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As a busy Mom, you can often feel like you’re running a million miles a minute (on empty!), there’s always a chore to be done, or that you’ve forgotten to do something. It’s bittersweet. One moment, it can feel like the greatest thing in the world – you have a beautiful family, great work and a lot to keep your mind active. Then the next, it can feel like a curse – you’re always tired, you never know what time or day it is without asking, and you’re forever wondering when you’ll get a break.
Wouldn’t it be great to land somewhere in-between both scenarios, every single day? It is possible, but it will take a lot of organisation.
If you’ve never felt as if you’ve gotten your organizational skills down, now might be the time to work at it. We’ve started a new year and after the Holidays, we all should have a little more energy to go around too. Getting more organized and leading successful Mom, work and social lives are just seven steps away.
Each of the seven steps tackles an area of your life. They might not all apply to you, but you can still take away something enriching and rewarding, but looking at the solution. It might work for you in another way. So if you’ve been wanting to switch from tired, lost and in need of a break, to happy, grateful and stress-free (or somewhere in between), this fool-proof plan might be all the motivation you need.
Parenting
Let’s talk Mom life to kick us off. You’re busy, and it’s unlikely that you can change that. Not only do you have commitments, but you also kind of enjoy having things to do and being needed. And that’s okay, we all do. But, you just wish things ran a little smoother from time to time. If you struggle to get from school to work or home, to school, to practice or rehearsal and back again in one piece, to get your chores done, or to get through to your fussy eater, or even to get your kids to listen to you at times, you might feel like you need a little magic. When all you need is a plan.
The Solution:
Whether it’s educating and disciplining your children, or getting things done in-between your duties as a Mom, you might need to pick up a few tricks. Whether that’s hacks on keeping your kids calm when they’re unhappy with something, or getting them to help out with chores, these handy hints will give you that AHA moment!
Health
As a Mom, you’d probably get a ton of A+’s for looking after your kids’ health. When you have more than one, you’ll feel like a seasoned professional at medicating the flu, wiping noses and even scrubbing the floor after an accident. But, when it comes to yourself, you may have no idea when you last went to see a medical professional. Either it’s too hard to focus on yourself when your family needs you, or you feel like you don’t have the time. But, it’s time to drop that attitude and make sure your health is covered in the easiest of ways (and no, we’re not talking insurance here).
The Solution:
Forgetting about yourself is easily done. The best way to stop it from happening in the future is to have a quick and easy way to get appointments made. When you need to find a new doctor or dentist, you can often feel like you put off doing it, thinking that it will take you hours
to do. Instead, find a directory site like Dentists.Local24Hour.com to find a new one quickly and easily, book your appointment and remember to show up!
Home
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Staying organised around the home is probably one of your biggest concerns. It’s not always easy to prioritise what needs to be done and when. Between making sure your children are cared for and at the right place at the right time, and that you are too, work on your house can often take a backseat. Days turn into weeks, weeks turn into months, and then, before your now it, years have gone by without a single home improvement taking place.
The Solution:
Although home improvements, renovations and decorating can seem like huge jobs, they don’t have to be. You just need to adjust your mindset when it comes to getting them done. If you really want to improve your home, you can – regardless of the time, you have to do it in and your budget. Start by sitting down. Take fives minutes to write up the jobs that need doing, then walk away. The next day, spend five minutes prioritising them. Then, the day after that, work out a budget and time frame for the task at the top of your list. Tackling things bit by bit will allow you to become more organized in a short space of time.
Socially
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How often do you feel like your social life is either entirely forgotten about or non existent? You’re not the only one! When you’re schedule is jam packed with playdates, practice, tutoring, work, volunteering and keeping your house in order, how are you supposed to have the time to interact with your friends (and not other Moms)? You might even feel like you can’t think about a social life, when you have other priorities to focus on. Well ladies, that just won’t cut it. You’re a person as well as a Mom and you need to interact!
Chores
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If you ever hear another mother saying that they love doing chores, they’re probably lying. Or embellishing at least. Nobody loves to do chores. They’re a called a ‘chore’ for a reason. But, you can learn to love them. If you feel like you run on a never-ending cycle of doing the laundry, vacuuming, making beds and cleaning the bathroom, it’s time to draw up and schedule and call in some help.
The Solution:
A schedule. Plain and simple. With a chores chart, everything will get done a lot more efficiently. You’re able to see clearly what jobs need doing around the house and on what days – even if some things are done every day. Then, you can allocate a specific job to each person (if they’re old enough) in the family. Just because you’re a Mom, it doesn’t mean you have to do everything for everyone.
Food
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Whenever the idea of food is brought up, it’s likely that you immediately are full or panic and guilt, or you’re full of exciting foodie ideas and recipes. Or, of course, you could be completely lacking in any sort of reaction. Either way, the idea of food and children can either excite you or fill you with fear. When you have fussy eaters, meal times can feel like a nightmare. If you struggle with healthy recipes, getting food prepared fast enough or knowing what you buy, hopefully, a little organization will help.
The Solution:
Having healthy children doesn’t have to feel impossible, especially not when you have a system that works. Organize yourself when it comes to your children’s food and eating habits by getting them involved, creating (even more) charts and even educating them a little. Firstly, you’re going to need to find some recipes for inspiration – Pinterest is perfect for this. Then write up an ‘essentials’ shopping list that you can work off each week for a variety of different meals. Next, you’re going to want to involve your children in the shopping and preparation periods. This way, they’ll take an interest in food and how it’s prepared, and they’ll likely be more interested in eating it too.
Fitness
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And now we’re on to the seventh and final step. By this point, you’ve probably learned a little, taken in a little, and be wondering what could possibly be left. It might be last, but fitness certainly is a step not to be missed. You might think that your fitness levels can be forgotten about when you have everything else to do – but that’s not a good enough excuse. After all, if you’re fit and healthy and full of energy, you’ll be more productive with the other six steps and be able to show your kids how it’s done.
The Solution:
You don’t have to set exercise or fitness goals to want to work on your health and fitness. All you have to do is do! As long as you start to do something, you’ll be well on your way to a better level of fitness. But, if you find organizing it hard, why not join a weekly class that is local and at a convenient time? You might also want to rope in a friend and go running in the park after the morning school run, or maybe even swimming. The trick to organization here is to plan ahead and find support, not drown in the thought of doing something on your own.