The struggle to juggle the various roles mom’s have these days can be tough. As a mom, much of our day is putting out fires! As Business owners, we function largely in the future. We are focused on meeting our financial goals in our business because of the ideal life we desire for ourselves & our family. The only problem with this type of mindset is that the only thing guaranteed is today & today is what matters! Ultimately, what you do today has a major impact on your tomorrow. So it only makes sense to maximize your efforts today! These next 5 tips will show you exactly how to do that!
Tip #1: Nurture Your Soul First Thing
Before breakfast & the kids hit the ground running, it is extremely important to have quiet time to nurture your soul! This can be done in a few ways but I encourage you to find a routine that works for you & to stick with it! My personal morning routine includes meditation, prayer, yoga & affirmations. It can take me as little as 5 minutes or as many as 45 minutes, depending on the amount of time I have. For you it may look like: sitting in silence for 5 minutes, journaling for 5 minutes, 3-4 yoga poses to get your body moving, then prayer. As you take the time each day to nurture your soul, you will feel the benefits of increased self awareness & insight, reduced stress & anxiety. The most important action is taking time to nurture yourself, first thing each day!
Tip #2: Check Your Stress Early
Running a business, household & maintaining your own sanity can get stressful! I totally understand! As a mom of twins, wife & business owner, some days I wonder how I keep my head on straight! For that reason, it is even more important that I check my stress daily & as early as possible! Anticipation & proper planning can help you avoid stressful people and/or situations. Prior to starting your day officially, take sometime to think over your day ahead. Do you have urgent projects due? Do you have a sick family member that you will need to care for? Is your schedule jam packed with clients? Anticipating stress & putting a plan of action in place can help decrease the effects of stress.
Tip #3: Balance May Not Happen, Forgive Yourself
Balance is a personal concept & it depends to the day! What may appear as balance to one women may not to another and that is completely okay! The key is to understand what ‘balance’ means to you. For a little help, finish this statement: “The days I feel most balanced are when…” It could mean getting the top 2 things on your to do list completed or balance could be spending 5 hours having a tea party with your daughter after a day of writing. More important than balance is self-forgiveness. Even if a day does not go as planned, allow yourself to be okay with that & move forward.
Tip #4: Be Driven But Realistic
Look at your to-do list right now. How many items do you have? Too many items can become overwhelming and hinder quality where as too little can put a damper on motivation & limit productivity. I recommend each day taking a look at your to do list and circling 2-3 things you think you can reasonably complete that day. These tasks should be directly related to your weekly goals. When completing the tasks, focus on one at a time & set a timer for breaks and evaluation. Avoid going down rabbit holes! If you complete those tasks & have time to spare tackle another, then another, and so on.
Tip #5: Count Your Blessings
When you operate from a place of gratitude, magnificent things start to happen in your life! Do not end a day without acknowledging your blessings. Specifically, making a gratitude list each night before going to bed can increase your positive vibration, lead to a better night sleep & keep you focused on the great things in life rather than what you did not accomplish during the day.
The definition of success varies differently from person to person. It is important to understand what success means to you. To assist with this, ask yourself: What area’s of my life do I feel successful in right now? Then, in each area, finish this statement: ‘I feel most successful in this area of my life because…’. Remember that yesterday is done & tomorrow has not happened yet, today is what matters & these tips will help you make the best of it!
- Top 5 Ways to Guarantee Success Daily - November 3, 2015