The reality is, there is no such thing as equal balance when it comes to all the demands of mothering, life, being a wife, a good friend, working and all the extras. I see so many fellow moms posting about this lately. The feeling of sinking or failing and asking others How do you do it all?
I too have searched and googled for the “answer” to doing it all. As time went by and the more kids I had (and less time I had to do it all) I found the answer…
The answer is you can balance it all but not at the same time.
We cannot successfully balance everything 100% all the time. We can however prioritize what needs to be done and in what timeline. Learning to let go of doing it all in the same day is liberating and gives you peace and less anxiety.
Some days are a win when you shower, dress to feel cute, put deodorant and perfume on.
Some days are a win when you organize the pantry or go a little farther and clean the house.
Some days are a win if you cried a LOT and decided to reach out to a friend for help.
Some days you show up to work, grind through your to-lists and make it home, feed the kids and get them to bed.
Some days you get NOTHING accomplished on the list but have some good conversations or play with your kids. (WIN)
Some days are a complete fail but you laugh with your husband and watch a good show together. (another WIN)
And every now and then you get to experience several wins in one day.
The point is, looking at the smaller picture is the big picture. You can juggle it all! Just not at once.
Real life isn’t what we see on social media. Everyone has different struggles and to-do lists and most of it doesn’t happen in one day. I saw a quote the other day about comparison kills momentum. When you compare, you take a step back. Don’t do it!
How to Really “Balance It All”
- Write a list of what needs to be done
- Include something little that fills your cup (coffee, reading, praying, a walk, lunch with a friend) and pencil it in
- Prioritize the time sensitive “needs to be done today” and what can rollover to tomorrow.
- Then follow your plan.
The feel good part: Having a checklist, even with basic things and checking them off feels so good. At the end of the day or week when you see all you’ve done, you will feel accomplished and hopefully a little proud.
In conclusion, it’s not realistic or healthy to give 110% of ourselves to everything all the time. So next time you see someone’s post online and feel like comparing or getting a little down. Stop. Everyone has different stories, lists and battles. It may have taken them months or years to get something checked off a list. Start small and you’ll get there.
