In the hubbub of modern life, there’s an unfortunate reality we all must face: We only get so many hours.
Between families, careers, and our own needs as women, it can feel like ticking off ALL the boxes is an impossibility. We often wake up already feeling tired. We shuffle everyone out the door (with varying degrees of ease based on everyone’s age and willingness to cooperate). We spend eight (or more) hours working. Somewhere in the afternoon/evening hours, we typically have to find time to cook dinner, run the kids around to their evening activities, get everyone in bed at a reasonable hour, and (hopefully) create a little space for me-time and/or quality time with our partners. I’m exhausted just thinking about it.
Even if that’s not exactly what your daily schedule looks like, I’m sure you can relate—finding time to simply care for yourself and recharge your batteries is no easy feat.
Personally, this is something I’ve struggled with for years. My business-brain tells me there’s always more work to be done. My mom brain craves more quality time with my family. My human brain is tired and just wants to take a long walk, book a full day at a spa, or heck, maybe even embark on a solo vacation.
“Having it all” in this day and age isn’t simple . . . But it’s not impossible. Whether you believe it or not, you can be a great parent or spouse, a fantastic employee, run a successful business, and still make time for me-time. It just means prioritizing what little time you have a little better.
As I’ve been involved in this juggling act for several years now, I’ve developed a few strategies for juggling family time, work time, and me time. If you’re feeling burnt out or over-extended, keep reading!
Multitasking is Key
When it comes to making sure my time is distributed as well as possible, the key is multitasking. Now sure, not everything goes together—you may struggle if you decide to take an important call while you’re in the middle of a cardio blast—but some things certainly can.
For example, I’ve been known to take work calls while I stretch or enjoy a face mask, and instead of meeting clients and friends for drinks, I’ll often invite them to join me for a walk. These are just a few easy ways to ensure I’m getting my physical activity while meeting my professional obligations and enjoying social engagements.
The same can work if you’re a parent. It’s fairly easy to combine your workout time with family time, especially if your kids are accustomed to getting daily movement in. If your older children are interested in starting to workout, you could potentially bring them along to the gym. Otherwise, a family game of kickball, an afternoon at the community pool, or a long walk around your area’s historic district are all great ways to score some steps and make some memories with your family at the same time. In our family, it’s important to us that our son has a solid nutritional foundation and a love for movement, so we try to keep our family activities as active as possible, as often as we can.
At the same time, though, my workout time often doubles as my me-time. If packing your kids along to the gym doesn’t sound like your idea of a good time, that’s absolutely fine too. There’s no shame in skipping the mommy-and-me yoga, leaving your kids at home with your partner or a sitter, and enjoying a quiet, thorough workout sans family. Personally, I’ve learned that I’m a much better mom (and more pleasant person in general) when I make time for a workout/me-time in the mornings, and my family has come to respect that that’s a time I take for myself.
The Best Thing You Can Do For You
Whatever you decide to do with your time, my biggest piece of advice is: Ditch the guilt. In my career as a nutrition coach, I often work with women to help them ditch the guilt associated with yo-yo dieting and having made poor food choices for years. This isn’t exactly the same as what we’re talking about here, but the thought process is the same: You can’t afford to beat yourself up every time you’re not perfect.
In nutrition and in life, you have to leave yourself a little wiggle room for simply being human. Every day won’t be perfectly balanced—some weeks, you’ll work later than you maybe should have in lieu of enjoying your normal amount of family time. Other weeks, you’ll be in mom-mode for 80% of the week, and your work might take the back burner temporarily. And still other weeks, you may find that you’re burnt out; you might need to prioritize a long bubble bath, wine night with your friends, or taking the last hour of your evening to read a book and unwind.
Some days, “balance” might mean making arrangements for your family to be busy elsewhere while you enjoy a day of self-care. Other days, “balance” might mean cutting a workout short so you can make it to your kid’s recital on time.
My point is, it’s okay for you to do whatever you need to do for yourself. It’s also okay to ask others to assist with your balancing act—many of us need to lean on our partners, nannies, or colleagues from time to time. If that’s true for you, don’t be afraid to reach out to these people, and don’t be ashamed that you can’t do it all on your own. Most of us feel the same way from time to time.
There’s no right or wrong way to prioritize your hours—as long as all your needs are being met, you’re doing just fine. So . . . Ditch the guilt, don’t be afraid of unabashedly declaring your need for me-time, and from one busy woman to another—good luck.
Dawn McGee is a foodie, mom, author, and certified and licensed Venice Nutrition Coach. She loves helping people learn to improve their health habits today and for a lifetime. If you’re looking for additional support or accountability, she’d like to personally invite you to join her free Facebook Group, Never Diet Again.
Editor’s Note: If you enjoyed this blog and would enjoy reading more like it, check out: Adriana Richardson’s, “How To Manage Time & Stay Sane Like a Mom Boss.”Cathy McKinnon’s, “Four Healthy Habits for Ultimate Success.”
Or, my own, “Thriving Entrepreneurs: 5 Tips for Avoiding Burnout.”
We have lots to offer for your health and wellbeing here on Peaceful Living Wellness! Enjoy!
Jen Robinson
Editor-In-Chief
JEN ROBINSON
Jen Robinson is the creative force behind the wellness brand Peaceful Living Wellness which is dedicated to providing a wide-variety of high-quality wellness information. Jen is also the creator of the Peaceful Living Wellness life coaching division, and offers workshops, individual and group coaching as well as retreats where she guides women in using Mindfulness and Mindset to build their inner strength on a foundation of inner peace. Jen also is the co-creator of the business coaching brand CEO Mindset that guides entrepreneurs in building their businesses without burning out.
The latest addition to her repertoire is that she recently signed-on as the Wellness Director for the business development company Wealthy Women Entrepreneurs . She is very excited to be leading this group of dynamic women entrepreneurs into success in their businesses and lives!
The most important part of Jen’s life are her two very active teenagers, AJ & Layna!
Jen’s Mindfulness and Mindset techniques inform her business, her parenting and her life!
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