5 Tips to Balance Work & Family When Life is Crazy Busy...

1. Be flexible. For a Type-A personality, this is especially difficult. We want to be in control of everything spinning around us, and when things don't go our way, we feel like we have failed somehow. But life happens.  And we have a lot less control than we want to admit.  What we CAN and SHOULD control is our response when things don't go the way we had anticipated.  

A dear friend recently shared with me a reading from "Jesus Calling" which said, "When little things don't go as you had hoped, look to Me (God) lightheartedly and say, "Oh well." This simple discipline can protect you from being burdened with an accumulation of petty cares and frustrations."  

Easier said than done?  Yup.  But with practice, when we respond with this kind of "surrender" of will, we realize that most of the things we worry about aren't really all that important and our emotional energy will be freed up to deal with the things that are. 
   
2. Learn to say no.  The key here is to determine what to say "no" to.  In order to do this, we have to be aware of our goals and priorities.  

In our crazy day-to-day lives, there are many priorities calling for our attention.  The things we often want most to accomplish get lost among the mini-emergencies that pop up, the unexpected phone calls asking us to help with this or that, etc.  It is much easier to decide where to invest our time and energy when we know what our priorities are.

What's most important to you?  I try to live "God first, Family second and Career third". Any opportunities that do not directly build my business or my relationship with God, my husband, or my kids has to be thoughtfully considered.  It is much easier to say "no" when you are clear about  your goals, and you know what you are saying "YES" to.
   
3. Let go of Mommy guilt.   Working moms are especially prone to feelings of inadequacy and guilt.  This is an issue almost all of my clients struggle with. When they have to work late, they fear the kids will suffer at home as a result.  If they are at home playing on the floor with their kids, they feel guilty that they aren't tackling the laundry, or working to provide income for the family.  

We have to accept that our lives are NOT perfect, and we need to let go of the expectation that they should be.  When raising children, there is a constant mess.  You work hard to clean the house and we all know it lasts about 5 minutes!  We need to focus on what matters and cut ourselves some slack, otherwise, the guilt will immobilize us and rob us of the precious moments we have with our families.

4. Get organized.   Lay out clothes the night before, prepare lunches in advance, cook and fill your freezer for a month in a weekend, or simply write out your menu plan for the week.  Plan ahead, and start using a big, monthly calendar to coordinate all family member's activities and goings on.  The more organized you are, the more time you will free up to spend with your family.    
    
5. Take a breath.  Really, breathe...  In... and out... Often, ladies, we take care of everyone and everyone, except ourselves.  You've all heard the saying, "When mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!"  Isn't it time to take care of YOU?

Take a breath, take a run, take a class, take a chill, take a trip, take a break, take a shower, take a walk, take a load off, or take a nap. Take whatever you need to slow down, smell the roses and count your blessings.  They are all around you!

Balance comes from recognizing that life is not easy, but that we have the opportunity to choose how we respond to the chaos that may be happening all around us.  When we slow down enough to enjoy the present, savoring each precious moment and are grateful for all that we have, we will achieve the elusive life balance we are all searching for.