31 Days to Balancing Work and Home {day thirty-one} : goals.

So today is the last and final day of October, and I can't believe how fast it's gone! Today I will leave one last tip. Set a goal for what you want in your home and career life. Decide, or at least be thinking about, where you are headed. Where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years?

Begin to view the daily work of balancing work and home as a means to get where you want to go. Find that groove and that balance if you want or need to continue working. And if the goal is to stop, view this time as a means to an end. Believe that your hard work will pay off, and be kind to yourself while you find your balance.

That's it for the month! Stay tuned for more in November. :)

31 Days to Balancing Work and Home {day twenty-nine} : quote.

I found this great quote that I want to share for today:

"The balancing act of motherhood and a career, and being a wife, is something I don't think I'll ever perfect, but I love the challenge of it." -Kerri Walsh

 

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31 Days to Balancing Work and Home {day twenty-eight} : make the most of the evening.

Now, evenings I love. I am definitely a night owl. I get a second wind around 9 or 10 pm, and I could probably clean into the wee hours. Unfortunately, the way our life is now, we have to go to bed around that time. :) So our evenings are short, with both of us getting home around 6 pm, and then having to get dinner made and cleaned up before bed. After a long day at work (especially long for hubby!), working on our home doesn't sound very appealing. Here are a few things that can make the evening productive, but still allow you to rest after work:

1. Find a chore you can do while you veg out on the couch, like fold laundry, clip coupons, or balance the checkbook.

2. Plan dinners that can be made in the crockpot, or you have made and frozen ahead of time for your busiest nights.

3. Do a quick pick up of the house before you go to bed to cut down on the clutter of everyday life.

4. Lay out at night everything you need for the next morning- clothes, lunches, etc.

Above all, cut yourself a little slack! You have been at work all day- try to always remember that it is about balance, not perfection.

What do you do to help your evenings go smoothly?

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31 Days to Balancing Work and Home {day twenty-seven} : make the most of the morning.

I won't lie to you- I stink at this. I hate morning. I mean, really hate it. I don't get up until the last minute, and rush through my morning routine. I barely (and sometimes don't) make it to work by nine. I am the poster child for "not a morning person."

That being said, I do get up at 3 am with the hubs every morning to make his breakfast and lunch. If I am not dead tired, I stay up for a little bit and try to do one or two productive things- switch the laundry, do the dishes from the night before, catch up on Vampire Diaries prep dinner for that night.

Unfortunately, when I climb back in bed for a few hours, getting up when the alarm goes off is almost guaranteed not to happen. But that is a problem for another day. The point of this post is to talk about what TO do in the mornings. I have to say, when I get out of bed for the second time in the morning, I am always grateful to myself if I took a little while to clear the dishes out of the sink, or do some laundry earlier that morning. It just starts my day off right.

Another thing that helps my morning go a little better is to shower the night before. I think what slows me down the most is my shower (I love long showers, and I lose track of time!) or blow drying and straightening my hair. If I can do that the night before, my morning is WAY faster.

So, tell me- does anyone else struggle with morning, but wants it to be more productive? What do you do to help yourself make the most of your morning?

31 Days to Balancing Work and Home {day twenty-six} : keep it simple.

Just a short thought for today. I found this on Pinterest!

31 Days to Balancing Work and Home {day twenty-five} : find your inspiration.

Today I woke up feeling cheerful, inspired, and wishing I could stay home and pour my creative energy into my home. Then I went to work all day, got a headache, had a long commute, and vegged in front of the TV for the evening. My earlier excitement didn't even push me up the stairs to clean the bathroom. Which is, I am ashamed to admit, a project that has been pushed to the side all week. Ew.

Do you ever feel inspired to pour yourself into your home? Try to capitalize on those moments! Obviously we will have days that zap us of our energy and passion, like my day today. So try to mentally note what things give you that zest. For me, I think the fall weather has be especially inspired. I also like rainy days- they make me feel project-y. :) Pinterest is also a great tool for home, cooking, and organizing brainstorms. As long as you don't use up all of your free time just pinning instead of doing. Not that I would ever do that.

Draw on the things that inspire you when you are tired and don't feel like being a homemaker. Envision what you would like your home to be, and build toward that. Take those moments, when you can, and burst out with creative energy. Let your home be a reflection of your inspiration!

What inspires and motivates you?

31 Days to Balancing Work and Home {day twenty-four} : be in the moment.

If you're like me, it can be easy to get caught up in the routine and mundane. In the quest to balance everything, and stay on top of everything, and keep your priorities straight, you can forget to live in the moment.

Remember why you're doing this- this thing called homemaking. It is for someone that you love! (Whether that is your husband, your children, or even for yourself!) If you are always in "go" mode, you are going to miss the important things. The relaxing together as a family....the snuggles.....the teaching moments....the special times with friends.

Don't be so busy with the good things that you miss the great things!