Planning is the key

Many times I hear mothers complain from the lack of time, the multitude of tasks and how constantly they are over whelmed with their daily duties. When I suggest planning I hear things like “but how can I plan”, “Everyday there are new surprises”, “all the days are just messy”, “I don’t know how to stick to a plan” and so on. For me these are just an example of giving lame excuses (sorry for being honest). Why do you think there are mothers more successful than others? Planning is the answer and until you realize the importance of planning, you have one of two choices; either stop complaining and accept your messy situation or try to embrace a new way of thinking.

For me planning is more than essential, it has been my favorite life companion ever since I can remember. Having my to-do-list is an inevitable part of my life and the funny thing I have it for my personal as well as professional lives. Now that I am staying at home for my babies for some time, I can’t go on without my house duties’ to-do-list. I write every week what I need to do over the week and what I need to accomplish around the weekdays so I am left out almost free over the weekend. Of course a mother is never free but I choose to cook all week but not on the weekend. I choose to get done with the laundry across the week but not on the weekend. I intentionally buy all the things I need from the supermarket across the week so as not to waste my weekend in grocery shopping (when I would prefer to do some real shopping).

Instead of being overwhelmed and complain and end up finishing nothing Learn to PRIORITIZE. Select the most important tasks to be done and divide those urgent tasks among the week. If every day you do one major task, it will feel way better and you won’t feel (in a certain way) the multitude of the job. Target to have a free weekend (No major house chores); for me it feels good as I am kind of free from the major routine tasks, still there will be things here and there but no cooking, no laundry, no cleaning, etc. Keep a to-do-list in your kitchen for important stuff; I keep a small magnetic white board on my fridge for important dates, apportionments or reminders that can’t be missed.

From experience, I can tell you that there is no way out of the motherly tasks nor can you decrease the duties but for sure you can make your life better if you decide to make it easier. A good mother is not a free one, but rather someone who can plan her house and be smart in doing her tasks and still find time for herself.