One thing I’ve learned about wearing a hat, it can quickly fall off when the wind blows. As a mompreneuer I have a tendency to wear all the hats. I’m the chef, the marketing exec, the chauffeur, the bookkeeper, the maid. The fact I also homeschool, adds more complexity to the situation. I have sought out ways in which I can balance it all. The truth is, balancing it all can’t be perfected.
I began reading “The Plan: Manage Your Time Like a Lazy Genius” by Kendra Adachi at the beginning of the year, searching for more balance in time management for my life. As the Lazy Genius, she has helped me in tremendous ways in her weekly podcast (find all the magnificent things Kendra has put out at The Lazy Genius Collective). As I began to read, I realized how productivity and time management has been overwhelmingly male-influenced. If I’m not going, going, going I’m going to fall behind. I have to. I must….
Here are three things I’ve learned:
I need to name my season
In the same way I need to notice the temperature to dress appropriately, I need to look ahead over the next couple of months and take stock at what I have going on. If I’m just starting a new year of school with my kids, it’s probably not a great time to revamp my website. If I’m busy with fall bookings, it’s not a great time to sign up for all the extras.
Pay attention to my body
Since reading how our bodies can affect how we show up, I’ve begun noticing what my body is telling me. In the process, I’ve begun to be more kind to myself. On days I’m worn out, leaving dishes in the sink and going to bed early is okay. When I worked out really hard the day before, I might do light stretching or simply play with the kids. When my schedule has been full, having a morning of quiet or taking a whole day to be outside in nature has done wonders. It’s all about listening and responding in kindness.
Remember to paint, not fit together
Kendra wrote, “Life is a painting, not a puzzle.” Too often I try to fit this thing with that thing in order for everything to fit in my schedule. Our lives aren’t puzzles meant to be fit together, but a painting ready to be painted. With each brush stroke of our day, we’re blending hues and textures to create a masterpiece. When I see my life in this light, I see the ability to savor the moments, the busy alongside the mundane.
I recently read this statement by the founder of Spanx, Sara Blakely: “As a mompreneur, I’ve learned that balance is not about dividing your time equally, it’s about giving each moment the value it deserves.” I think this statement works powerfully when I see life as the painting it is.
I’ve begun to see that there’s value in trying not balancing all those hats and just wear the right hat at the right time.
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