How I manage being a new mom, grad school, and work.
Some of the things I’ve implemented to help manage several things at once.
Being a new parent is HARD, to say the least, and the past couple of years have made things even more exhausting. To make sure I can tackle what I need to accomplish daily, I made changes and improved how I used to do things to fit my new lifestyle. In this article, I’ll share some of the ways I manage my time, maintain mental health and complete work without losing my sanity and get closer to achieving my goals.
Set a Routine
This may sound boring and feel like being on a hamster wheel. But it is certainly a game-changer when you are juggling several big tasks. Once I went back to work my husband and I created a schedule that works for us. We use this day in and day out with room for changes when necessary.
One of the benefits of having a routine is being able to plan what work needs to get done and having a set time to accomplish it becomes more achievable. For example, my daughter’s bedtime is between 7–730 after that time I can make plans to do my homework or maybe go to dinner with a friend.
Being able to know exactly when I can accomplish specific tasks takes away constant wondering of when it will get done which also results in less planning stress.
Boundaries
Setting boundaries is hard, but think about what you are missing out on by not creating them. Is it overbearing family members or work needs?
Establishing what you will and won’t do is another game-changer. Think about which areas of your life are taking over other areas. For example, are you working past the time you want to work? My work schedule is 8- 430 and once it’s time for the day to end I shut my computer and do not think about work until the next day. It’s easier said than done but I think about what else I’m missing if I don’t set restrictions on my work schedule. By the time I get off work I have about 2 hours to hang out with my daughter before she goes to bed. If I don’t create a hard stop I’m missing 2 precious hours with her 5 days a week. That’s at least 10 hours each week and at the rate, she is growing I can’t afford to miss out on that time.
Setting boundaries is challenging, but not having them is even more costly.
Creating boundaries is crucial to getting your work done. Parents will be pulled in thousands of different ways.
Self-Care
Days are long and filled with a lot of moving pieces and some form of daily self-care is necessary. With so much daily performance, stress will constantly build up and it needs to be released somehow. I used to think self-care was something I can do occasionally and now I incorporate into each day. I know sometimes self-care seems selfish and something that can be postponed but to function at a high rate and put forth good work self-care is crucial. Self-Care will look different each day depending on what you need.
If we want to put 100% each day then each day needs to have rest that will allow us to perform at the desired level.
Focusing on the task at hand
The amount I procrastinate has drastically decreased. I will still linger a bit, but not nearly at pre-baby level.
Time is even more limited and precious now, and I make sure to solely focus on the task.
This one is especially hard working from home and with a baby. It was the hardest part of returning to work. Having to go from being completely focused on my daughter to focusing on work and not her was tough! It has taken several months to get used to focusing on what I need to get done. When I start work, I do work and if I hear her I have to restrain myself from wanting to take over. This is just as hard to act on but something that will make a difference.
Takeaways
Above all, remember to be kind to yourself and leave room for some grace. Each day is different and requires different things from us. Be gentle with what gets done or doesn’t. Eventually, what needs to be accomplished will be.
If you want to share something that helps you please feel free to share. I’m always looking to improve what I have now.
