Prepare breakfast.
Organize homeschool classes.
Prep lunch.
Arrange playtime.
Organize movie night.
Prepare dinner.
Help kids with homework.
Meet with clients.
Organize bath time.
Facilitate bedtime routine.
The to-do list can seem to go on forever when it comes to balancing work and motherhood.
For me, the list of requirements and implementations related to both my business as well as parenting was vast and overwhelming. My kids needed the right education, proper nutrition, exercise, and a fun yet healthy environment in which to thrive. In addition, in order to see some progress in my business, my business needed, well… it needed me! How am I to give my full attention to five babies, all of who were extremely different but each very special?
Let me be clear. I have two sons. They are my babies. I also have multiple businesses which I am committed to growing. These are also my babies. My sons are dear to me and will always come first. My businesses are also dear to me, and they must come second. However, they must also be given attention in order to survive.
My eldest son loves chicken nuggets from the nearest drive-thru. My youngest son loves fresh baked bread and canned tuna. Some days, I found myself creating two separate meals just to ensure they both ate—but is this surviving or thriving? How do I ensure they get the correct amount of calcium, vitamin D, iron, omega 3s, etc.? How do I ensure they weren’t waking up at 1 p.m., only to miss online classes? How do I ensure my businesses were being served enough attention so that we would be able to grow financially? I was a sinking ship. I was tired and burnt out; and as a result, I reached out to Latreia Sophia Global for assistance.
It was she who enlightened me about the hack that every woman needs: organization. She assured me that organization and gaining a routine would be key to my success. Her program walked me through the world of goal setting, meal planning, meal prepping, scheduling, planning, prayer, and meditation. I went on to do further research and rediscovered Jordan Page’s freezer-prepped meals and her block schedule system. I discovered Page in 2016, and this system helped me with the initial implementation of my second business. The information learned from both Latreia Sophia and Page was far beyond valuable and changed my life and business for the better. This simple organization hack made life so much easier and less overwhelming. I must admit that I am not perfect at being organized, but I am growing and will get there eventually. Here are six things I learned that acted as a life vest for me and my businesses:
Waking up before my kids.
Waking up before my kids allows me to have a few moments to myself, plan my day, contribute to my business, and prepare breakfast. This hack has given me the most value as it sets the tone for my entire day. Prayer, meditation, and journaling play a big role in this. If my day starts off great, chances are that everything else will fall into place until the end of the day. This gives me the confidence to conquer my day, rather than my day conquering me.
Planning my grocery list.
This gives me less chances to pop on over to Wendy’s or Burger King just to survive lunch or dinner. Planning and prepping meals affords me the opportunity to pack in nutrition daily for me and my little ones. It also saves me the headache of staring at the fridge, wondering, “What will I make today?” Latreia Sophia Global gave excellent tips on meal planning on a budget that helped me in a way that was not only transformative but mind-boggling. My little ones get to enjoy smoothies, fresh fruit, home-made popsicles, and organic chicken/wild-caught fish sliders. Smoothies are my favorite because I get to sneak in a handful of greens without them even knowing it. A simple blend of frozen pineapples, spinach, and carrot juice with a dollop of raw honey goes a long and tasty way. Not to mention, they nearly always ask for seconds and thirds of this delicious combination.
Creating a to-do list.
I have resorted to emailing myself a to-do list every morning—an email from me to me. This helps me to take action and check tasks off as I complete each item on my list. At the end of my checklist, I leave a note. Usually, it looks like this: “Every action you take from this point forward determines the story you will tell tomorrow.” I don’t schedule a specific time to act on each item, which leads me to my next helpful element.
The block-schedule system.
The system I use was created by Jordan Page and has helped me tremendously. It resembles a school schedule where a window of time is allotted to a specific task or group of things. The moment that window closes, another window opens to complete a different group of things. For example, 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. is dedicated to breakfast, bath time, the first two subjects of school, and work for both me and the kids. 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. is dedicated to lunch, playtime, the last two subjects, and exercise. An alarm is set to alert me when the next window has opened. In this case, the alarm would be set for 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. This system makes it less stringent, as it allows the duties to be fulfilled in any given order and doesn’t leave me feeling guilty when I don’t accomplish a certain thing at a given minute. This, along with her clipboard system for kids, astounded me. I love Jordan Page’s system, and it works wonders for me.
Cutting down screen time.
A children’s sleep specialist told me that if I took away the screens one hour before bedtime, my child’s melatonin production would be stimulated, and they would fall asleep more quickly when I put them to bed. The first time I tried it, it was miraculous. My youngest son fell asleep within thirty minutes. I am still struggling with my eldest, but I have also seen a small amount of progress in the time it takes him to fall asleep. For me, a little progress is still progress, and through commitment and hard work, the ultimate goal will eventually be achieved.
Tiring out my kids.
Latreia Sophia Global gives excellent tips on how to tire out my kids so that I can have an extra two hours to myself in the evening. She introduced me to games, puzzles, and even window shopping. This tip was priceless and did wonders for my business. Two hours at the park is far better than two hours of me being seated at my desk only to be constantly interrupted by two active children filled with questions and untapped energy. Two hours at the park on their scooters in the hot sun is a small sacrifice to make for the results that come afterward. Believe me, after a meal and a hot bath, my kids just wanted a cool room and a soft pillow to sleep on, leaving me with extra time which I happily pump into my business.
In conclusion, the simple entrepreneurial hack of organization is a bonus for all moms who are feeling overwhelmed. You can dedicate 80% of your time to your kids and 20% of your time to you and your business and still prosper. I was thrilled to realize that planning would help me and my babies. This hack helped me emotionally, spiritually, physically, and financially, and it is my hope that it helps you, too.
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