You know what, we often wear the badge of busyness with pride. After all, if we’re busy we must be achieving a lot! This mentality is something that I’m on a mission to help other moms break. Let it be known that no one is enjoying being a busy mom and no one is enjoying having a busy mom (you’re not the only one!)
It’s time to break free from the shackles of the busy mom life and start to embrace a slower and more meaningful one. Let’s look at ways you can reduce your load, the kids’ load and create a more harmonious lifestyle.
Lower Your Expectations
This is the biggest one! What’s that saying, women are expected to work like they don’t have a family and raise a family as though they don’t work. Well, it’s go to stop.
The pressure on moms is next level, I can’t even imagine if men were under the same pressure. And it’s become the expectation. We’re expected to do everything perfectly and then be 100% present with the family. It’s too much. Something has to give and hopefully, it’s not your mental health.
All this to say, drop the expectations that you have of yourself and the family and stop worrying about what others think of you.
Related Post: How Moms Are Making $10k a Month From Home
Reduce the Family Schedule
Think about the average lifestyle for families. Two parents are working (often both full-time), kids are in school, and there are afternoon activities, homework, household chores, cooking, and socialising with extended family and friends. I’m tired just thinking about it!
And then after all that, it’s expected that we have the time and energy for true connection and romance with our partners.
Start to reduce your commitments. Could you drop one afterschool activity per child? Or can someone reduce their workload? Or could you get help around the house?
Go through all the activities and see what you can drop. It’s also worth remembering that children need time to just be. If you’re finding the nighttime routine a nightmare, it could be that the kids haven’t had enough time with you or to just play (or both).
Start Meal Planning
Getting sorted on the weekends for the food for the week ahead is a game-changer. There’s nothing better than getting home late from basketball and all you have to do is reheat a meal. It takes time to get organized but you won’t regret it.
Can You Downsize?
This might be shocking to you but do you really need the house, cars and things that you have now? It’s way too common that we just get stuck in the trap of upgrading and buying new things but do we really need it?
You’d be surprised how this can reduce your load and take you from a busy mom to a calm one!
It helps to reduce the financial load (so maybe one parent can reduce hours or stop working) and it reduces the mental load to look after all those things. Seriously consider it!
Declutter and Embrace Minimalism
You heard that right! Everything you own requires something from you. You have to find a place for it, maintain it and look after it. Think about in terms of the more things you have, the more that is required of you. The best way to reduce this load is to get rid of everything that doesn’t serve you. This includes the kid’s things too. Don’t feel as though you have to hang onto something because you spent money on it or because someone gave it to you. If it no longer serves you, let it go.
Make Self Care a Non-Negociable
One of the best things a busy mom can do is to schedule self-care. This will look different for everyone but it might be yoga, a walk in nature, a massage or simply hanging out with the girls. What’s even better is that you don’t need to do this alone! If getting out in nature fills your cup, take the family. If going out for dinner is your thing, take your partner. Get creative on how you can get more self-care in (especially if you have young kids!)
Have a Regular Date Night
As busy parents, it’s often hard to get some uninterrupted time together. Scheduling regular date nights might be the solution!
It doesn’t mean you have to go out on a date, you could also have a date night at home once the kids are asleep. No TV or phones, just the two of your enjoying a meal and actually connecting.
Automate Your Finances
Paying bills and moving money around takes up more brain power than you probably realise. There’s no reason why you can’t set up automated payments and transfers. It all gets done, the only thing that you have to do is to make sure there’s enough money in the account.
Reduce Your Stress
This is easier said than done I realise but being aware of your stress levels and triggers is the first step.
What triggers you? It could be money, your partner, colleagues or the kids. Figure it out and see how you can reduce the triggers and how you respond when they do occur.
Automate your House
It’s not just our finances we can automate but also the general runnings of the household.
Can you get a robovac? Get your groceries delivered? Or hire someone local to make healthy and nutritious food for the family?
Ways To Improve Your Life as a Busy Mom
We hope that these simple tips will help you go from ‘busy mom’ to ‘slow(er) mom’. It’s entirely possible and we’re here cheering you on. Your family deserve to have you without the long list of jobs and the stress!
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