We all do the “motherhood juggle” and while brain research experts say multitasking is impossible, they have clearly never spent time with a mom! No matter the issue, the juggle, the struggle we do it all! This fabulous book from Chicken Soup for the Soul shares 101 inspiring and humorous stories from mom.
Here are some tips from Chicken Soup for the Soul’s Multitasking Mom’s Survival Guide:
Five ways to help busy moms with their multitasking
Inspired by Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Multitasking Mom’s Survival Guide by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen and Amy Newmark
Every multitasking mom needs her own survival guide. Whether it’s handling housework hassles and feeding the family, or juggling a career and making “me time,” these tips from Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Multitasking Mom’s Survival Guide will help inspire, entertain and support busy moms.
1. Don’t forget your “me time.” When a friend gave Randi Mazzella a pendant with an “R” charm, it seemed weird to Randi to wear a necklace with her first initial instead of her children’s. Then she realized why: “I was slowly starting to lose my own identity.” Randi had focused so much on her children that she never made time for herself. So she changed that. She joined a gym, volunteered, took a writing class and started selling some of her work. “I am learning and growing,” Randi writes, “and that makes me happier — and a better mother.”
2. Remember why you became a mom. “There are days,” Gina Lee Guilford writes, “when I feel like ditching my SUV at the airport and hopping a plane to Bora Bora.” That is one of the many responsibility-free daydreams Gina has when the demands on her time seem overwhelming. Then there are moments when Gina sees a single woman and imagines how much fun her life must be. Then Gina remembers her life before marriage and children — it was lonely “What I wanted, more than anything, was someone to love, who would love me back,” she writes. Now an impromptu hug or a goodnight kiss from one of her children brings it all back into focus: “I realize I am exactly where I want to be.”
3. Sometimes you just have to laugh. One very harried day, Patricia Lorenz needed help as she managed constant interruptions, cleaning, and preparing dinner with four kids and their friends all in the house. So Patricia carefully explained to her two-year-old, Andrew, how to push the button to turn off the TV. He remembered “push,” “off” and “TV.” When Patricia heard a loud crash and the sound of breaking glass, she went running. Her son proudly showed her how he had “pushed off” the TV…right off the stand. “And there was Andrew, smiling, because he had done just what Mommy asked. He’d pushed off the TV,” Patricia writes. “Boy, did he.”
4. Find a creative solution. When Ann Kronwald faced a last-minute repeat visit from prospective homebuyers, with 30 minutes to clean her messy house, she panicked! Add to that her three young children, a newborn, a baking spree the day before, and cooking, and Ann had an impossible task. “A proper cleaning was not an option. A lousy cleaning was not even doable. I needed a bedroom-sized closet to heave the many mountains into,” Ann writes. “But even if I had one, homebuyers always opened closet doors to check for storage space.” Then she remembered the full-sized van parked in her garage. Ann stashed everything, including dirty dishes, in the van. It worked. She went to contract on the house the next day!
5. You’re never too busy for quality time. As Marya Morin raced to put away groceries and prepare for a dinner party one afternoon, she suddenly realized she was neglecting her young son. “While I was accessible to everyone else,” she writes, “I was becoming less available to my own family.” Marya dropped everything, canceled her dinner, and took her son to the park. The next day she implemented Special Hour—one undisturbed hour with her son several days a week. “We ceremoniously took the phone off the hook, turned off the TV and set the oven timer for sixty minutes,” Marya writes. “He had my undivided attention.” Now that her son is grown, Marya says she is “grateful that I discovered the importance of making time for what was most precious in my life — before being a busy mom made me too busy to be a mom.”
Enter to Win a Copy of Multitasking Mom’s Survival Guide
Open to residents of Canada/U.S. 18+ – ends June 8, 2014
Prayer :)
Seriously, I just hope for the best lol
I don’t really have any tips I just go with the flow and do the best that I can
Slow down and enjoy the little things. Kids grow up so fast, don’t worry about the little things.
Make a list of things to get accomplished, then look at your children and then remember they are the most important in your life
Make a list to keep things somewhat organized, and prioritize the tasks on your list.
Never waste time. When my son is in the bath, I quickly clean the bathroom. Then we play. When he’s done, he dries off his toys. And I quickly clean the tub. It just takes a couple of minutes and makes a big difference.
I seriously need this!
Heather recently posted..Get Pinned! #Pinterest Blog Series
Take some much needed time for yourself!
definitely take help when it’s offered!
Dara recently posted..Campus Book Rentals Available For Summer Classes
I create lists and check things off each list as I go….
Heather recently posted..Feature Friday
i have a million lists, 2 calanders, 1 agenda… Try to keep everything organized in every possible way!
Write things down- baby wear , be flexible :)
Ashleigh Swerdfeger recently posted..25/27 weeks- Pregnancy Update
I like someone elses suggestion about lists… I am a bit fanatical about them myself. However, I am not a mom, so I would not presume to give advice.
Always have a list near by and a piece of paper, in case you think of something out of the blue.
You can’t do it all. Don’t make yourself crazy trying to do everything, when there just aren’t enough hours in the day. You’ll be so busy and flustered and end up missing the important stuff….being with your kids and watching them grow.
Leave those dishes til the morning. A little dust is no big deal.
Like they say…a messy house is a happy house.
For me, lists are a huge thing. I keep a “deadlines” app on my phone so I can load in all of my “due dates” or appointments as soon as I know them, and it alerts me (and also tells me # of days left until the event) and lists for everything from what to pack in my purse/bag for the day to what I need to pick up for the week ahead.
Take one step at a time
Just remember to breathe! Take 5 minutes and close your eyes and breathe. I have lists of tasks that I keep on my phone too.
Best tip is to have everyone help out and not just mommy do everything. It’s about team work. The toys can be put back by the kids in bins and dirty clothes can be put in the hamper. I think that mommies should not be hard on themselves and if something doesn’t get done you can always do it the next day, take it one day at a time. A list helps, asking for help helps. Having someone come in and clean once and a while is great too!
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Prioritize!
Make and follow a list to stay organized!
Spend a few minutes each morning praying for the day and your kids.
I agree with making a list it helps me keep things organized.
Try to remain calm and not get stressed and things should go along as smoothly as possible.
Be organized, it’s not easy but helps save time!
prioritize your tasks on a list
The best advice I’ve been given is ‘don’t sweat the petty stuff and don’t pet the sweaty stuff’ lol. Go with the flow and don’t worry when things don’t go as expected
Asking for help and giving yourself the occassional break. A pedicure, a lunch with friends etc.
I know it feels selfish, but take some time for yourself…..every day!! Also, choose your battles. Is it really that big of a deal if your kid wants to eat with their hands? Maybe in a restaurant or when I’m out, but seriously, most days I’m just happy to see my daughter eat at all.
one tip would be to write things down so you wont forget it during all the mess.
Make a list it helps so much.
I either create a list of tasks I have to do or just do things as I see they need done.
Breathe and give yourself plenty of small rewards on a daily basis.
remember to have at least 10 minutes of relaxation time every few hours!
Making lists helps -so long as you don’t lose the lists