I know what it’s like to be completely frazzled to get things done with how busy you get being a mom. Being a wife. Being a career woman. It can get overwhelming.
I’m here to give you some tips on saving time and saving yourself from getting run down and fed up.
I hope you find some that help you below.
Get things ready the night before.
This is especially important if you have school aged kids. Put out their clothes, pack lunches, have things ready the night before. Or if you have young ones, I still love to have my toddlers clothes ready and all the baby’s bottles ready to go for the night and the next day.
Always have a to-go bag.
I always have my diaper bag packed for both my baby and my toddler but I feel like even if they were older, having a bag filled with small things to keep them busy and snacks is always so important to be able to grab on the way out the door.
Calendars and lists.
I am such a list person. I love writing out to-do lists and scheduling out my months in calendars. It really helps to put pen to paper for me and to keep appointments, meetings and family schedules on track.
Meal service delivery.
Seriously makes dinner time so much easier. The last thing I want to be doing is spending an hour preparing dinner after a busy day and the prices are so comparable to what you would buy for ingredients on your own at the store.
Meal prep.
Something I am so bad at but I know it would make my life so much easier. Meal prepping is a great way to save time for all three meals of the day. Crazy how much time during the day we spend on food.
Being present.
Something I’ve really tried to do this new year. Staying off social media. You can spend hours scrolling through reels and stories and your Facebook feed. I know this because I’ve done it, since staying off some social medias I really have freed up a lot of my time to make life easier by doing other things.
Routine.
Sticking with a routine is such a life saver. You know when bed time and wake up time is for your kids and it helps you get your tasks done either after bed or before wake up. Plus it’s just good all around for everyone in the family.
My daughter is approaching a year old. I was not ready. There wasn’t nine months to prepare. I had about two days. From the beginning motherhood was hard. I didn’t get to go to parenting classes or stock up on parenting books. I wasn’t yet a member of Facebook mom groups or subscriber of mommy vlogs. The doctors in the ER told me I was pregnant and then two days later popped out a baby.
Today, motherhood is hard but worth it.
Even after reading the parenting books, chatting on the mom groups, and watching endless mom vlogs I’ve learned nothing could have fully prepared me for motherhood. The lack of sleep is indescribable. Anxiety and postpartum self-care (or lack of) isn’t talked about enough. If the amount of crying doesn’t frustrate you the mommy burnout might. Not to mention that sometimes the societal representations of motherhood is less than ideal. Still, motherhood is hard but worth it.
I am evolving as a mother every day. Coffee fights off my tiredness. Postpartum therapy has helped me manage my anxiety and place importance on self-care. Crying still frustrates me but now I’ve become pretty good at distinguishing between my daughter’s cries. I’ve learned to lean on others and even cry myself to prevent mommy burnout. I’ve discovered through social media that there are plenty of moms like me who don’t hold back just how challenging motherhood can be. Yes, motherhood is hard but worth it.
Motherhood is my favorite occupation. I don’t care about the clichés or trying to be perfect. Each day I do my best to be the best mother I can be for my daughter. She is my pride and joy. She has changed me for the better. As I watch her grow I know one thing is for sure: Motherhood is hard but worth it.
Mom With No Plan is a first time mommy who didn’t realize she was pregnant until two days before giving birth to her daughter. When she’s not juggling her newfound journey of motherhood she’s blogging about it. She enjoys a daily cup of coffee, occasional glass of wine, and spending time with her family.
Although you still have your occasional date nights, Valentines Day sure does change once you become a parent.
The best part though? It’s still so much fun, but instead of romantic quiet dinners as a couple, it can become a loud family date night.
I’m here to give some great ideas to celebrate Valentines Day as a family. It is after all, a day full of love and what better way to spend it than with ALL the people you love the most?
Let’s check out some fun ideas for the family below 👇
Ice skating/ roller skating night out.
How fun does this sound? Ice skating is such a fun winter activity in general but I feel like it, along with roller skating if that’s what you prefer could be such a fun Valentines family date. I wish my kids were just a bit older so we could do this as a family this year!
Family game night.
These are always my favorite type of nights. Game nights are so fun for any type of night but it would be a great Valentines Day family date! Order a heart shaped pizza to go with it and you’re all set.
Movie night in or movie at the theatre.
There are finally good movies coming out again and movie nights are such a great classic family night idea.
A trip to the bookstore.
Grab a hot chocolate, a heart shaped treat and hit the book store! Pick out a good book and have a cozy family reading night.
Family karaoke night.
Along with game night, I think karaoke is so much fun even if I do have a terrible voice. Get creative and have fun! I’m sure the kids will love it as much as you do.
There is so much you can do to have a great Valentine’s Day while including the kiddo’s.
I hope some of these ideas helped you out and as always, thanks for reading!
With a busy bee of a toddler running around at all times, books and coloring are so important to have accessible when it’s time for some down time.
Redfin reached out to us and asked to write a short piece describing an at home learning area that would work well.
You can read the full article here but I thought it would make a fun post to show you the little nook my toddler has for all his fun activities.
When it comes to at home learning or activity areas it’s so important to have everything open and easily accessible because I feel like it makes less of a mess. That way your kids will see it automatically and be able to grab what they need.
I love using little bins for crayons, art stuff and activity books. I use this cute personalized basket for my toddler’s things.
Another great tip is storage cubes! I feel like they are so great for toy organizing, book organizing or even learning and school organizing.
Adding pops of colors with books and crayons are always great to keep your kids engaged.
I like to keep our seasonal or favorite books on this bench ottoman and a couple inside it as well for easy reading access since majority of our time is spent in our main living area.
Also it’s a great place to store toys away and still have your living space look nice!
So many fun ideas you can do for a little learning nook but these are some of my favorites!
What type of areas do you have for your children when it comes to their learning and activities?
From the moment those two pink lines show up, you are being told how hard being a parent is.
Constant crying, feeding on demand, diaper overloads.
And of course those 3am wake up cries.
But they never tell you the pure emotional exhaustion you will truly feel from trying to be the perfect mom.
And I’m not talking about I’ve just worked a week of 12 hour midnight shifts in a row…I’m talking your whole body is tired, your shoulders and neck are sore and kinked from constantly looking over at your baby, chasing after your toddler. Your mind is on auto-pilot and you forever hear crying even when they aren’t.
It’s just exhausting being a mom.
Period.
There’s no explanation needed.
It’s. Just. Hard.
You put all your energy into these tiny little humans that you have been so blessed to have.
Every thought is about them now.
How do I make my baby happy today?
Is my toddler getting too much screen time?
What can I do better so we sleep better at night?
How do I split up my attention equally?
How do I keep them healthy and safe always?
How can I be better?
How can I be perfect for them?
How do I make time for my husband? For my home? For my career?
That’s the root of it all. We always want to be better, we want to do better for our babies.
We want to be the perfect mom.
The one who looks flawless without a hint of dark circles under her eyes.
The one with hair that looks like she is able to wash and exfoliate regularly.
The one who never has a spot of spit up on her clothes or the smell of it radiating from them.
The one who looks like she’s never changed a blow out diaper in the Target bathrooms in her life.
The one who’s kids look like they would never have a tantrum in aisle 5 at the grocery store.
It’s impossible.
There’s no such thing as a perfect mom.
Yes, some might hide it way better than others but we all have one thing in common.
We are all exhausted.
We are all at some point everyday dealing with diaper overloads and spit up and drool stained clothing.
Meltdowns during the day and waking up to those 3am cries at night.
So don’t ever think you aren’t a good enough mom, please.
Because we’ve all been there.
We are all exhausted.
We are all emotional.
We are all so blessed to have these babies.
But one thing I hope to never happen to any mama’s in this world? You will never be alone in your feelings, EVER. Please just know that.
And if you ever need a reminder? Well, we are here even during those 3am wake up cries.
If you’re a busy working mom like me, you know what it’s like to juggle a hectic personal and professional schedule with a never-ending list of things to do. One of the few benefits of the global COVID-19 pandemic is that it has caused many people to pause and reevaluate who and what truly mattered in their lives. I used the time during lockdown to launch my dream coaching business My Life Couch and more importantly – to learn how to take care of myself, respect my own time and ask for help.
I compare us working mothers – and parents in general – to a very sophisticated smart phone: Running a ton of applications at once, a life saver for many and a constant companion that always deliver value. But what is the use of a phone if the battery is low or not charged? It becomes a very expensive paperweight, right? Or whatever use you have for a phone that isn’t charged at all. We need to be intentional about carving some time to nurture and care for ourselves more, not just when the battery has died out completely, so we can be the best mom/dad/sibling/friend we can be.
Here are my 5 strategies to recharge your batteries to be always on and full of energy:
• Take some time off
Knowing yourself, what makes soothes, heals, recharge you is key to defining your self-care exactly HOW and WHAT you want it to be. Whether is being surrounded by people or staying alone to do some self -discovery, meditation, reading a book , journaling, running a bath, do whatever nourishes your soul
• Learn the power of NO
If like me your natural tendency is to say yes to keep people happy, you will quickly feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of commitment you are taking on, without the bandwidth to match. By being selective on the responsibilities we undertake, we can truly focus on the tasks at hand and being present – think quality vs quantity – and deliver outstanding results every time, minus the extra stress.
• Ask for- and accept help –
Asking and accepting for help doesn’t always come easy for working mothers, myself included. I used to see it as a reflection of my inability to “be it” and deemed myself a failure. But you realize that by asking, you are opening your doors, your mind to the kindness of people who in some case may just be waiting for you to ask. Asking for help is another way to extend your reach and getting things done. And you have to be willing to accept the help, even if it’s not exactly how you are doing it, aka don’t focus on the HOW it’s done – of course safety is primordial – but WHAT is done. At best, you and your family are exposed to a different way of doing things! And you can always repay the favor when someone else needs help .
• Move
Get your body going by incorporating movement into your routine. It could be a walk, running or even dancing to your favorite tune or playlist. Exercise is proven to release tension and stress and it’s good for your mental health overall so it’s a win- win. Find your movement and practice. I also count singing on top of your voice on a song you like – karaoke nights anyone – as exercise, although your family, neighbor etc… might disagree.
• Have your tribe
Have in your circle, someone other than your spouse that understands the pressure you may face. It could be another mom, a close relative, or a friend. The point is to be having a safe place to show up as you, to share your joys, doubts or vent your frustrations. It’s a place to been heard, understood, and connect with another person on common topics and interests and get another perspective on things. Bonus point if you combine making a phone call with that friend whilst going for a walk!
It’s sometime feels we don’t have time to even recharge, but let’s not leave until our batteries are completely out to put a plan in place shall we. By carving a non-negotiable time often to do things for ourselves, we are filling ourselves so we can pour out love, support , focus , guidance or whatever we can , instead of constantly running on an empty tank. I would love to hear about what works for you and if you need some motivation to create a recharge plan , I’ll be happy– to be part of your tribe !
If you would like to read more about my self-love tec
Gladys Simen – a life coach for moms who are trying to balance their work and family life.
She is a life enthusiast who lived in 5 different countries, mastered 2 languages, and changed several professions. It took becoming a fabulous mama for her to tap into some BIG superpowers within herself.
Former quiet introvert, today is passionate about helping women live big, beautiful, shooting-for-the-stars kind of lives right now. Gladys considers herself an advocate for the working mama!
I look at this little face, these little cheeks and these little hands and I wish that I could stop time.
The years go by so fast.
All these little stages of growth, I feel like sometimes we wish them away and it breaks my heart.
We wish the pregnancy stage away because the heartburn, the aches, the discomfort is a lot sometimes.
We wish the baby stage away because we just want some sleep and to be left alone at times.
We wish the toddler stage away because we just want some peace and no screaming or crying or things thrown at us.
Before you know it, they are starting school and that peace and quiet you experience when they aren’t around doesn’t seem so nice anymore.
And then they are off to high school and it’s sports and school dances and dating and those tantrums and all that noise? Well you miss it because they are always gone.
Let’s stop wishing away the stages of these sweet little ones.
Instead let’s embrace it. Again with my this years motto, embrace the chaos.
Live in the moment and just let all the craziness of this thing called parenting wash over you because it’s nothing but wonderful chaos.
As parents we are all tired, all stressed and all need to give ourselves more grace and alone time. I so get it.
Just don’t wish away what will only end up being memories once these little ones grow up.
We kicked off summer with an INCREDIBLE vacation to Port Austin, MI. It is our favorite spot to camp, and we go back as often as we can.
We tent camp, and I could write a whole blog on camping with kids and a dog. It’s a lot of work, but the work is totally worth the reward!
I wanted to talk about this awesome small town at the tip of Michigan’s thumb! This is the second family trip we’ve taken, and we plan to go back again as a yearly tradition.
We always camp at a Michigan state park, Port Crescent State Park. It is called that because the park is on a crescent shaped bay right before the Saginaw bay.
The water is shallow and crystal clear and super sandy for many yards out. It is perfect for kids or young swimmers. The sand bar was insane this year. It actually started at the shore which is something I have never experienced at a Michigan beach.
The sunsets are INCREDIBLE. I live on the east side of MI, so we get stunning sunrises, so experiencing sunsets is my favorite part about the trip.
It’s also a pet friendly park, so we were about to take Addie with us! She REALLY enjoyed digging in the sand with the girls. She loved exploring all things!
There is plenty of hiking and fishing you can do as well at the park. There’s also a nice playground and two bathrooms with showers if needed!
We kayaked one year to a very famous rock structure, Turnip Rock! That trip was so much fun. We rented kayaks from Port Austin Kayak. We rented them for the four hour time. It took roughly two hours to get to the rock structure. It was totally worth it. My phone died just before we got to the structure, so I borrowed an image from Huron County Park’s website.
There is also Caseville up there too! That is home of the “Cheesburger Festival”. Yes it is a festival dedicated to cheeseburgers. Such a fun little town.
We loved traveling so far and are planning another trip in August! Do you have any recommendations in or near MI?! Let me know!
As a mom I feel like one of the biggest struggles is staying organized.
It’s a huge goal but it rarely happens, am I right?
I know in my family, I’m the one being asked what time everything is at or what day and where is this and where is that?
It’s a tough job to stay organized!! I definitely struggle on the daily no matter how hard I try. I’ll be good for maybe a week and then I slack again.
So I came up with a list for myself to help me with the areas I struggle with most in hopes that it will stick in the long run. Plus I hope sharing it will help you as well.
So let’s get started on my 5 tips to becoming more of an organized mom ☺️
1. Clean out your purse.
If there’s one thing that makes me feel like a bad ass mom, it’s a clean and organized purse and diaper bag! Throw out those random receipts, old snacks that have found their way to the bottom. Go through your wallet and organize those cards and coins. It is such a relief when your purse is organized and it’s a great start!
2. Keep a planner.
Do I have a planner? Yes. Is it halfway filled out? Also, yes. It starts out so promising but I never keep it up! A planner can be a savior in the organizing department and I’m going to try my best to stick to it! Maybe putting it on display will help my hubby not to ask a million daily questions on activities…maybe 😉
3. Use storage bins/Storage furniture.
Now this I am wonderful at! Storage bins and furniture that is used to storage is my go to! I have an ottoman that stores so many toys and I love it. I always have cute decor bins all around that hold toys and other things as well. They not only help to stay organized but it helps your house stay more picked up!
4. Meal plan.
My downfall. I am a terrible meal planner and my biggest goal is to be a great one! If I am a better meal planner I can then avoid the “what do you want for dinner?” “I don’t know, what do you want?” Argument that happens a lot. Planning dinner ahead and having a cute meal calendar is my goal! So let’s achieve it together!
5. A solid routine.
Let’s face it, it all comes down to routines! When you have a solid morning and night time routine your whole life is just so much smoother. Is it easy? No? Is it worth it? HECK YES! I strive to perfect a morning and night time routine and it’s a struggle but it’s a priority that needs to be made as we navigate through this mom life.
As I work on these organization tips, my goal is for it to help me be a better, a more calm and happy mom.
They all help make our everyday lives easier and therefore we have more time for the fun things!
What do you struggle with the most?
Let’s help each other out! Moms supporting moms it’s my favorite.
As always, thanks for reading and have a great week!
Does time get away from anyone else or is it just me?!
I just thought I would share a little life update since I’ve been so MIA!
We lucked out tonight, and softball was canceled due to weather. Michigan got snow last night, and if our bodies haven’t reacted enough to spring, we get to go through it again!
I am starting a new job with a huge corporation this week! I have been a dispensing optician for the past (almost) 9 years, and I truly have loved every moment of it!
The first office I started at was awesome! The doctor and his wife were some of my favorite people. What is that saying though? People don’t quit a job, they quit the management? Yeah, that’s what I did. The manager was not the nicest person. In fact the 7.5 years I was there, we had 25 employees come and go. Some lasted a year some not even a day… it was so sad because I had truly gained so much from that office.
The last office I worked at was amazing all around. Such good people! One of the docs though… I’ll just stop there. 😂 I just knew that it wasn’t going to be a good fit for me in the long run, so I’m taking a turn with a corporation from HOME! No more going to an office!
There is SO much to learn though. I am on the computer 100% of my day. Not really a bad thing, but there is no face to face interaction. Although during a global pandemic, I’m not mad about it.
SPORTS! My daughters are in sports! I had mentioned softball earlier, that is what my oldest daughter is playing. My youngest is playing soccer! I know nothing about softball, however I played soccer as a kid and really enjoyed it, SOOO I volunteered to coach! I’m not sure what I was thinking when I did that!
We have had some health problems here too! No COVID, at least that’s what the tests say, but I’m not sure what to believe or not to believe anymore. My girls are still having issues that may or may not be related to whatever “virus” they did have, BUT they are overall healthy and were just praying the heal quickly!
Oh, and I dyed my hair pink! I love having fun with my hair, and this just seemed right!
That is my life update! Lots going on daily, but that is pretty much the just of it!
We want to thank you all for your support! This week actually marks one year of blogging for us! We enjoy every post we do, and every connection we make with each and every one of you! Keep reading, stay healthy and stay safe. ❤️
Quirky Workin' Mom's 