Balancing Life 101 Part 1
January 20, 2010 by TiaHejny · 10 Comments
By Camille of www.makeitworkmom.com
Of all the occupations in the world today, I believe the one most challenging, emotionally charged, and time-consuming is that of motherhood. It is a full-time job in and of itself. Then, if you add a career of any sort to that occupation, you’re dealing with quite the juggling act! Where is the balance? And how do you find it?
First of all, you need to determine what “balance” means for you. For me, balance is achieved when you find a system that allows for everyone to be happy, while still completing the necessary survival chores. In this balancing act are three main factors: Your children, your partner, and YOU! In a three-part series of posts, I’ll focus on each factor and list ways that can help achieve that balance for which we’re all searching.
Probably the main factor you’re mostly worried about in this balancing act are your children. Am I spending enough time with them? Are they happy? Will our relationship be as strong as if I were to stay at home with them? Of course! Here is what I would suggest:
- Lose The Guilt! It’s not like you’re going to a salon every day, getting pedicures and massages for yourself! Your circumstance requires you to be working, in order to provide for your family. There is nothing wrong with that. You can make adjustments to your lifestyle that will allow for time spent with your children, to strengthen that bond you may be worried about. If you need more convincing, check out www.workingmomsagainstguilt.com where four working moms have collaborated ideas on how to “resist the guilt and embrace the journey.”
- Incorporate your kiddos in your daily chores. Life doesn’t stop because you have kids. Dinner still needs to be prepared, the house (somewhat) cleaned, etc. I keep a play “station” by the kitchen with books and crayons to keep the kids entertained while I make/clean up dinner so we can still interact. Both bathrooms and kitchen have step stools handy for involvement from my little people. And we try to make cleaning together “fun”.
- Schedule “fun” time. No one in your household will survive if you stick to a rigorous routine. Break away from it every once in a while to take your kids to the park, bowling, or on a nature walk. Play dress-up, give piggy-back rides, or read books in a makeshift fort – anything that relieves the stresses you may have felt during your workday and puts the focus on you and your family.
- Maximize the quality of time spent with your children. Because of your work schedule, and by the time your kids go to sleep, you really only get to be with them 3-4 hours every day. Be creative with dinnertime, bath time, bedtime, etc. Take time to have conversations, sing, and play with them. These times you spend with your kids are the memories that will stay with them throughout their lives, much more than memories of a dirty kitchen floor!
About the Author: Camille is a thirty-something mommy with two beautiful daughters, Ad and C8, living in two worlds. By day, she works full-time as an employment recruiter/ staffing supervisor, with a 100-mile daily commute, living in a world governed by policies and professionalism. And by night, she transforms into a mother, living in a world where everything is governed by “Eenie-Meenie-Miney-Moe” and fun. Like so many other moms, she wishes she could stay at home with them, but certain situations require her to work full-time. To learn more about Camille visit www.makeitworkmom.comor contact her via twitter @makeitworkmom.
The Grand America Hotel & The Melting Pot Give Moms a Much Needed Time Out
December 10, 2009 by Jyl Johnson Pattee · 1 Comment
When you think of taking a time out, do you think of a place children go or a space they take when they are in trouble? I know I do. But, isn’t the concept behind time outs more about kids needing a break from others, their surroundings, or even you, their mom?
Having some alone time gives perspective, breaks up the routine, and enables kids the opportunity to reflect before jumping back into a situation. And isn’t the same true for adults? The only difference is no one is there to force us to take these much needed breaks.
Last weekend, I experienced as close to that as it comes, but it wasn’t for being in trouble and it provided 100% of the break that I needed.
The Grand America Hotel and Spa offered me and four of my friends (Carina, Marie, Janet, and Allison) the opportunity to stay at their five-diamond hotel overnight to check out their digs and take advantage of their spa treatments. Then, The Melting Pot, which happened to be located right across the street, offered to treat us to dinner. I’d put myself in time out every day if this is what it would be like! And, the weekend put me just in the right spot to return to life in general better prepared to tackle the upcoming week, be a better mom, and deal with the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.
The Experience
Three things in particular made this the best time out evah: X
- Friends. Sharing common experiences makes life so much richer. When you do that with quality people—people who are uplifting, inspiring, and amazing individuals—it adds to the experience and makes you strive to be a better person as well. While the hotel and restaurant couldn’t have provided this element, they did provide an environment where friendship could flourish. The Melting Pot didn’t wince when our dinner turned into a 4-hour affair. The servers had personality, accommodated our many and varied requests, and didn’t make us feel like we had extended our welcome. The Grand America offered a generous suite and an extended check-out time so we could stay up all night talking and sleep in (and we did both!).
X 
Food/Drink. The Melting Pot’s Alpine Ridge dinner for two (drooling as I think of the cheese fondue!) and The Grand America Garden Restaurant’s buffet didn’t leave us hungry, but who were we to turn down the welcome basket of treats The Grand America left for us or the sparkling lemonade waiting as we exited our massages? What’s a girl to do, right?
X- Massage. I’ve had a lot of free massages in my life for one reason or another, so I am comparing apples to apples when I write this next statement. The duet massage at The Grand Spa was the BEST.MASSAGE.OF.MY.LIFE. I don’t even know how to put into words what this experience was like. To describe it briefly, two massage therapists work on your body in tandem. Some times, they are doing the exact techniques on opposite sides—one on the right arm, the other on the left, for example. And at other times, they are working together but on different parts of the body—one on the head, the other on the feet. It is a complete trip, a total escape, allowing you to deeply relax. Talk about stress reducing. Suffice it to say that the duet massage was worth every ounce of time spent this weekend and I’m plotting ways to cover the $210 for future appointments (yes! that was plural!).
How You Can Take an Amazing Time Out at a Discount
And right now for the Holidays, The Melting Pot in Salt Lake City, UT is offering an amazing dining deal. Guests who purchase $100 in Gift Cards get a Holiday Gift of four $25 cards that may be used quarterly throughout 2010. But you must come in to the restaurant for purchase, call 521-MELT or email tj@utahmeltingpot.com. (They have extended Holiday hours!)
And if that’s not enough to tempt you, check this out! Use this discount code for your next stay at The Grand America. Follow this link for and exclusive room rate of $100 off! Or mention “Social Media” at the Grand Spa and get 20% off your spa treatment. Hopefully this will help you enjoy a fabulous spa getaway without breaking the bank. Here’s to a much needed time out for all of you and a relaxing holiday season!
RSVP to Chat About Your Favorite Indulgences Tonight at #gno! Chocolate Anyone?
October 22, 2009 by Anna Gonzales · 63 Comments
Halloween is right around the corner! What treat are looking forward to? What is your favorite kind of chocolate?
Come join us as we pamper ourselves through a chat about chocolate and indulgence at tonight’s girls’ night out (#gno) party on Twitter. We’ll be tweeting with terrific folks from the Zone Perfect team about their new product—Indulgence.
Tonight’s giveaway is a $250 Spafinder gift card! The 200th person to tweet the following wins:
200th person 2 follow @zoneperfect gets $250 Spafinder gc. Winner announced 2nite on #gno 9-11 ET RSVP http://bit.ly/1R1qHM PLS RT
- What: Zone Perfect is sponsoring this week’s #gno Twitter party (Click here to learn about #gno!)
- When: Thursday, October 22, 9-11 p.m. EST
- Where: Click here to party with us on our custom Tweetgrid. (Use hashtags #gno and #zoneperfect.)
- Topic: Your Personal Indulgence!
- Who: @craftymamaof4 @juliefisk @mommybrain @organizersandy @plussizemommy @savingmycents @stonerjj @zoneperfect
- Party Favors: Tonight’s giveaway is a $250 Spafinder gift card! The 200th person to tweet the following wins: 200th person 2 follow @zoneperfect gets $250 Spafinder gc. Winner announced 2nite on #gno 9-11 ET RSVP http://bit.ly/1R1qHM PLS RT
- RSVP: Please leave your Twitter ID in the comments to follow and be followed (on Twitter, of course!) by other #gno gals. The best format is as follows: http://twitter.com/jylmomIF.
Take Care of Your Most Important Asset This Week—Yourself!
July 5, 2009 by Jyl Johnson Pattee · 32 Comments
10 Ways to Make a Difference This Week By Giving to Others
Sometimes, one of the most important ways to Mom It Forward is to put ourselves as a priority and take time for our most important asset—Ourselves! Week 6’s Summer of Service challenge, sponsored by Design-her Gals, is to Make Some “Me” Time. This means identifying what re-energizes, revitalizes, and renews you; putting yourself as a priority; and taking time for yourself!
This list below identifies 10 possible ways to give back to yourself. Remember, this is “Me” time—things you would enjoy and can do alone or with friends that build, not drain, your energy. For more ideas, join #gno this Tuesday night. And, please share a comment with other ideas you have or things that have worked for you.
- Read a good book.
- Take a bubble bath.
- Get a spa treatment, even if that means giving yourself a pedicure!
- Write in your journal or on your blog… just for fun.
- Play a musical instrument.
- Take on a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) project like scrapbooking, jewelry making, quilting, knitting, sewing, or another craft.
- Exercise.
- Take a really long shower and sing at the top of your lungs!
- Go to the park by yourself, lay in the grass, and just be.
- Schedule a girl’s night out where you can relax and be with friends or family, but where you are not the hostess.
How Will You Give to Others This Week?
- What other ideas do you have for “Me” time?
- How has taking time for yourself made a meaningful difference this week?
- What happens when you don’t make “me” time?
How Else Can You Make a Difference This Summer?
Make a meaningful difference this summer by taking the Summer of Service (SOS) Challenge. Here’s how you can participate:
- Commit to do one act of kindness/service based on the week’s challenge.
- Leave a comment with ideas relating to the week’s challenge as well as your experience(s) performing it.
- Grab the SOS button in the sidebar and put it on your blog or social networking site.
- Enter to win each week’s giveaway. Check out this week’s prizes from Design-her Gals by clicking here.
- Join #gno this Tuesday on Twitter to connect with other Mom It Forward moms about the challenge.
RSVP—#GNO Talks About Ways to Balance Your Life by Making Some “Me” Time!
July 5, 2009 by Jyl Johnson Pattee · 14 Comments
Most of us have some assets. If you’re like me, sometimes you forget that your most important asset stares you right back in the mirror every day, because your most important asset is You! And, if you’re like me, making time for yourself often gets put on the back burner. But, when we make a little “me” time, we’re better able to balance all of our roles not to mention being in a much better position to Mom It Forward.
Join #GNO here this Tuesday where Jeanne from the fabulous Design-her Gals, along with many other amazing women, will be sharing their tips and tricks for taking “me” time along with what gets in the way. We’d love to hear what has worked for you as well. So, come share and be part of the #gno crowd! Hopefully, we’ll all walk away from this virtual party a little more inspired and encouraged to take care of our most important asset—Ourselves!
- What: Girl’s Night Out (What’s GNO? Click here to find out!)
- When: Tuesday, July 7, 9-11 p.m. EDT
- Where: Click here to check out where we party! (Use hashtags #gno and #designhergals.)
- Topic: “Me” time: Ways to take time for your most important asset—you!
- Who: @designhergal, @emihill, @girlfriendology, @missusp, @momfluential @rolemommy
- Party Favors: Remember to check out this week’s giveaway sponsored by Design-her Gals.
- RSVP: Enter your twitter URL/ID in the list below (e.g., http://twitter.com/jylmomIF).
