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| The birthday dinner |
Everybody knows that working moms love their kids as much as anybody else does. However, we lack to the time to be physically present as often as we'd like and sometimes lack the time to do everything we'd like to do. Unfortunately for us, the demands don't change. families need what families need. We have holidays, birthdays, and other events that we like to support. However, we don't always have the luxury of simply "restructuring our week" to make those things happen.
Our high expectations and our numerous obligations are enough to make a working mom go crazy! Fortunately, we don't have to because we can steal time.
Stealing Time, the Working Mom's Secret to Doing it All
People often ask how I "do it all". I do it with the help of my husband, family and the great woman who watches our son. However, the other thing I do is steal time. I am very mindful of every possible free moment in which to accomplish my tasks. I try to maximize my time so that neither my family nor I suffer because I have to work.
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| I woke up like this. |
Stealing time is a great way to meet your obligations. Look at your schedule. Identify when your family needs you and work expects you to be there. Any other time is fair game to run your errands. This past weekend, on Sunday, I was hosting a birthday dinner for my dad. (Happy birthday mom and dad!!! That's right, they share a birthday. However, my mom is out of town. So, no birthday dinner for her!) I needed to buy some special things to be ready for the party. Also, the food I was making took prep time as well as a long cooking time, which made shopping on Sunday impractical.
I got it done by leaving my house like a thief in the night before the kids woke up and before my husband got out of the shower. You see, his plan every Saturday is to leave the house to work on our home remodeling project at our other house. So, the only way I'd get the shopping done, unless I wanted to schlep the kids through the cold was to leave at day break. So, I got out of the bed, threw on some clothes, and left the house. I did not bathe, come my hair or brush my teeth because I would have been found out and he would have objected. I had to get out of there and fast. So, I did.
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| Wearing shades during my errands. |
As You Plan Your Week Look For Ways to Steal Time
You may judge me for leaving the house in such a state. However, I was a mom on a mission. When I was training for the marathon, I'd leave the house straight away. I felt the same way on Saturday. My shopping trip was mission critical and needed to be completed by any means necessary.
Also, as you can see from the above shot, I am vain enough that I wore shades throughout my trip. Yes, I was that lady at the store wearing sunglasses indoors. I am certain people thought I was hung over...
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| The birthday party |
Since nobody is taking obligations away from you and you're not getting any additional hours in the day, I encourage for you to look for ways to steal time so that you can decrease your stress and maximize your happiness.
Ten Tips to Stealing Time That Won't Disrupt Your Schedule (Plus Bonus)
- Wake up 30 minutes early.
- Put your kids in bed 30 minutes early.
- Run errands during lunchtime.
- Capitalize on any cancelled meetings.
- Make your things to do list before bed.
- Leave work at least thirty minutes early on Friday to start your weekend right.
- Grocery shop before going to work.
- Wash a load of clothes a day.
- Cook enough on Sunday to last until Wednesday.
- Use Your Crock Pot/Freeze meals.
Bonus: Get as many things delivered as possible--cleaning, food, Amazon Prime is a gift!
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