Did someone say “back to school”?! Yes, unfortunately (well, at least I feel that way), school is now back in session. Though it’s still technically summer, summer as we know it, is over. Guys, you know how much I love summer. I took most of it off to spend time with my family and re-evaluate my goals and passions. After this traumatic event happened, I was in a weird spot and just needed some extra space to think.
In preparing for the upcoming school year, I realized how this was an excellent time to re-evaluate my goals. Yes, the kids need to get in bed for a certain time, breakfast needs to be cooked, education milestones need to be met, school lunches need to be fixed, and homework has to be completed. But what about Mom? What does she need?
Since the start of school is such a big commitment of time for our children, it means that our schedules are affected too.
Whether you work at home, work secularly, or don’t work at all, being a mother is hard.
It is by far the hardest job I’ve ever done. Some days I feel like it’s harder than being married, though marriage is equally as difficult. However, as a mother I continue to show up for my children as I know you do too. So, in thinking about this wonderful new school year, I actually thought, what can I get out of this new routine? I wrote a a brief list of some goals I wanted to set for myself. No doubt you’ll find some inspiration to re-evaluate your personal goals too. This post is all for you Mom.
1. Start a new beauty routine.
Maybe you’re in a good routine of taking care of your skin and up on all the latest makeup trends. If so, good for you. Pat yourself on the back. I am not. However, I think I deserve a new bold lipstick from time to time. I should at least be washing my face EVERY NIGHT and using anti-aging products to help with wrinkles. Nail polish? Who has time for that chippiness? But I’d like to paint my nails regularly even if they chip.
So, one of the first thing I wrote down on my list of goals was implementing a new beauty routine. Prioritizing my skin care every day and night, painting my nails regularly, and picking up makeup essentials often is now on my list. Up until now, I’ve just waited to until I ran out of skin care products (to never buy for months again), or I let my painted nails chip and decide it’s too much work to continue. Am I not worth pretty, painted nails (no chips), that dewy makeup finish, and anti-wrinkle cream? Well, yes I am and so are you! So visit your local beauty store or buy some great products from an another mom selling Mary Kay, Beauty Counter, or other skin care products. Do what it takes to take care of your body and your skin. Start today! You’ll see results quicker than you thought.
2. Set new fitness goals.
With the kids starting a new schedule, I started thinking that this was a great time for me to implement a new workout routine. Not only is working out good for your health, I’ve been needing to shed a few extra pounds for about two years. I signed up for a fitness app called, Daily Burn, which features 365 daily workouts and other targeted fitness routines. With the introductory pricing of $10/month, I had to give it a good try. Personally, my goal is to do one workout five times per week. I’m currently testing that regimen out to see if it works for my routine.
Along with the new workout routine, I naturally have been drinking more water. On average, I’ve been drinking about 50 ounces of water daily, which is real progress for me. I was barely drinking one bottle of water a day and now I’ve tripled that. The benefits of drinking water are too many to count but it’s definitely something you shouldn’t neglect. I’m confident that staying hydrated will also nurture my skin and I’m excited about that too.
3. Review career goals.
Depending on the age of your children, “back to school” time is actually a great time to review your career plans. If your kids are all in grade school, will you go back to work now? Will you work part-time? If you work full-time, is something tugging at your heart that you’d like to be more available for your children? Maybe a job change, review of the family budget, or even drastic measures are needed to meet you and your family’s needs.
The key here is to do what’s best for you and your family. Don’t compare yourself to other Moms.
Be sure to discuss your needs/wants with your spouse so that you’re on the same page. After reviewing your budget, you may determine it’s not necessary for you to work. Or maybe after so much time passes, you can make changes. In that case, you can focus your efforts on other things. These are only random scenarios and each family is unique. Your personal career goals can change from time to time and are worth reviewing.
4. Schedule “me” time.
What is me time and why do I need it?! Some people may say you don’t need time to yourself or it’s not necessary. You may also feel guilty about doing anything just for yourself. I’m guilty about feeling guilty. As a Mom, It’s a bad cycle that I’m working through.
There aren’t any breaks in motherhood so you must carve them out.
“Me time” can be as simple as reading your favorite book before bed, finally finishing that magazine you picked up in the grocery store line, having coffee with a friend, enjoying quite time and your favorite bottle of wine, taking a hot bath, scratching something off your self-care list (ex. painting your nails), visiting the hair salon for a new cut or color, or even visiting your favorite store (Target, TJ Maxx, and Michael’s all qualify). As mothers, we spend so much time giving of ourselves, but this time is for you. It may sound weird and uncomfortable but it’s so essential. You’ll be a much better person when you’re done taking care of you.
5. Get some sleep.
Moms are all on top of the kids’s bedtime. How good are we at sticking to our own bedtime? Even with the longest task list (I know how long it can get), you should still be getting 7 or 8 hours of sleep every night. I’ll be honest that ever since I had kids that I’m a light sleeper. However, I still need to get better about getting more rest at night. The issue is I don’t have a bedtime. Once the kids are in bed, I get this second wind of energy (most nights) and I try to do “all the things.” Eventually, I end up crashing but if I had a cut-off time (bedtime), then I’d likely get my body use to the adjustment. Proper rest is very important for our bodies to function properly. So how are you doing in the sleep department and what changes could you make?
6. Meal Plan
Back to school time is one of the best times to start meal planning. The days are much busier and time is of the essence. There is homework to complete, bedtime routines to stick to, and of course – what’s for dinner? Every weeknight, we need to eat. So how do you accomplish this task without feeling frustrated? You must meal plan! With the way we budget, I only meal plan one to two weeks at a time. It saves me money, time, and a lot of frustration. I even started printing out our meal plan so the whole family can view it. My daughter loves reading through all the options. Need help getting started with meal planning? Try this “3 Step Method for Meal Planning Success”.
Well, hopefully you’ve wrote down some things you can improve on to be a better Mom.
The truth is we give our best to our children and our families. What are we giving back to ourselves to keep us charged, to keep us looking healthy, to keep us beautiful inside and out?
We show up for everyone else. It’s time to look in the mirror and show up for ourselves. The back to school season is the perfect time to re-evaluate our goals. Set new ones, re-activate old ones, and get busy taking care of Mom.
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