Answer to the Top 3 Questions I Get from Busy Moms!

I get lots of questions from my mom readers about how I manage my family, career, and social life and still keep my sanity. I have compiled the top 3 questions and my answers here.

1. How do you find time for yourself? This is one of the most asked questions from moms! When you give so much of yourself, how do you find time to recharge and give back to yourself? The answer is simple! You can’t find time for yourself – you have to TAKE time for yourself. You just have to grab relaxation and serenity by the horns and wrestle them into your space. YOU TIME can take the form of many ways. Below are some of the things that I do to sneak in some ME TIME:

Driving home from work – This is a time that I usually have each day because in order to get home from work, I have to drive. The commute for me is about 15 to 20 minutes one way. During this time, I sometimes turn my radio completely off and drive in silence. I try to calm the thoughts in my mind and think about what brings me serenity. Other days, I blast my favorite songs and remember when I used to partay!!! Singing at the top of my lungs – getting out all of the work day’s stress and decompressing before I arrive home.
Booking a massage during your lunch hour! – If you can’t find ME TIME after work – take your lunch break and get away from the office! Book a massage at your favorite parlor and add some essential oils to your therapy. Lavender and rose oils are suggested to sooth nerves that have become frazzled. Sink into a deep relaxation and let the masseuse massage away your cares. If a massage is not your thing, schedule a quick manicure or facial during your break! Whatever relaxes you is what you need! Pampering yourself is not a selfish act. You need to take care of YOU so that you can take care of others.
Stop and buy your favorite treat before heading home! – This works wonders for your soul! Do you ever come home with something tasty but you don’t get to taste not one bite! All of your little loved ones want to ‘try’ it and they try it until it is completely gone! So go buy that cupcake and eat it as slowly as possible and enjoy every morsel! Be sure to hide all evidence of the crime in your purse and throw it away when you get home when no one is looking!

2.  How do you manage your busy schedule? The key to managing your schedule is determining what is most important to you and scheduling those tasks first. For me – my family is my priority and I place our activities in my planner first. I recommend purchasing a planner that you can write in. Writing my schedule down helps me visualize how my week is going to look! I layer in our worship time, kids’ activities, my work engagements, my husband’s commitment, and my personal appointments. I update my planner every Sunday evening and then look at it every night and make sure I am aware of my next day’s schedule demands. I communicate with my husband to make sure that we both are on the same page regarding who will pick up what child and meet at which locations. I also communicate with my children so that they also know what to expect – there is no question regarding who will meet them or where we will meet them. Knowing each other’s schedules and communicating effectively is key to managing a busy household!

3.  What do you feel keeps your family functioning? – Routine! With managing seven people’s busy schedules, it can be very difficult to get all of us together so that we still function as a family unit. How have I learned to accomplish this feat? By making sure we have certain routines that we stick to each day. Our morning routines are the same during the school year – even down to how we say goodbye to each other. Also, when I arrive home from work, my kids meet me at the door with hugs and kisses and I always ask ‘How was your day?’ I then listen to each of my five kids tell me what they want me to hear about their day. We eat dinner together most nights when activities allow. One of our most important routines, and the one that I cherish the most, is that we all say prayers together and give each other high fives every night. For me, this is a connection between my husband and I and our kids. It’s a routine that connects our oldest children with our youngest children as well as humble our entire family before God.

Have questions about how to manage your busy mom life? Email me at tamicagoode@goodeccs.com