Motherhood is consuming. Single motherhood is all-consuming. I've raised my children and attempted to be their Wonder Woman since birth. My divorce was not until the boys were about 5 and 7, but I was quickly learning that being proficient at timing and utilizing skills to make short-cuts without letting anything at all suffer was key to our survival. There is SO much to the idea of having things in place, so, needless to say, in order for your family unit to survive and PROSPER, one must become proficient in wizardry.
Casting time-spells is by no stretch of the imagination easy.
My boys are now 15 and 18, so technology was NOT on my side!
I have noticed, however, that while technology has stretched to zones I never thought possible, the older your children are, the more time you need! WHY?! Well because you have AGED!
Any possible techniques I have learned to be in bed sleeping by 11:30 I will now share with you:
1 - when the week begins, make sure you have started a huge hearty meal that will serve a few lunch and dinner slots and last a few days. Continue adding new side dishes to that one meal, and by day 3 be able to morph said meal into something new (i.e. soup, tuna or chicken salad, sandwich fare, or something that will be great on a salad)
2 - when tackling laundry, never stop, keep going until you run out of detergent.
3 - don't assign chores. Make it a necessary part of their living and breathing to assure it gets done. (i.e. if you don't take out the garbage you don't eat)
4 - ONLY grocery shop with FULL meal making in mind. No - " We need this or we need that" Think menu. Think in group categorically.
5 - if possible, buy toiletries in bulk via the internet or huge warehouse. its cheaper and most convenient.
6 - opening one those multiple online bill paying accounts was one of my best ideas. using your bank's online service also is a huge time-saver.
7 - scheduling your doctor's and kid's doctor's appointments in the same vicinity or physician's group is a time-saver - also going on the same day to avoid taking mass time off for not fun things is a plus.
8 - don't read email everyday. if you receive email via your smartphone delete unwanted crap, pick one day of the month where you go through unnecessary email while flagging important email - address those right away.
9 - drink PLENTY of water. being dehydrated slows you physically and mentally
10 - take time to watch the sun rise and set, it reminds you of why you are doing all of this in the first place!!!
I may be busy, but I thoroughly LOVE my life and everyone in it!!
Making sure you are in love with your life is what it is all about ~ CHEERS!
I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Starbucks blogging program, for a gift card worth $30. For more information on how you can participate, click here.
