She has it all. So easy!
A little over five years ago I became a mother. Adjusting to parenthood and being a working mom has been pretty overwhelming at times. My kids are full of love, curiosity, and bring so much joy to my life.
It was always part of my plan for me to continue to work. I love my career. I get to make people feel confident and I was not ready to give up that part of myself. Along the way I have experienced a lot of trial and error to figure out how to balance it all. These are my biggest lessons…
Plan ahead. I’m all about meal planning. It saves time, money, and keeps you healthier. Create a list of 15 easy meals that you can whip up, have leftovers, and that everyone likes. Once you have your meal list it’s not as daunting but don’t expect yourself to prepare a Pinterest perfect homemade meal every night…it will make you crazy and really nobody cares! If there is day that looks busier that usual plan ahead to get take out or delivery. If it’s part of the plan it removes the stress and guilt of the whole situation!
Be purposeful with your time. When you are home with your kids really focus on them. Don’t worry about the laundry and dirty dishes, trust me they will still be there after the kids are asleep. Enjoy your kids. Play. Make a mess. Be silly and make a fort. Read the same book 4 times because it’s her favorite. They are only little once so be present with them!
Take care of yourself. Simple right? Yes its a simple concept but so easy to be derailed. Meal planning (yes again, I cannot stress meal planning enough) is the best way I have found to fuel my body with healthy food. Drink more water than you do caffeine. Treat exercise like an appointment. Get some sleep. Don’t binge TV until 1am. These are all simple choices when taken one at a time. Remember you are more than just a parent. Nurture your relationships. Plan to have a girls night and see your friends. Schedule a babysitter to go out with you spouse or significant other. If you are an introvert, plan to have some time for yourself on the weekend. You don’t have to do all these at once but if you just do one a day, you’ll see how it helps the health of your whole family.
Simplify. The minimalist lifestyle isn’t the perfect fit for me but it did make me look at my stuff completely differently. Is the stuff in your life making you happier or creating chaos? I’ve been slowly slimming down the amount of unnecessary toys, clothes, books, old DVDs, towels…honestly I had no idea how much crap was around my house that I was just consistently cleaning up. This has also changed the way I shop; I think about how each item might positively effect my lifestyle. Is that blouse really super cute or will I wear it once and lose it in the back of the closet?
Say no. I am a people pleaser by nature, a yes girl! But I have learned not to overcommit. Don’t be afraid to say no to play dates and birthday parties. That probably sounds like I’m a party pooper but you can really drive yourself crazy trying to make it to every event and it’s not worth it. It wont be fun for the family if you are constantly rushing from one activity to the next and really they just need time to play and entertain themselves sometimes.
So those are my big lessons on how to keep balance as a working Mom. It’s what I strive for. Not every week goes smoothly. Unexpected things still pop up and life goes on. By keeping those five focus points in mind things in my life is much calmer and I have better perspective. I love my life, I get to do it all!
Blog by McKenna
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