1. SCHEDULE
Having a schedule is a MUST for my family. I put in all my social events, vacations, kids appointments and meetings in my iPhone's calendar and invite Alex so he knows exactly what I've got going on. He does the same.
I know life is going to get crazier once my kids are in school, but it will be a different kind of crazy. Life will be busy, but I'm hoping for a bit less stress since I won't have babies/toddlers. We put Turner in soccer last year, and he had it once a week and that seemed like a lot...geez! I can't imagine club soccer.
2. HELP
I do the laundry, most of the house cleaning, and Alex cooks dinner. I definitely get to the point where I flip out and yell "PLEASE HELP ME!" Don't be afraid to ask for help if you need it! I try to pick up daily, and do 1-2 loads of laundry during the work week (which means I'm folding late at night, and putting up the folded clothes the next day). The weekend is when I usually do a deeper clean.
I leave the house a couple of times a week at night to work out or go to a blogger/social event. Alex is helpful and rarely complains about me leaving him at home with all three of the kiddos to do dinner and bedtime. He has a guys night once a month, and every once in a while an after hours work event. Sometimes there is tension about me being gone too often, so I'm very conscious of when I go out and how long. I try to come home after work and feed the twins before I leave the house, and I try to make it home to put Turner in bed.
3. MOM HACKS
There are so many mom/life hacks these days that can make life as a mom MUCH easier! I'm obsessed with grocery services. I loathe grocery stores, and do NOT want to spend any time in one. No mother wants to take their crazy toddlers in to a grocery store. I've been using Shipt for the past two years, and Amazon Prime is a MUST! I order my groceries online, and they deliver them to my house...GAME CHANGER! If I had the money I would hire a cleaning service and purchase healthy prepared meals I could pop in the microwave or oven to heat up. On nights I'm not home for dinner Alex usually orders pizza to make cooking/cleaning easier!
Another hack that makes life a bit easier as a working mom is having a simple closet that I can easily mix and match outfits in a HURRY. Thankfully I can dress casual at work which is perfect, because everything I would wear to work I would wear after hours to an event or out with friends. Usually I just swap out flats for heels when heading somewhere after work. I love this top by Everlane because it's similar to a traditional button-down dress shirt, but the sleeves, collar and cut are very unique. I've been minimizing the amount of clothes I have and it makes getting dressed in the morning much easier and faster!
4. DRIVE
Moms don't have the option to give up. We have to work hard at the office, and work even harder at home. Days are long and sleep is lacking, but we know it's worth it. The drive home to pick up my children is the best, because I can't wait to be greeted by their adorable smiles. Their joyful spirit drives me to be a better mom and employee.
When it comes to my side passions and activities, such as blogging and exercise, I do them because I love myself. I can't be a good mom if I'm not happy with myself. Exercise makes me feel strong, confident and reduces my stress. Blogging and my social events allows me to express myself unlike I can at work or at home. I am proud of the things I create on my blog, and I've made wonderful friends and connections because of it. Attending conferences, workshops and events with like-minded women makes me feel alive and excited! I also enjoy a girls night out every once in a while with my home town friends, neighbor friends or college friends.
5. SLEEP
Most nights I use 9-11pm to work on my blog and relax. Some days are harder than others to stay up, so some nights I put up my computer and go to bed early. Your body will tell you when it needs more rest. LISTEN or it won't be a good situation for anybody.
If you are a stay-at-home mom, I see you too! Goodness, your job at home is just as tough.
With all that to say, some periods of life are more stressful and busier than others. If you feel you a strain in your marriage, with your work, with your health, or with your kids...then figure out what you can change to make it better. Know when to let things go in your schedule so you can have more time for others, and don't feel guilty about throwing a frozen pizza in to the oven on a week night. Motherhood is crazy beautiful. We're all just trying to survive and be the world's okayest mom ; ).
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