Most moms and wives feel the guilt of working on their business when it takes away from their family. Some of us get FOMO--fear of missing out. Whether it is missing out on a milestone for their child or intimate time with their spouse. There is always something we feel that we are sacrificing.
I have found the best “trick” to releasing guilt and feeling more satisfied is to have proper time management. You may be thinking that you don’t have time to learn time management skills but you also don’t have time to feel guilty, frustrated and overwhelmed. When you think of time management, envision a minimalist home where everything has a place and the only thing in the home is what is required to live. We tend to lose control of our schedule because we over-commit ourselves in addition to not implementing a system to stay on track. We have sticky notes all over our home and office with no order. Check out these tips if you want to gain control of your schedule and stop missing out on important times with your loved ones.
Tools and Resources: You don’t need to do it alone. When you are running a business and running the kids around, you need a system to keep you on track. We recommend a planner that will encompass all major areas of your life but not be so all-inclusive that it is lots of work to keep up with. We love the SmartLife Push Journal. This journal planner covers the basic areas most women want to maintain to feel like they have a balanced life--goals, work, diet, exercise, sleep, gratitude and “me” time. The best part is that there is a video guide on how to get the most out of your journal. The journal helps you make a strategy to reach one major goal every 30 days.
Schedule a date with yourself: If you are going to start a time management regimen then you need to take the time to groom it. I recommend spending a simple 15 minutes every evening reflecting on what you accomplished that day and what you need to tackle the next day. When you make this a nightly habit, managing your schedule and your to-do list seems less overwhelming. You also feel a sense of victory over your day. When you feel victorious, you feel confident; thus, fueling the rest of your week You wouldn't flake out on a date with a friend so make sure you don’t do that to yourself. Make this a priority each night. You and your family are worth it!
Learn to say no: If it doesn’t align with your goals and values then it is perfectly acceptable to say no. As nurturers, we tend to feel obligated to say yes to every party, every request for help and volunteer for every school function. We simply just can’t do that to ourselves and family. Using the SmartLife Push Journal will help in this area because if it doesn’t align with your push goal then it doesn’t fit in your priorities. Once you learn to stop overcommitting yourself, you will not only feel less stress but you will find that you are more respected by the people that matter.
Focus on 3 tasks to complete each day: If we load our planner with a long to-do list, we run the risk of putting pressure on ourselves to finish them that day. All this does is overwhelm us but also takes our focus away from our family. I like to focus on 3 tasks a day and make sure I can do them while my daughter is at school and my husband is at work. I am laser focused until 3 pm when I have to get my daughter from school. It is important to me that I pick her up each day from school. Then from 3:30 to 5 PM is our time to spend together before my husband gets home and we start family evening rituals. This would only be possible if I made sure to only focus on 3 major tasks that help me reach my goal each day. These tasks are able to be accomplished from the hours of 8 AM to 3 PM.
Wake up 30 minutes earlier: When you have goals, waking up 30 minutes earlier can have a big impact on how much you can accomplish. You will have 30 minutes of quiet time before everyone wakes up and the day gets hectic. My entire day goes splendid when I wake up early to put myself and my goals as a priority. If you have trouble getting out of bed in the mornings, count down from 5 then just go! Something about the countdown will launch you out of the bed. I recommend listening to the book 5 Second Rule by Mel Robins on Audible.
You are in control of your life. By doing these simple things, you will remember what it feels like to be in control of your life. I feel balanced and complete when I am able to focus on my health, family, faith, business and personal time. Guilt melts away while peace and happiness increases.
