It's not a "lifesaver" in that it doesn't save me time, but I wanted to say that I still just LOVE the "my day snapshot" here on WIM. It's such a great way to stay motivated, and then go back later and see little snippets of my life as a working mom. LOVE IT.”
Showing 181-189 of 218 Lifesavers
I love to save money whenever I can. I'm kind of like a shopaholic, but I'm a saveaholic. Don't get me wrong, I love to shop, but it's the saving part that gets me excited.
With a one-year-old, it is hard for me to carve out any significant lumps of time in the day to work, and my work requires some concentration. I had a hard time at first trying to balance getting my work done and not feeling like I was neglecting my daughter. My solution? I have started getting up one hour before my daughter in the morning. I feel much less stressed. In that one hour I get more done than I would in 3 or 4 distracted hours during the day. And now my day is free to take care of my home and daughter. Some mornings it is hard to wake up early, but I just need to be disciplined and go to bed on time. It is worth it because I am much less stressed.
I added some children's book titles to my e-Reader. When I am running errands and the kids get bored, I can whip it out to keep them entertained. I love that they are reading and learning to love some of my childhood favorites along the way.
I remember more than a few times calling my mom and being so upset because I couldn't get my daughter to clean her room...it was like she was sitting on my last nerve.. My mother said 'Pick your battles'. I was driving and wanted to throw the phone out the window! That's it? That's the 'talk me down from the ledge' response from my mom? Then she continued, "Is this really the issue you want to get so upset about?" In the 'big picture', a messy room is a 2 on a scale of 1-10. I hear her voice all the time 'Pick your battles'...and it calms me down. I always ask myself is it worth getting so bent out of shape about? or probably not. Moms...pick your battles! Melissa :)
I am trying to make a better effort to get my "me time" in. I usually let this go first when I am too busy to think, but then the my stress level increases dramatically! I have been turning weekend naptime into mommy funtime! Sking is my sport and getting outside for some fresh air does the trick. I got out three times Christmas weeknd and I am on top of the world this week feeling like I can tackle anything! I can be a better mom, wife, and friend when I get to do what I love.
my "me time" is limited... however i make it a point to fill the tub up with bubbles, light some candles & relax once the baby is asleep... i call it "pamper mommy time"! i also agree w/jessicaXs, sometimes having a drink is nice to
A good stress reducer for me is blogging. Writing about whatever is bothering me helps me process what's really going on vs. how I feel about it. It helps me keep a cool head about things that might otherwise make me explode. I just have to remember to make posts about my family "private" so I don't end up accidentally making my life more stressful!
Honestly? I make use of the downtime in between tasks. I check email while the pasta water boils, I put makeup on in the car - ONLY at stoplights, and I put off answering texts or emails for when I'm waiting in line at the bank. But I also prioritize a little "moment of peace" time, if I only have a second. I just close my eyes and breathe till the toaster oven dings.
Bringing my own lunch to work each day has been my lifesaver -- though, early on, I was sure it would just make things more stressful for me. (Another lunch to pack in the morning! No way!) But it's easy to throw leftovers, cut-up veggies and some low-cal dressing, tea bags (way better than the coffee at my office), and a small treat in a bag while I'm packing lunches and snacks for my kids. And I don't feel an urge to hit the junk-food-filled snack machines -- or even the chips-and-candy aisle at the supermarket -- at all, any more.
