Take back your life, time and sanity with these simple steps. As moms, we are consistently trying our best to “juggle it all”. I don’t know about you, but I never wanted to be a juggler in a circus when I grew up, I wanted to be a successful woman and mom. Making it look effortless is something that all moms try and accomplish. We need to give ourselves grace, as well as find ways in our everyday life to manage our time and expectations, because I am done setting unrealistic expectations for myself as a mom, and you should be too.
My name is Amanda Lindow and I am a married, mother of two boys (7 and 3) working over 50 hours a week in the corporate world while also running an online community. The Candid Mom Society helps by coaching and mentoring moms with time management and everyday stress. My family and I moved to Verona, Wisconsin two years ago from Columbus, Ohio. Unfortunately, we have never lived close to family, so we have always relied on each other. After years of managing small and large teams, I have been able to take my learnings from 20 years in the corporate world to my everyday life.
As moms, we are expected to do it all, and to do it perfectly. Is society telling us we need to do it all, or is it you being hard on yourself? Every day we struggle with the should’ve, would’ve, and could’ve. Social media can make you question your parenting abilities because other moms seem to be doing it better. But I can guarantee that most of them are facing the same chaos behind the scenes. Instead of striving for perfection and trying to manage it all, I suggest you start by taking small steps in taking back control of your time.
Just say no
If you’ve got too much to do already it can be overwhelming to try to fit in the agendas and commitments of other people. Don’t get me wrong I’m all for being a kind and supportive friend. But sometimes, we are running low on time and energy and we’ve forgotten to take care of ourselves.
Sometimes saying no can be perceived as rude. I’m a total people pleaser, a natural helper, and the first person to raise my hand for everything. We put ourselves last and just plain burn ourselves out. So next time someone asks you to do something that is not necessary, say NO Thank You! If you don’t have time for things that matter, stop doing things that don’t.
Ask for help
Your husband can’t read your mind, they will never know if you are drowning in a sea of work and to-do lists. Give them a heads up on how you are feeling and just ask if they wouldn’t mind helping. Have your kids help around the house; give them rewards for helping, it works every time. Find friends to switch off on play dates so you can get something done. Ask a family member to come and watch the kids. Remember, asking for help is not a sign of weakness, it is evidence of self-awareness, courage, and strength.
Focus on one goal (not 100)
What is one goal that you would like to work on? Is it meal planning? Keeping up the house? Virtual learning? Spend some time to work out whatever that ONE thing is; make that your focus for the next 30 days to not only get better at it, but to also make you less stressed. Write down a specific goal that you will achieve in 30 days. You are 42 percent more likely to achieve your goals if you write them down.
One of my personal goals is meal planning every Sunday and writing it down on a calendar. Another goal I set for myself is being active 4 days a week for 30 minutes. Remember! Goals need to be specific, measurable, and written down. If you try and master more than one big goal at a time, you are more likely to fail at all. So focus on ONE!
Batch work and prioritize
Sometimes we can’t avoid the to-do list; so how can we manage it all? Batch working! It is simply to create a focus around one or more similar topics every time you’re sitting down to work. I like to think about it as doing single or similar tasks during a specific time. Batch working has changed my life and the way I manage and prioritize my to-do list. You can batch work at work, and at home to make a big difference in your life.
Steps for Batch Working
- At the beginning of your week write down everything you need to do in like categories or buckets. Like work, household, kids, errands, self-care etc..
- Next highlight what HAS to get done.
- Next mark what SHOULD get done.
- Then what is left on your list is what would be NICE TO get done but not necessary.
- Next group like items or tasks together in a block of manageable time.
Example: answer emails from 7-8am, don’t answer emails and make breakfast at the same time. Because multitasking is just doing two things half a$$. - Hang up this list and take a picture on your phone to keep as a reminder.
I really hope that these steps will help you get your life back in order to make it work for you and your family. If you are interested in batch working, I have attached a link to a free worksheet.
More about Amanda
Amanda was born and raised in Mid-Michigan, then after college she moved to Columbus, Ohio. Where she married her college sweetheart and had two sons; Parker 7, and Charlie 3. Two years ago, her family moved to Verona, WI for a new job opportunity. Besides working a full-time job in the fashion industry, she also started an online community called The Candid Mom Society, where she focuses on building connections with moms during every stage of life. She shares tips on intentional goal setting and calendarization so moms can take back their time and sanity.
If you want to learn more about The Candid Mom Society, check them out on Facebook.
