making all of their back to school purchase decisions.  

“I’d also go shopping again for different clothing after school starts so that they can choose a few pieces that they really want that allows them to fit in with their peers. Peer pressure is real and is stressful. Anything I can do to help mitigate that, I would try to do that,” she adds. 

5. Set Goals  

As your child heads into a new school year, take some time to sit down and help them set one or two specific, realistic goals—something they care about, like raising a grade in a tough subject or staying organized with assignments. 

“I emphasize the importance of understanding the 'why' behind striving for straight A’s—it’s not just about the grades, but about building discipline, confidence, and a strong work ethic.” Says Tinnesha. 

Older students often respond better when they feel ownership over their goals, so ask what they want to achieve rather than assigning goals for them. Break each goal down into small, manageable steps, like dedicating 20 minutes each evening to review notes or setting reminders for due dates. “[We] discuss strategies for maintaining motivation, such as setting achievable goals, acknowledging incremental successes, and seeking assistance when necessary,” adds Sara.

Most importantly, celebrate progress—not just perfect results. “We also talk about the rewards tied to achieving those goals, whether it’s a special trip or a shopping day with my daughter. This connection between effort and reward helps reinforce the value of hard work and goal-setting,” finishes Tinnesha. 

Bonus Tip: Let Go of Mom Guilt

“Back to school is often a good time to reset expectations and release yourself of any ‘mom guilt’ you may be feeling,” offers Kunjal Patel. 

We get it. The guilt is real. Whether you’re missing morning drop-offs because of early meetings or can’t make it to every school event, it’s easy to feel like you’re falling short.

But here’s the truth: You’re doing your best, and that is enough! 

Remember that your presence, your love, and your consistency matter far more than being physically present for every single moment. Focus on quality over quantity, and don’t forget to extend the same compassion to yourself that you give so freely to others.

“I try to remind myself that what is most important is not time spent or effort given, but the quality of connection that is felt… Connection over perfection :)” Kunjal quips. 

Final Thoughts

Back-to-school season doesn’t have to be stressful—it can be a time of fresh starts, renewed routines, and even a little excitement. By staying organized, prioritizing wellness, and being kind to yourself, you can lead your family into the new school year with confidence.

From one set of working moms to another: you’ve got this!

The Mom Project wants to extend a special thank you to our friends in the KARL STORZ North America WERG for making this article possible!