How I Balance it All...

We have to slow the rhythm of rush in our lives so that the best of who are can emerge. -Lysa Terkeurst

There are 5 things most important to me:

1. My immediate family
2. My health
3. My relationships (parents, siblings, friends)
4. My job
5. My hobbies (currently blogging!)

I would love to say that every day my list is ranked in that order but I do spend the majority of my time working so trying to balance the rest can definitely be a challenge.

Most days I think I have my sh*t together but then life happens and I’m a hot mess, haha!

Being a full-time working mom, plus managing a household (which is a full time job on its own), can be a tough combination. It’s probably partly because I’m obsessed with interior design plus a neat freak, so an untidy house drives me absolutely nuts.

Here are some tips/ideas that I try to follow to keep my list ranked in that order. It may help you to balance it all!

1. Work: Set a schedule. Don’t get into the habit of having to work too much in the evenings and try shutting you mind off when you leave the office. Obviously, this can be tough if you have a job that requires your immediate attention, but setting boundaries is key. Check your emails if you really have to otherwise turn off your notifications.

2. Meal prep: This is one tip that I can’t stress enough. I remember a time where my husband and I would ask each other every.single.day what was for dinner and it drove us crazy. Now we plan our week on Sundays and we are good to go! We prep 2-3 days’ worth of food for Monday to Wednesday and we usually order takeout on Thursday or Friday!

3. Cleaning: I read a book once where it said that one of the best things to do is to hire a housekeeper so you can enjoy doing other things in life. Being a person who needs their space really clean, I preferred to do it on my own until I really couldn’t keep up anymore. We built our home this past year and its way to big of a space for me to clean. I actually prefer to spend that time with Ethan instead! Our housekeeper comes in every second Friday and it’s been a game changer for us. She does that real deep clean which is amazing! Don’t get me wrong, I still clean weekly but this has been a massive help!

4. Schedule: We share a calendar where we schedule our errands and things we need to do outside of work. This helps us stay on track and it’s our way of communicating during the day without having to text each other appointments.

5. Hobbies: I started blogging and I didn’t realize how time consuming it can be. Instagram on its own is a bit of a beast. I felt myself picking up my phone all the time so I decided that I can only go on social media on my transit commute to work, during a break at work and in the evenings when I blog when Ethan goes to bed. This has helped me quite a bit except the other day when I had my phone out while we were playing and he deleted one of my Instagram posts. I guess that's what I get!

6. Friends: I have to say, I need to get better at seeing my friends. Most of them are also working Moms so our schedules are always very busy. Girl time is so important so I have yet to figure this one out! If you have any tips, let me know!

A few other things I’ve been trying to practice:

1. Saying no. This one is hard for me but I’ve been intentional in putting myself first. If I genuinely don’t want or are able to attend an event or function, I say no. I can do this now without feeling guilty.
2. Managing mom guilt: Oh this one is so real and I’m trying to be kinder to myself. I realized that I don’t need to spend every waking moment with Ethan. Although I would love to, it’s just not sustainable. Putting my phone away, and focusing on being fully present without always thinking of the things I have to do has been a challenge but I’ve gotten so much better at it.
3. Realizing that some weeks are better than others and life is unpredictable but I can be intentional and try to set my goals.
4. Planning activities to have fun! Rather than checking things off my list, I’ve been intentional to add things to my list that involve fun with my little family. It’s easy to get caught up in the day to day so this is a good way to ensure I have a balance.
5. Slowing down: I have always been a person who needs to be productive. I’ve learned that it’s okay to sit on the couch after Ethan goes to bed and just sit and reflect on my day. I don’t need to be doing something all the time!

I hope this list helps you and let me know your tips for balancing it all!