How To Have More Life Balance

As a work from home mom, life can get pretty intense trying to manage little ones, house chores, cooking, work and anything else that comes my way. I've always be a routine type person, but after having two kids 18 months apart, I realized that having routine was going to be the only way I would survive.  

Most moms with young kids laugh at the thought of having a "Pinterest" worth house. It might happen on the occasion after a good cleaning, but is quickly destroyed the second kids come into the picture. And that's ok. You are in a season of life with mess and the sooner you accept that, the happier you will be. But, just because life might be a little messy right now, doesn't mean that you can't have a life that is balanced, organized, and healthy.

Prioritize your time 

Make a list of all the daily activities and scheduled tasks you do in a week. Anything and everything from laundry, grocery shopping, cleaning, watching the kids, working out, and work hours. Make note of anything that can't be changed such work hours or weekly appointments.

Then add in things that you would like to do. Balance is about having the time to do the things you NEED to do and the things you WANT to do. Now is the time to make a list of those want to dos.

After you have your list, you'll need to evaluate your days. Take each day of the week and first write down all the scheduled, time sensitive tasks that can't be changed. Then add in your priorities. Once you have added your priorities, fill in the blanks with the rest of your "want" list.

This is where things may have to shift. You may have 5 things you want to do in any given week, but there might just not be enough time in a day. Your "wants" may have to wait for a season when life isn't as busy. Or maybe you shift a workout from an hour and half to just 45 minutes giving you another 45 minutes to focus on a want. 

Motherhood isn't easy. It's a lot of selfless years and although my oldest is only 4 years old, I can see a the light amongst the chaos. As we prep to send one (if not both girls) to school this year, the majority of the morning will begin to look different. So I know my schedule will shift at that point and I may have more time for my wants.

Wake up early (or stay up late)

This step is tricky. In one sense, if you need more time in the day, it only makes sense to wake up early or stay up late. However, if you aren't careful, this lack of sleep can have a negative effect on out health. So keep that in mind.

There isn't a whole lot you can do at 5:30am or 10:30pm, but depending on your schedule, you may be able to use this time to get work done (if you work from home) or just keep this time for yourself. I enjoy waking up before my girls so I can have my coffee in peace, do my devotional, and also get a little bit of work done. 

Outsource

Another great way to add more time to your day and stay organized is to outsource tasks. What do I mean by this? In today's tech savy world, we can literally order anything from groceries to cars to be delivered to our front door.

I never in a million years thought I would have someone else grocery shop for me, but let me tell you, once I did, I realized how much extra time I have on my hands. What's even better is that most stores will allow you to buy online and do curb side pick up if you don't want to pay the extra money to have it delivered.

So many things have the potential to be outsourced if you really need more time. Use gardeners, house cleaners, dog walkers, even sitters if you need some time without your children.

Meal Prep

I have yet to master this step. It's really all about trial and error. I use to try to meal prep on the weekends, but was never able to finish as weekends are our free time as a family. I also tired to meal prep after grocery shopping, but always ended up so tired from the trip, that I wasn't able to get myself to do anything. So this is still a work in progress lol

The point of this though, is that by choosing a day to meal prep, you're giving yourself more time during the rest of the week. Another benefit of meal prepping, is eating healthier. On those hard days, it's easier to reach in the fridge and heat up a meal than to get in your car and run to the drive thru. But don't beat yourself up on the days you opt for take out, because again, life is about balance not perfection ;) 

No ones schedule will look the same. Nor will it look the same each year. Each one of us are in different stages of life, have different priorities, different rhythms, and different goals. Although these steps work for helping me to stay balanced, they may not help you. And that's ok. It doesn't matter how you do it, as long as you can balance your mind, body, and soul.

If no one has told you today, you are doing an amazing job mama! No one loves your kids the day you do and your kids don't want anyone more than they want you!