There are a lot of articles on the internet that describe the mental burden that Mom is carrying, and not only is she required to look after her family and run the household, but in some instances, she must work too. I am among those moms with quite a lot of mental stress. I have a job, a kid, and a house to care for, and I’d like a social life. Naturally, plenty of things are happening, and while I’m still not yet figured everything out, I’ve found a few shortcuts to manage all the chaos.
Start The Day Off Right
As a full-time mom, you can’t make excuses like, “I woke up on the wrong side of the bed.” You indeed have family members who require things from you, so starting your day with a bang is essential. Here are some things I prefer to do. First, I ensure that every morning, when I check my phone, I look up just three things. I review any notes or notifications I left for myself that day. Then, I go through my calendar to clearly understand what’s happening. I typically do this at night before, too, but it’s simply a reminder. Then, I go through my email quickly to determine if there are any urgent issues I need to address. Other things I do to maintain the speed: I make sure that I empty the dishwasher early in the morning. Although it may be a bit annoying, I load it when something else occurs, such as water boiling or food warming up. So, I know that, at the very least, the dishwasher and kitchen counter space is set and will not be a mess all day. At this point of the process, Riley is pretty easy to please for breakfast and lunch. She also eats in daycare, so usually, at the beginning of the day, I’ll pour milk while I cook my lunch. I only need some food (usually leftovers), cutlery, and napkins. Simple.
Be Prepared
Before Riley’s arrival, I thought I was very organized and on top of my game. After her birth, the world was different (of course! ). However, when I returned to work, an extra level of chaos erupted its head. There were my issues, and now I needed to take her to daycare, too. Therefore, even though I believed I was effective before, in recent times, I needed to overhaul my routine completely. I was using the practices of highly effective individuals as a guideline. I attempted to incorporate some of these principles into the things I was doing every day. This includes things like making a dress the night before–in other words, I choose the outfit I’m likely to wear the next day and then leave the company out until morning. I also pack my bags for the night prior–my bag for work, my purse, and any forms or documentation. I always ensure everything is in good working order (laptop, cell phone, etc. ).
Let’s say that at the beginning of the day, the day goes as planned, but then I take off my shirt and notice an oil stain. This could put an unexpected wrench into your plans. Instead of being scared, I keep the Carbona Stain Devils at hand. I keep them in my bag because they’re specifically designed to combat certain kinds of stains, so I can be sure I’m not at the possibility of a stain removal product working but not performing. I deal with the color, toss it into the washer to be used in the future, change my clothes, and go on to my next task.
Car Gear
My car is an extra space away from home, And with the arrival of an infant, I’m always looking about two steps ahead. I’ve been in enough scenarios when I’ve run out of something and needed to walk back home to pick it up or rush out to buy something in the event of a need. What I’m going to do is to pack an emergency bag and place it into the trunk. It will contain washcloths, some wipes, a spare diaper blanket, a change of clothes, and, of course, a new pair of mine so that neither of us is ever caught in a dilemma. While I take a diaper bag along with me all the time, it’s likely that one time that I don’t have it, there will be a chance that something will happen. I also like keeping some tools for cleaning in my car. The first is a few microfiber towels. They’ve been helpful in many instances! If there’s spillage or mess of any kind, I pick up the cloth and wipe it off with a quick swipe. The other thing I carry in my bag is a lint roll. It is beneficial to clean pet hair, which often lands on my personal property after leaving my home, and remove any food particles that may have fallen into the car.
Keep Your Workspace Clean!
Many things could get splashed onto monitors, such as a cell phone, tablet, keyboard… the list is endless, so it’s crucial to have a couple of tiny cleaning solutions in the back of your hand (you can make use of mini spray bottles and put them in an office). The first is a general disinfectant of equal parts rubbing alcohol and water. It is excellent for cleaning any screens you have and disinfecting surfaces. It is also possible to bring general-purpose cleaners with you: a small amount of dish soap and an ounce of water; you can combine this with the general-purpose cloth made of microfiber to provide any surfaces with a swift cleaning up. This is essential because I’ve found that mess results from clutter, so the more messy your space appears, the more filthy and soiled it gets as time passes. If you can nip at it early and remain in the loop by keeping these small tools in your bag, it will help keep your workspace more tidy.