Busy Mom? Yes. Super-Mom? No More.

by Rochelle Griffin

One of the most-often asked questions I receive is how do I manage to “do it all?” As a busy mom, how do I still find time for myself AND my full-time business without pulling my hair out? I wish that I could tell you that I’m never flustered or harried, but I can’t. I truly wish that I had an easy, one-size-fits-all answer, but I don’t. Instead let me simply tell you how I manage my day and it’s my hope that you can glean some tips to make your life easier.

Yep, I’m a busy mom of a very active (I’m being nice in using those terms. Ha!) 10year-old boy. Add into the mix the fact that we homeschool and it’s a potential recipe for disaster if I don’t stay on top of everything.

Our son is amazing, incredibly smart, and also has ADHD. I know that there are proponents who don’t agree that ADHD exists, but as the mom of an ADHD child, I can tell you that it does. Is he on medication you ask? Easy answer is yes. We tried for several years to manage life using various techniques from nutrition to Interactive Metronome Therapy. None were able to give him the relief needed to be able to concentrate for periods of time and learn…even when we allowed him to study as he needed…ie spelling while jumping on the trampoline or reading upside down off of the couch. Medication was our last resort and has worked very well for our son. Anyways, my point is that homeschooling can be a challenge in our home, but I wouldn’t change anything for the world.

Being a busy mom is one aspect of my life, but I’m a whole person and have other responsibilities to myself and to others. Let me show you what a typical day looks like for me, then I’ll tell you how I manage it.

6am – Wake up, read Bible, catch up on news, look at my emails

6:30am-7:30am – Workout

7:30am-7:45am – Have recovery drink and look at calendar for the day

7:45am-9:00am – Get dressed, spend time with hubby

9:00am-9:30am – Catch up with my Facebook groups, answer some emails

9:30am-10:30am – Wake up our son, cuddle, get him breakfast, make sure schoolwork is set

10:30am-2:30pm – Homeschool, lunch break and mental breaks included

2:45pm – Hubby takes our son to afterschool care

2:30pm-6:00pm – Close myself in my office and WORK

6:00pm – Pickup our son from afterschool care

6:30pm-7:30pm – Dinner time!

7:30pm-8:00pm – Get our son in the bath and ready for bed

8:00-9ish pm – Family time

10:00pm – Get our son in bed and fall into our bed

Of course this is a typical day, but lots of times curveballs are thrown my way. There are definitely days that I want to throw in the towel. I’m human…I get frustrated, weary, tired. I persevere. Period. This girl doesn’t believe in quitting.

Now to the nitty-gritty, HOW do I manage all of this and stay sane?? I’ve learned that I can’t do it all. I no longer strive to be the super-mom that so many of us take pride in being. I tried to be super-mom…and was able to pull it off for a while…but guess what happened? Burnout! Yes, you can burn out as a busy mom just as easily as a corporate employee.

I currently outsource several tasks. We have a housecleaner who comes in weekly, so I don’t have to think twice about cleaning other than laundry. My husband is home full-time with us and has taken over the cooking. He also now helps with the homeschooling. My amazing mother-in-law lives nearby and takes our son once a week, so my hubby and I can have date night. One of the biggest things I’ve done to make my life easier is hire who I call “my keeper.” She’s actually my Executive Assistant for my Corporation, but she is worth her weight in gold. She keeps me on task. As a result, the 4 hours I work daily is extremely productive.

Everything that I do is scheduled in Google Calendar. My EA can see my calendar and add to it as needed. She can see what I have and haven’t done and gets after me. Google Calendar syncs with my iPad automatically. Seriously, it’s made a world of difference in my life.

Next, my workout occurs first thing in the morning. I know myself well enough…if I don’t do it before our son is awake, it’s not going to happen. I’ve stopped kidding myself that I’d do it later. It was simply a mental game because I knew, full and well, that later wasn’t going to occur. Now, it’s my priority to myself. It sets the tone for my day.

Again, what works for me may or may not work for you. It’s a trial and error procedure to find a balance to get it all done…and guess what??? You will never get it all done! Once you realize that, you can breathe a little easier. You can ease up on yourself and stop striving to be super-mom.

OK…I have to end this piece with what I literally just found when I took a quick water break. I walked into the kitchen to find my men doing science experiments. Good, yes? Well, our child is naked (he wasn’t 30 minutes ago) except for a single glove ala Michael Jackson, and my hubby has a pot on the stove with a soda bottle in it. I didn’t ask. I turned around and returned to my office. See what I mean? Just go with the flow.  

Are you a busy mom trying to be a super-mom? Share your story in the comments below.

To Living Your Best Life,

Rochelle Griffin, RN BSN FDN-P

Rochelle Griffin, The Wellness Detective™, is a Registered Nurse (with over 22 years experience) & a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition™ Practitioner who has transitioned her love for fitness, health, & freedom into a 7-figure International company that now helps others live Their Best Life.

She founded Your Best Life, Inc with her husband Keith after stepping onto the edge of physical ruin with her health & the health of their young son. Having experienced a complete turn-around, they now desire to give hope & support to those who are dissatisfied with their current situation.

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