There are many days where it is totally inconceivable that having a family, feeling balanced AND having some time for yourself is ever going to happen.
A burnt out, stressed mum is not much fun for anyone. We give so much of ourselves to our family, work and running the home, that at the end of the day the tank is empty. Then we have to do it all over again tomorrow.
Mums are busy people, and achieve a huge amount every day, but often it leaves us forgetting who we are, feeling stressed, never having time to ourselves or achieving what we want.
A focus on balance can help busy mums make small changes that allow them to thrive. The life of a mum needs to be sustainable – and enjoyable.
How can balance help? It’s the little things
Making decisions with balance in mind can generate big changes in your life, and that of your family. Small tweaks can really have a big impact.
Improving your sense of balance can help to
- Manage stressful situations at home and at work, without a meltdown
- Stay focused on those big dreams that are important to you
- Stay on top of things and keeps chaos at arms length
- Feel like ‘you’ again – reclaim your identity with time for yourself
- Switch the focus from putting your family first, to putting yourself first, so that you can enjoy your time with them and be the mother that you want to be
Creating more balance so that you can sustain all of the things you need to be doing on a daily basis is often about the little things. Small changes that can be made that give you a lift, make you smile, give you direction to know that it’s all worth it.
5 Tips for improving your daily balance
1. Make a plan for how you want life to be like.
The life you want doesn’t have to be a pipe dream.  If you have a plan, you can make small changes over time that can lead you closer to your goals. The plan gives you direction and helps you feel like you are moving forward towards that life.
2. Decide what’s really important to you and spend your time one the important stuff.
For all that isn’t important, see if you can
– delete it from your life
– delegate it to someone else
– defer it for later.
Now may not be the perfect time to take on something new. Go easy on yourself!
3. Schedule time for yourself AND plan to do something with it.
The trap of scheduling time for yourself and then wasting it because you didn’t know what to do with the time is not helpful!
4. Use routines to help you
We all use routines anyway, but how about giving yours a spring clean. Note the times of day that you are able to get stuff done, and are more focused. See if there are other jobs you can add or swap to that time so that you can batch similar jobs, get more done, or save you time later on.
5. Use your quiet time for something that will nourish your mind or spirit.
Often when we finally have quiet time at the end of the day, we sit in front of the TV for a few hours and then go to bed. Consider doing something else that you love instead. It doesn’t have to be every time, or for the whole evening, just do what you can.
Bonus Tip!
Don’t be too hard on yourself. It will be easier some days than others. If you feel yourself becoming stressed, see if there is something you can let go of to ease the pressure. Taking care of yourself first is really hard to do, I know, but it’s definitely worth it, and sets a great example. Everyone can reap the rewards.
Aerlie Wildy, Certified Life Coach.
Healthy Life Coaching helps busy mums create a healthy balance in their work and family life. Offers include one-on-one family-focused coaching, a free ‘Ride of Your Life’ Balance check.
Time Savvy Mums is an Ecourse in time management for busy mums. Launching soon. Visit her website for more information. For launch news, sign up to the newsletter.
www.healthylifecoaching.com.au
