Okay, so this blog is not going to be about existential discussions on what type of mom I consider myself to be or society opinion discussions about working women. Fact = I’m a working mom. End of story, and my philosophy (and my closest friends can attest to this…) is “You Do You!.”

This recent interview on ThriveGlobal.com resonated with me. The writer interviewed Beatrice Purdy, President of Park Avenue Apparel, Inc. “As president, Beatrice is responsible for branding, merchandising, marketing, eCommerce sales, operations, and consumer insights for Measure & Made and the Little Black Pant.” (Thrive Global). The article goes on to discuss Purdy’s perspective on work-life balance. The quote that stuck with me was, “I don’t want to get bogged down in things that aren’t going to move the needle because more time wasted is less time with my family.”

My overall philosophy, or perhaps more of a survival mantra, are the following pillars. All are focused around my priority bottom line, “Time.”

 MY 5 PILLARS of TIME

1) Help is ok. If someone else can do it, let them.  Even if it’s not going to be done your way, or it may mean allowing someone else to direct traffic sometimes.

2) Outsource. If you can, identify what you can outsource. Takeout, housekeeping, lawncare, and my recent favorite-groceries.  Maybe the nice teenager down the street could benefit, is the gas station car wash good enough or do you really need to go outside with the Armor All? And why not the Chick-fil-A, the mall or a nearby park, instead of the house-that I’d have to clean after a birthday? I respect that some of this can also be an escape for some moms, and a sanctuary to hear your own thoughts. Again, “You Do You!” This is me, this is my style.

3) Necessities First. Accept not everything will be done, but what does your family NEED? (food, clean clothes, bath time, etc.) Maybe you can’t finish that baby photo album RIGHT NOW, but, so what!? Put it on the list, and know the list has priorities based on time…and fun.

4) Organize, Pre-Crastinate I organize my spice rack.  Not because I care if something is alphabetical, but because it saves me time from sifting through bottles to find the Oregano.  Likewise, I pack days ahead when I know we are going on a trip with the kids so that I don’t scramble at the last minute.  If something can be written down, make a list. I believe it is a waste of energy to try and memorize things.  The grocery list, the mom homework that the kids bring home from school, the gift you need to get for that birthday party, the permission slip you need to complete. Write it down! I have lists for lists. Packing lunches? That’s right, there is a list of the basics that are typically packed in lunches on my fridge.

5) Cheaper by the Dozen. Is it wrong to shove both of your kids in the bathtub for a quick bath on a busy weeknight after dance class and daycare? If so, I have wronged! I also believe in buying my time in “bulk.” My clock is a store, I prefer to think of it as a Costco or Sam’s… how can I squeeze more out for the same cost? If I need to run an errand, I usually bring my kids because it’s all part of family time.

TIME BULKING
Once a month, typically on a weekend, I make large vats of my family’s favorites. This is my homemade, homecooked version of prepared meals. These are my signature dishes, but frozen. I make a bunch of food in a span of 3 hours, divide equally, freeze and distribute as needed into our family’s weeknight meal rotations.

Make Ahead Meals to Save Time

It’s nice when you get home after work and can tackle bath time while your dinner warms in the oven. If I do cook on weeknights, all ingredients are meal prepped, i.e. veggies are already chopped and stored in the fridge or the meat was pre-marinated. Just throw and go. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely adore cooking. It is one of my favorite hobbies, but it is not realistic to stand in the kitchen for an hour each weeknight to get food on the table. If it requires 20 mins or less of my time to prepare, then it makes the weeknight menu.

I know this approach may seem intense to some folks, but again, this blog addresses the logistics of the working mom gig. These strategies allow for the flexibility to …. wait for it…. actually allow some ME TIME!!!!