HOW TO SIMPLIFY MOTHERHOOD
There are so
many things that we as moms are expected to keep track of:
Did I find that
form? Do we need more toilet paper? Did I pack that lunch? When was the last time I cleaned the
bathroom?
IT IS
EXHAUSTING!
Here are just some of the tips and tricks I use to help simplify my everyday life so that I can spend more time with my kids and less time keeping track of everything and adding to the mental overload of motherhood:
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Eliminate.
This probably goes without saying, but you only have 24 hours in a day.
Some things we HAVE to do. Some things we WANT to do. Some things we think we SHOULD do.
We have to prioritize and be realistic about what we can get done in a day and what is unrealistic or unnecessary.
Automate!
Automate! Automate!
Alexa
and Siri are your best friends.
Take advantage
of their skills!
Whether
you need to add to your to-do list, to set a timer as a reminder, or just a
play some music while you’re doing chores, your virtual assistants can be put
to good use!
This
very blog post I am dictating to Siri as I do other things around the house because I
know as a mom our time is so valuable.
Subscription services save mental overwhelm.
While you have to find the right ones that work for you and your family and it might mean that it will cost a little bit more money than doing it yourself, it saves you time and mental overload which in my opinion is worth every penny!
Some subscription services I personally use to automate are:
-HelloFresh a
meal service (we don't get these every week, just weeks I know are going to
busy and I don't want to meal plan)
-Hello
Bello a diaper service (non-toxic and good quality!)
-Young Living (non-toxic, yummy-smelling household cleaning supplies, shampoo, toothpaste, etc.)
-Amazon Subscribe and Save (garbage bags, toothbrushes, Himalayan sea salt,
etc)
-Who Gives A Crap? (Toliet paper, paper towels)
-LOVEVERY (Kids Toys)
(For more info about LOVEVERY, check out this blog post)
By
getting these things automatically delivered to my home and I know I have a
consistent supply and am not going to forget or run out and I don't have to
waste time keeping stock of certain items and going to the store to
purchase.
Know when to multitask and when not to.
This morning I
was listening to a podcast while lying in the hammock outside watching my kids
play.
In this particular scenario, it was a good use of multitasking.
As
moms, we don’t always have the luxury of relaxing but I already have to watch
my kids outside why not make use of that time to also enjoy some time for me?
I
was still able to have a clear visual of the kids with the way our backyard is
set up and feel like I got in some time to do the things I enjoy as well!
Multitasking
doesn't always save time though! There are many times I find myself trying to
multitask to save time and I realize that I cannot focus on any of the tasks I'm
trying to do properly and therefore it takes up more time in the long
run.
(For more tips on productivity, check out this blog post)
Go digital!
Going
digital helps me get so much done from home!
Banking and bill paying? There's an app for that!
Grocery shopping? I can order those online too!
The world is becoming more and more accessible online!
And while I may not be able to hold a physical book and take the time to pause and read, I do have to do the dishes! So why not put on an audiobook and listen and learn while I’m doing a task that I can do on autopilot?
I don’t always
have time to write down reminders and to-do lists but I do have time to tell a
Siri or Alexa to write a note or an appointment in a calendar for me.
Or if my husband
forgot to shut off the lights in the downstairs office? I tell Alexa to shut
them off! By setting up a smart plug for them, I no longer have to run down the stairs into a
room idea otherwise did not need to go into and giving me more time
to
do the things I do need to do instead.
That two seconds
that it takes to run downstairs won’t add a ton of time back in my
day on its own BUT all those little
two-second increments add up over time and it’s one less thing I have to think
about.
Get into a rhythm.
I have resisted
against routines for so long thinking that they would be too controlling over my
life and didn't allow for the flexibility that life's chaos throws at us.
The
reality is routines (or rhythms, if you shudder at the word routine) will help you to maintain consistency for certain daily
chores and tasks so that things will not fall through the cracks.
Of
course, there will be times where your routine gets interrupted, that's life,
but by having the structure set in place, you can always pick up where you left
off.
One
of the biggest hurdles in maintaining things is just the mental overwhelm of
knowing and keeping track of all the things you have to do. But when you have a
routine, it allows your brain to go into autopilot and get rid of some of the
mental load.
I
am not here to tell you what your routine should be because every family and
every person is different.
Find
what works for you and your family.
Let me know in the comments below!
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