I feel like I don't get much down time at all. and that often leads to me feeling overwhelmed.

I guess it depends what ages you have. Last year I had 3 x 2.5 year olds and they were pretty self sufficient and did free up time. This year they are 3 x 3 and I have 2 x 1 year olds. The 1 year olds have added a lot more work now.

I try to eat my lunch during nap, tidy up the kitchen, prep the afternoon snack so I get about 1 hour to do daycare work and 1 hour where I have peace and quiet and downtime.

After the daycare leaves - I usually have to vacuum and mop and tidy up and often cook for the next day.

Weekends are about giving the house a good cleaning, grocery shopping, running the errands I couldn't during the week, laundry, cooking ahead for the Monday/Tuesday or daycare and doing my book work, etc.

I work 10 hour days officially but unofficially it is probably over 11 hours a day. Weekends are also taken up doing stuff I couldn't during the week and prepping for the next daycare week. Sometimes I feel like I work 7 days a week with the daycare.

I still tell myself it is worth it because I am making a decent income and get to be around more for my own school-age children.

I think everyone is different and it depends on what kind of daycare you run - what sort of meals you are making, what ages you have, the personalities of the children in care, and how organized and functional your daycare setup is. I am sure people who have a separate daycare space in the basement have less work at the end of the day other than those who use our main floor and upstairs and basically get mess all over.

Good luck with your new daycare