Tag: Lifestyle Blogger

Guest Post- How To Find 2 Extra Hours a Day.

~ quirkymoms486 ~ 17 Comments


Let’s chat about how to find 2 extra hours in your day! That is right, 2 extra hours! And you are going to be able to use that extra time to do all those amazing things you set out to do this week! These are 10 things that I do throughout the day that if you do a quick time audit, will easily save you 2 hours or more.

The #1 question I get asked is how do you fit in all the things. So I thought this would be a fun way to share.

  1. STOP SCROLLING. Despite managing my business on social media, I am not online very much. I do it very strategically. I set aside time to connect on social media and then get off. And I do it in 20-50 minute increments. Otherwise, while I am working on other tasks my phone is in airplane mode! Crazy concept, I know. But it works. There are also a few browser apps that you can load that block you from social media sites after a certain amount of time. And most importantly, do not scroll first thing in the morning or right before you go to bed. Do you want others to influence the most important times of your day? 
  2. DO NOT HIT SNOOZE. Do not hit snooze. I repeat. Do not hit snooze. Snooze is the worst. And actually makes you MORE tired. (Because you aren’t getting into that deep restful sleep again). II know from prior experience this will save you 30-40 minutes alone! Go to bed the night before with intention. Map out what you want to do first thing in the morning and then do it! I heard a quote earlier this week that inconvenience exposes commitment. If you are committed as in truly dedicated. Snooze won’t be an issue. You gotta find something that makes you jump out of bed in the am! 
  3. SAY NO. UNLESS IT IS ONE OF YOUR TOP 3 PRIORITIES.Only say YES, to what is going to support your goals. My girls and I use this when it relates to healthy choices. All the time (eat your veggies). Cupcakes (sometimes).  Netflix at 9pm? Maybe a sometimes task instead of all the time? See what I am saying? I talk about this a lot in my podcasts, but you should only pick 1-3 priorities a day. And sometimes even that is too much. If you know your priorities than it is way easier to say no to something that doesn’t support them. 

    As an example, on Friday nights we have a family movie night. So when a friend asks me to a girls night on the same night, I typically will say no, OR I will make adjustments so that movie night is on Saturday and my priorities are intact. Use your schedule to your advantage to help you make decisions. 
  4. SINGLE TASK WITH A SINGLE FOCUS. Don’t multi-task. This one is pretty straight forward, but the days of multi-tasking are over. Even if you are just focused on one thing for 10 minutes, you will get WAY more done in that 10 minutes than you will be doing 3 different things at one time. 
  1. I also use this to set boundaries. As an example. When I am in my office, my kids know that I am working, so, for the most part, they are aware that it isn’t time to ask me a million questions. When I am in the kitchen and trying to work as an example, they think I am available. So I try to focus my work time on one task in one area where I can knock it out and be done. It isn’t to say I don’t check my phone while in other areas, but when I am in “shared” areas, it isn’t my priority. 
  2. TIME BLOCK – You guys. I chat about this EVERY DAY. It works. And it works. I have a template in my WFH guide that is attached and also in my Systems Shop. You have to do it. 

    One thing I will add is to watch your energy levels with this. As an example, I come out the gate strong on Monday but I leave time for planning and strategizing. Tuesdays are almost interview and podcast days along with other meetings but by Friday. I try not to schedule meetings so I can “catch up”. I know I will be tired. And ready for a break. So don’t save your biggest task for Friday night! Just as your energy fluctuates throughout the day and week so does your attention. 

    I also almost always schedule a “maintenance” day, which is usually Friday or Saturday AM depending on the week. Clear out your inbox. Review your projects. Re-look at your to-do list. Do the laundry 🙂 Clean house. Organize. It helps. And sometimes is my most creative time. As a note, you don’t want to have your “maintenance day” on the same day you have 5 meetings.

    In addition to time blocking you can also do a few fun things to motivate you to be super focused during the day by bookending your day. I pick the first two hours of the day to focus on my self-care and my VIP tasks as I call them. Don’t leave the hardest tasks for when you are the most unproductive. Then at the end of the day, I block out time for family and a least one hour before bed relax!
  3. DON’T COMPARE. Your schedule isn’t going to look like anyone else’s. Just because I get up at 5am, doesn’t mean you need to. You have to play around with what works for you and when it feels good and you feel fulfilled, stick with it!
  4. BLOCK TIME TO CHECK EMAILS. Only check email 1-2 times a day. This will probably save you an hour alone!! You want to say NO to busy work as much as possible. And if possible even automate repetitive tasks. As an example, when I have a new client sign up for our wellness package, I have a welcome email I send. I tweak it a little for each client but it is the same information. I don’t need to re-write it every time. 
  5. STOP EATING LIKE CRAP.Don’t eat sugar. Or at least limit it when you are trying to knock out some deadlines. Fuel your body with nutrients that are going to help you thrive!
  6. SET ASIDE TIME FOR YOU! Reward yourself at the end of the day for working on those goals! (Or the beginning! Move your body. Meditate. Take a walk. Give yourself time to think! Your best ideas will come from this time and save you more time later!) And you know I am going to say this. But block off your calendar. Hit pause right now. Block out “ME TIME” for 30 minutes every day for the next month. See how it goes. 
  7. DO MORE WITH LESS. CLEAR YOUR SPACE. Work from a state of inspiration! Clean your desk. Go work in a coffee shop. Surround yourself with an environment that supports you!

BONUS: 

Think about where you can outsource! I recently started a whiteboard in my office where I write down all the tasks weekly that I could outsource. Some of these are business tasks but some of them are basic tasks that you might not think of when you think to outsource….Outsourcing is really just saving you time!!!

  • Grocery delivery
  • Dry Cleaning pick-up
  • Meal kits / delivery
  • Outsourced Shopping (Such as Stitchfix or other services)
  • Proofreading (I use an app on my laptop)
  • Other apps that help with Time Management – Asana, Loop Habit Tracker, Trello, Calendly, Google Keep etc.
  • Tutor
  • Mother’s helper
  • Virtual Assistant

So tell me. Which one are you going to do this week? Or are you going to be a rockstar and do them all?

Click here to set up your mornings freebie!

Thank you so much to Holly for guest posting today! Be sure to connect with her!

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A Decade Of Marriage.

~ quirkymoms486 ~ 24 Comments

In my last blog I shared that my husband and I shared our 10 year wedding anniversary.

I cannot believe it has been 10 years.

August is a big month for weddings in my circle of family and friends. I know of at least 5 who have gotten married in August over the past 10 years that we’ve been married. Another couple we are great friends with is getting married this weekend, so I thought I would share some things I’ve learned this past decade.

Communication.

Communication is honestly the biggest thing about marriage. There are so many arguments that I could’ve avoided by simply communicating my feelings. When we attending our pre-wedding marriage counseling, that was a huge focus.

We are not perfect, and have to continuously remember “communicate like two lovers, not two lawyers.”

Keep dating.

Yes, you may have been married for 1 month or 35 years, but you have to continue to date your spouse, and keep learning about them. I still learn more about my husband everyday. You don’t have to “go out” to have a date night. Just turn on a good movie, or have a quiet dinner after the babies go to bed at night. Just keep dating your husband.

Never stop trying.

Marriage is hard. Especially if you have kids, careers, bills, etc.

You just have to remember the reason you fell in love with that person. We can’t ever go back in time, but I am a firm believer that marriage is forever, for better or for worse. Love your partner the way you want to be loved.

Enjoy your life.

Life is always changing and evolving. I am so lucky to have found my partner when I did. We have had so many good years, and are continuing to build a life that we enjoy. Our kids make this, life so much more enjoyable.

I’m still in shock it’s been a whole decade, and I’m so excited for what’s to come.

What I’ve Learned In My 27 Years Of Life!

~ quirkymoms486 ~ 42 Comments

Hi wonderful friends!

I celebrated my birthday yesterday 🙂

It’s crazy how some days you wake up and are like wow, I’m 27, married with a child. Dreams really do come true! 

I’ve always been a hopeless romantic.

My life has changed so much In the past couple of years though. My husband and I have always been home bodies but we loved our concerts, trips away for the weekend and going out with friends whenever. 

We still did those things of course once we had bub but the feeling of wanting to stay home became stronger. There’s just something about laying on your own couch with a glass of wine and your fav show that make Friday nights so appealing these days! 

But now the concert we had set for September is cancelled, thankfully our vacation for the year was in January so we still got to do that but it’s just so different. Even celebrating my birthday yesterday has just been so different.

I’ve learned so much In my 27 years. I’ve always had such a big support system growing up and it’s even bigger now that I’ve gotten married and I’m so thankful for all the family and friends that help guide me through this journey of life. 

My biggest lesson and the thing I try to always enforce is “Always be Kind” which it can be such a small gesture but it’s so important. Kindness is everything and I wish more people knew that sometimes! 

There’s a few other things I like to live by as well.

Just because it’s a bad day or a bad week doesn’t mean it’s a bad life. Things are always changing and it can always get better. 

Family comes first. 

A good cup of coffee can soothe the soul.

Put your phone down. The best moments aren’t looking at a screen. It’s what’s behind the screen that matters.

Sometimes you just need to stuff your face with Ben & Jerry’s ice cream and watch Sweet Home Alabama. Or at least I do! 

Life goes by so fast, spend it with the people who matter most. 

Your thoughts and opinions are your own, don’t force them on others.

Love yourself, flaws and all.

There’s so much else I have learned over the years but for right now those are the most important to me. 

With everything that’s happening it’s just the simple things that matter the most to me and just trying to be the best wife and mother I can be for my boys! 

I did have a fantastic birthday though! Majority of the day was spent with my bub and he just fills my heart up with pure joy. 

My hubby always makes me feel special

With his gestures and his kind words. 

I am just a lucky lady, so cheers to 27!

Guest Post- Navigating a Busy Toddler During a Pandemic.

~ quirkymoms486 ~ 8 Comments

Ahh toddlers..

I Lost count on how many times a day I say “what’s in your mouth” “come back here please”, “no get down.” It must be enough because my toddlers favorite word is NONONO now…oops! (She’s a week shy of 17 months by the way.)

Yet still my baby who likes to be rocked and cuddled to sleep and is still so so sweet. I miss the baby stages I really do, but this new adventurous toddler stage is so fun and so exhausting. 

Patience

How does one have enough patience in the day without full break down and exhaustion… the answer is.. well you nearly don’t. 

I became a “stay at home mom” the week my daughter turned one and this pandemic shut down began. I was and am SO excited to stay home and spend more time with her but it was so draining to not see any friends or family or basically the outside of our house since it was still cold out. 

Now that we are looking at this being the new “normal” for a while here are some tips that have saved me!

Tip 1: The mom guilt! Don’t feel guilty about napping when they nap. Or even to binge watch TV all day.  There’s so many expectations that the house should look immaculate if you’re a “stay at home mom”, but let me tell you, its just going to be messy in 5 minutes again, so TAKE THE NAP! Or do something for yourself mama.

Tip 2: Make mommy friends! It can be the most uncomfortable feeling putting yourself out there to make mommy friends but its been so worth it for me AND my toddler! Find a local group if available and reach out you never know you might have a reply within 5 minutes (I did!) Pre Covid we attended a weekly music group and newborns support group and I’m so thankful to have met some lifelong friends from those groups, so it’s never too late to find mommy friends! I also used the peanut app briefly when my daughter was first born, it’s a great way to connect with other moms either in your area or not in your area.

Tip 3: Get adventurous, and don’t be afraid to get dirty !  Check out the site “busy toddlers and beyond” on Facebook it’s been a lifesaver. Parents/caregivers provide pictures of activities to do with your toddler or any age! Some favorites for us have been sensory boxes, water activities, or using recyclables.

Or another way to get adventurous is to try out a new park and have a picnic! I know for a while the playgrounds were closed down, it was even refreshing to go for a daily walk or two to a local park and just let your toddler RUN!!

I hope my three tips helped you maybe get out of a funk of feeling like you’re going crazy or out of ideas and remember YOU’RE NOT ALONE, and THEY ARE ONLY LITTLE ONCE!

– Halie Porritt

What I’ve Found That Works For My Teething Baby.

~ quirkymoms486 ~ 25 Comments

Teething is a parents worst nightmare, there is really no other way to describe it and I am sure I’m not the only one who feels that way.

I got an early start to the teething game and it sure has been a long journey I feel like. Easton is one now and he started teething when he was 4 months old. That was bad enough but he always gets his teeth in twos which is defiantly double trouble!

How to tell your baby is teething? Oh trust me, you will know.

They are fussy which I know is like an everyday thing anyway but times their regular fussiness by 100.

They chew everything in sight, including biting on you. Just the other day my son bit my toe.

Their poor little gums get swollen and sometimes they even have a low grade fever.

The crankiness alone will tell you, you now have a teething baby on your hands but those are some other things to look for as well.

**Disclaimer: I am no doctor, these are just what I have noticed In my baby and what has helped us during the teething stage so far.**

I am in no means an expert on teething, but I have found some items that really helped my son. You can give tylenol obviously if nothing else is working and you can tell they are in a lot of pain but I try to use natural remedies before resorting to pain medication.

Reliving Teething Pain

My son loves his banana! We can’t leave the house without it, by far his favorite thing to chew on but he even likes it when he’s not teething.
The nuby 3 step teething is also great. My son especially loves the top teether for when his top teeth come in.
Teething wafers work so well for not only teething but they also keep them occupied and keep their minds off the pain.

Other Remedies I have Used

A cold wash cloth for my son to suck and chew on really helps, I will also rub his gums gently with it as well.

I will feed him a cold bottle. The sucking sensation really helps and so does the coldness.

Also frozen fruit popsicles as well. They are yummy but also feel good on his gums.

Teething is tough, it makes you want to cry right along with your little one and you might just have your occasional glass of wine at night, a little more frequently.

But it doesn’t last forever and your cranky little babes just need some extra loving when they have a new tooth popping through.

We have to take the good with the bad during this parenting journey.

I hope some of these options has helped you out, and please if you have anymore great remedies make sure you leave them down in the comments.

Dog Mom

~ quirkymoms486 ~ 46 Comments

Not only am I a mom to two incredible girls, I’m also a dog mom!

We adopted Henry (our doodle) when he was five months old from a shelter in OH! My sister was working there at the time, and she texted me the minute he came in.

She sent me one photo and I knew he was going to be my boy!

It was kind of a tricky process since we lived out of state. He also had to quarantine for 14 days to make sure he didn’t have any puppy illnesses.

It took a lot of convincing to get my hubby on board though! He wasn’t too excited about the idea of traveling 10 hours there and back to get a dog…

We did it though! January 31, 2019 ( THE coldest day of the year… I actually think it was record lows that month), we made the five hour trek to OH, after both of us worked the morning! We left at about 3 in the afternoon and didn’t arrive home until 1 AM!

We love our boy so much, and he was totally worth the drive!

Fast forward a year and a half, and we got another dog, Adalyn or “Addie” for short!

We knew we wanted another dog, and our oldest daughter BEGGED for a golden retriever. The breed is such a sought after breed, any time you see puppies for sale, they’re gone within days!

We were on a few lists for puppies that would be born this fall, but I have to tell you, getting her was fate.

We actually got her from a good friend and coworker. She is four months old, and the sweetest thing!

Being a dog mom is great! It gives me the extra motivation to get up and be active with my fur babies.

I also feel it’s great to show my kids some responsibility. They love feeling like they are in charge of something.

I think I’m done getting more dogs. We have some many pets it’s hard to keep track!

Thank you so much for reading!

Summer Days! The Best Outdoor Toys For Ages 1 and Up.

~ quirkymoms486 ~ 39 Comments

Hi friends!

Aren’t weekends just the best?

But summer weekends!? Even better! 

It’s so fun thinking back to last summer I did not so much at all because I had a newborn baby. But now it’s fun to enjoy the sunshine with my little man. 

I had a hard time thinking of summer toys that I thought bub (our nickname) would enjoy. 

I am learning that the attention span is nonexistent in these little ones. And that the tantrums are constant. 

So here in Michigan we had a super hot weekend and we finally got to enjoy all of our outdoor summer toys we accumulated with bub turning 1! 

I have rounded up a few that I think are perfect for 1-year-olds and up! 

Bub has been absolutely loving his water table and truck! The truck he can’t yet get the hang of that he can actually walk with it but he loves being pushed around. And the big wheels on this one is perfect for rides in the backyard!

Wagon rides in the backyard have also been a fav! I absolutely love this radio flyer wagon. So much storage space, two seats with seatbelts and once again with the big wheels for rough terrain!

Small swing sets and slides are also so great for the younger ones! He loves climbing all around this swing set and it’s fun to watch him.

Who else just loves their backyard? I enjoy being out in ours so much just relaxing and playing!

The last thing we have but I don’t have a picture of is this awesome bike! It’s so fun for short walks and bub loves it. It also turns into a little bike for him when he’s old enough so you defiantly get your moneys worth!

As for me? I enjoyed a great 3 day weekend full of family. 

Oh and High Noons which If you haven’t tried, you must! They are so refreshing. I’m not much of a vodka soda girl but I love grapefruit and I did really enjoy them. 

Plus I am now sporting a really nice sunburn! My first of the Summer and I totally forgot how much it sucks to sleep with a sunburn! 

You know what the best part about this weekend was though? 

I forgot about the laundry piling up in my room. 

I forgot about the dirty dishes filling my sink.

I forgot about the toys scattered around my house and the pillows that get thrown on the floor each day. 

And you know what? I loved it.

These days we won’t ever get back, so I am trying to soak up every fun filled day I can with my guys! 

Especially in the sunshine! 

Guest Post: Why Don’t Men Understand Mom Guilt.

~ quirkymoms486 ~ 6 Comments

“What is mom guilt?”

If you’re a mom, you have probably never asked this question. Because when you’re a mom, you know what mom guilt is.

It wasn’t until I wrote my book about mom guilt, Good Moms Don’t: Lies, Truths and How to Conquer Mom Guilt, that I started hearing the questions “What is mom guilt?” from men. Some of the men were even dads.

The first man who asked me was my publisher. He has a wife and three kids. The next man was a man from my critique group. He read every chapter of the book and still didn’t understand. In fact, he thought I should scrap the whole project and work on my surrogacy book instead.

It wasn’t until my boyfriend, Larry, asked me that question and another question that I started realizing that men just don’t get it. The other question was, “Why is it such a big deal?”

The “why is it such a big deal?” question is one I think a lot of people wonder also, but I answered that question in my blog What is the big deal about mom guilt?

I explained to Larry about the guilt I felt about my son’s babysitter being inappropriate with him. His response was, “That’s something you should feel least guilty about. There was no way you could have foreseen what she was going to do. Even statistically, women are less likely to molest children.”

My response, “That’s the thing I felt most guilty about. That’s what hurt him the most. That’s where I should have known better. That’s what I should have protected him from.”

All of this got me thinking about men not understanding mom guilt. So why don’t the?

I think the first reason is obvious. Men, aren’t moms. Even if they are a dad, they aren’t a mom. So it makes sense that they don’t understand mom guilt. If a man in your life doesn’t understand why you feel guilty, it doesn’t mean your feelings aren’t valid. It doesn’t mean he doesn’t care enough to understand. It simply means he’s not a mom, so he doesn’t get it.

Another reason men might not understand mom guilt is because men typically are more logical and women are more emotional. Larry proved that point to me. He looked at the babysitter situation logically. Is there any way I could have possibly known that a 12-year-old girl could hurt my son while babysitting him with her mother in the home? It’s pretty unlikely. 

The point I want to make is that men and women are different (duh!) but that difference doesn’t make one or the other wrong. Our differences are meant to complement one another, not shame one another. I bet if Larry and I had been dating at the time, I wouldn’t have created so much guilt around the situation with the babysitter because we would have talked about how I was feeling, and he would have shown me the logical side. I can’t say that for sure obviously, but that’s the type of relationship we have and I always feel better after we talk things through.

Do you need support with mom guilt? I’m here to help. Check out Good Moms Don’t: Lies, Truths and How to Conquer Mom Guilt  or if you’d like to go more in-depth, schedule a free coaching consultation call. I am passionate about helping women from the inside out. 

Until next time, Alysia
Life Coach
Make Up With the Mirror

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To The Little Boy Who Made Me A Mom.

~ quirkymoms486 ~ 39 Comments

To the little boy who made me a mom, 

I feel like it was just yesterday that I saw those two lines on the pregnancy test. 

When the kicks and the excitement of hearing your heartbeat was like no other feeling.

When my water broke and your daddy and I had a panic attack thinking, “this is really happening. We are parents.” 

When I held you in my arms for the first time. 

When daddy and I were wondering how in the world we were going to be able to do this at home on our own. 

Your sweet smiles and cuddles have been the absolute light of each day. 

Watching you grow and learn and be the sweet, outspoken, adventurous little boy that you are has been the best ever. 

Through these uncertain times, you and your daddy have been the constant joy I needed. And I would be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous for you to grow up in this world. 

As we approach your first birthday on Friday (silently crying) I can’t help but think of all the things I want to teach you.

You’re so sweet and innocent and I love being a mommy to such a precious, wild boy. As you grow I want you to know things, especially in the world we are living in now and even more so when you are older.

Your feelings matter. You matter and don’t ever forget that. 

Dream big and chase those dreams because we will always be there chasing them with you. 

Be kind. Always. People will always remember the way you treated them. 

Treat everyone equally and don’t be afraid to. 

Be whoever and whatever you want to be. You are forever supported. 

No always means no, no matter what. 

Stand up for what you believe in, your voice is always heard.

Use the words, “I love you” wisely. Three small words that have the biggest meaning. 

Choose good friends, they have such an impact on your life. 

Know that you will forever be loved, supported and taken care of, I promise you that.

I am so lucky to be your mama. I just want you to know that I will be there always, no matter what. 

I pinky promise. 

Love, 

Your mama 

Post COVID Blues

~ quirkymoms486 ~ 25 Comments

I know what you’re thinking! How could she be sad over this COVID pandemic “ending”?!

I’m not sad that it’s ending and life is getting more normal. I’m sad because I’m back to work. 40 hours a week gone from my family.

I can’t wake up and make a decent breakfast and sit down with my family and enjoy it.

I’m not outside hangin with the girls in the kiddie pool.

I’m getting home at 5 o’clock having to hurry and think what we’ll have for dinner knowing we’ll be getting take out anyway.

My kids have absolutely NO sleep routine. Actually no routine at all for anything.

My grocery bill is still through the roof. Actually all my bills are.

My house is NEVER clean because they’re home all day long.

Our weekends are washed away with the piles of laundry I can’t get to during the week.

I am grateful and thankful for my job. I love what I do, and I love the place I work.

I just find that I am struggling to get there a bit more these days knowing how wonderful that extra time was with my family.

Last weekend we went camping & it was 48 hours of family time. I cherished every moment because it doesn’t happen often.

Yes, I do think these “post-COVID blues” are a real thing and not many people are talking about it.

Are you feeling the struggle as well?!

Thanks for reading my short and sweet post.