So, you suddenly have to work, cook, budget, and fix the home all at once, huh? For the first time in your life, you are afraid to go out and socialize. You’ve logged in fewer hours at work for the past months because the company has to cut expenses. You haven’t stayed this long before in your own house. Who knows there are a million things you have to do while at home? Welcome to the world of motherhood. This is what exactly it looks like, though multiply it by a hundred if there are kids running around the yard, too.
Society has never been easy on mothers. Women are superheroes, and yet, nobody wants to recognize that fact. If you’re having a hard time juggling work, house, and family today, imagine your mother doing it for the last 30 years or more. She had a career, but she also drove you guys to school, did your homework with you, and cooked meatloaf for dinner. You watched her sweep the floor, wash the dishes, and do the laundry.
How can you not be in awe of your mother or any mother figure you have in your life? So now that the world is in the middle of a pandemic straight out of the scenes of a Hollywood film, you should look at these people and see how they coped for the past decades. There’s a lot to learn from them. It’s a little sad that it takes a pandemic to see them in their full glory, but here you go.
Manage Your Time Well
Ask any mother, and they will tell you that the only way to survive each day is to manage your time well. Great time management skills will give you time to play in the backyard basketball court with your kids. When you manage your time, you can eat a hearty breakfast, binge-watch a show, and rest early.
What do you need to do to accomplish that? Wake up earlier than the rest of the household. Do everything you can in that time between taking your first cup of coffee and waking up the kids to go to school. A great start to your day is the way to a well-managed household.
Sure, it’s a pandemic, and you are virtually staying at home. But that doesn’t mean you don’t have tasks to attend to. Prioritize the important things first. Finish those in the morning. Attend to the second thing on your list once you’re done with the first one. Take breaks in between but focus your mind on finishing what you’re set out to do.
Establish a Routine
This ties well with time management. A routine helps you accomplish things, so you don’t fail to attend to one thing or use up your free time over the weekend. Since a lot of things are changing around you, a routine is a nice way to feel in control of your life. Set a schedule for work and playtime.
If you usually relax on weekends, continue to do that. Prepare meals ahead of the weekend, so you don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen. Don’t change your routine for now because it’s what’s keeping you sane.
Be Present
Worrying will get you nowhere. Mothers don’t even have time to worry about things. They are so busy taking care of everything that they cannot worry about later or tomorrow. And that’s what you’ll learn from them, too. You have to be present. This means tackling the chores before you now.
Take it one task at a time. You never have full control over what’s going to happen tomorrow, but you can prepare yourself and your family for it. You have no idea when the pandemic will be over, but you can start getting ready for the new normal. Being present doesn’t mean neglecting things that can happen tomorrow. It’s about being ready for whatever comes your way.
Take Care of Yourself
Some people tend to drive themselves to the ground. They end up exhausted that they barely have the energy to take care of themselves. If there’s one thing many older mothers never learned, it’s how to take care of themselves. Thankfully, this new generation of millennial moms is better at protecting their well-being.
Amid this pandemic, learn how to stop and take it in. You are alive. That’s enough to be grateful for right now. Maybe tomorrow will bring in some good news.
Aren’t moms or any mother figure in your life the best? You watched them take care of everyone, and you wonder how they’re able to do it. Take it from them: things will look up. Just do your thing. Be mindful of how you act. Focus on the present, but work for tomorrow, too.
