4 Ways to Fill Your Cup to a Balanced Life - Part 1
When I do speaking engagements, I send the moms a questionnaire to fill out so I can get to know them and relate to them. One question I ask on the questionnaire is, “Many days I feel _____.” And sadly so many of the responses to this one question are “tired, overwhelmed, exhausted, guilty, overlooked.” I’m not trying to belittle the moms that feel this way. You’re not alone in these feelings! Many moms feel this way or have felt this way, but you don’t have to keep feeling this way.
Let me share my story…
My husband and I have been (mostly) happily married for coming up on 12 years. We have 3 goofball children—2 boys and a girl. Along with being a wife and mother, I’m a partial homeschool teacher. Our kids attend a hybrid school where they go to school 2 days a week and I homeschool 3 days a week. And as many of you know, I’m also an author and business owner.
Several years ago as a mom, wife, author, business owner, laundry coordinator, full-time chef, finder of lost shoes, and healer of boo-boos, I started to feel burned out. I loved my life, but I didn’t always feel happy. I became impatient easily, I was overly grumpy, and I always felt overwhelmed. My life seemed out of control.
So, while I was managing toddler tantrums, I was having my own tantrums—just on the inside. At some point, I had to admit to myself that whatever I was doing wasn’t working and something needed to change. I didn’t want my family to have to continue to endure my symptoms of being burned out and I didn’t want to keep feeling that way. So, through podcasts, books, prayer, and self-reflection, I began a journey to create balance in my life.
I want to share with you what helped me put drops of water in my cup, and it is my hope that as you read this you will get an idea to help you fill your cup so you can experience more balance and less stress in your life!
Create a Schedule
I believe one of the best ways to fill your cup to a balanced life is to create a schedule. Schedules don’t sound fun—actually, they sound pretty lame.
However, anyone seeking balance needs to acknowledge the importance of a schedule. As a mom, we sometimes feel like a circus ringleader juggling all the demands of our kids, our husbands, ourselves, and our family. Schedules help make that juggling act a little easier.
Just like you probably prepare a monthly budget to make sure you have enough money to make it to the end of the month, schedules allow you to plan out what’s important in your life. Time is something I cherish—time with my children, time with my husband, time with God, time to work, and time for fun. If I didn’t create a schedule for these important things in my life, then something would get left out.
My husband and I came up with a schedule that was best for our family when my oldest was tiny. It included nap time, meal times, bedtime, and all the important stuff. And we stuck to it! I started writing when my oldest was 1 1/2 years old. At this time, I was also pregnant with our second. If I had not followed a daily schedule, I doubt I would have ever completed my first book…let alone 12 more.
Schedules are healthy and they help you, and even your children, to feel less stress. My children function so much better when they stick to a regular schedule. A schedule is like a security blanket for you and your child—everyone knows what to expect. And when bedtime is at the same time each night, it even helps your child’s mind start to settle down and prepare for bed.
Schedules can evolve and change for different seasons of life. Our schedule looks much different now from when my children were toddlers. Our schedule now involves school, extracurriculars, and more. But we still have a schedule in place so we can accomplish what we need to.
Yes, surprises pop up, but for any chance at balance, we all need to schedule a plan and we need to work the plan.
If you do not currently have a family schedule in place, please sit down with your spouse and create a doable schedule that works best for your family. Include ALL the things on the schedule (school drop-off, pick-up, dinner time, bedtime, practices, church, etc.). CLICK HERE to see an example. You might have to make some adjustments as learn what works best for your family and that is ok! Comment below or email me if you need help creating a schedule.
