Yes, you Can Have and Do It All

You can’t have your cake and eat it too? Whoever said that was wrong. Why have a cake and not eat it? As a parent, you are torn in so many directions, and there are many days you probably feel there has to be at least one sacrifice to stay afloat, and that sacrifice is usually something that you want to do for yourself. 

If you are blessed enough to be in a two-parent household with another adult helping share in all the responsibilities, here is how you can have it all and do it all without sacrificing your personal goals and desires. 

Know What You Want

Before you start out on your journey of having everything you have ever wanted, you are going to need to have a crystal-clear vision of what you want your life to look like. By crystal-clear we mean that you have to know what your day to day is going to look like from what time you wake up to what the first five things are you are going to do every morning to what route you are going to take to work. 

When you have everything clearly defined you are able to plug your family into the picture according to their needs and wants so that as you are satisfying your own you can help them satisfy theirs. 

Make Lists Everyday

Lists are your best friends. Every Sunday, make two types of lists. The first list is what you need to get done during the week. It is a list of items that you can do at any point just as long as they get done. The second list is a daily list of things that must get done on that specific day. If there is a day where you finish early or a day that is not as heavy as others, work on that weekly list.

When you have these lists, you will never fall behind or forget that something needs to get done. A lot of times you will find you finish the list early and you have more free time than you thought for doing the things you want to do and work on. You may also find that you have more time to spend with your family even though you are busy. 

Get a Family Calendar

Get a big family calendar, put it on a big wall, and make sure everyone walks past that calendar throughout their day. Every morning when you wake up and your coffee is brewing, stand in front of the calendar and remind yourself of who has to be where and when. You can take those few moments in the morning to plan the best way to make sure everyone is on top of their game and knows where they have to be. 

It’s a sure fire way for everyone to be on the same page. The best thing you can instill in your family is communication. If everyone is communicating about what is going on, you will be able to work your own agenda into the week and you will be balancing your work and home lives. 

Meal Prep

Eating healthy should not be sacrificed. A lot of parents will make life easier for themselves by ordering out or picking something up on the way home. Home cooked meals should not be sacrificed especially if you are working from home. Do yourself a favor and get a crock pot. You can put all of the ingredients in when you wake up, set the timer, and dinner will be cooking for you all day while you are working, running errands, and tending to the family’s needs. 

Putting pulled pork in the crock pot, stews, soups, and roasts will give your family the nutrition they need to continue their busy lives and stay healthy. Crock pots are a great way to show yourself that you can do it all while having it all. 

Lean On Your Partner

You don’t have to do it all yourself if you have a partner by your side. Not only is it essential to communicate to your partner all day about what is going on, but you don’t have to do everything at 100%. It’s almost impossible. You can only give 100% to what you are focusing on at the time. When that happens, rely on your partner to give their 100% to something that needs tending to while you are working on something for yourself. 

It is a give and take and there will be times when your partner is going to want to lean on you so they can focus on what they need. A lot of parents feel this is selfish that everything needs to be for the family, but in reality, how can you show up for the ones you love if you’re not your best self. It is so very important to take time for yourself to be your best self so that your family can thrive. 

Take Breaks

Take a week or a few days every month and just lounge. Having these mental health breaks will allow you to recharge and see what has changed so that you can change your plan accordingly, and simply give you time to feel the release of anxiety and rushing around. It is okay to take the time to do nothing. Read a book, nap in the garden, go on a weekend getaway with the family and eat whatever you want and sleep whenever you want and just bond and remind yourself what it is to be a human. 

Conclusion

You can have and do it all with careful planning, an understanding partner, organization, and communication. You are a very important member of your family and never feel guilty that you have your own agenda. As you embrace the journeys of your family, they too want to embrace yours. Everyone’s situation is different, but with these bits of advice you can form a plan for yourself that will help you have it all.