I’m not so great at writing these kind of posts, because writing fluently is far from one of my strong points. And I feel like I shouldn’t even be writing on this subject, because ever since returning to work I feel like I’ve been treading water to stay afloat and have been miserably failing. Props to the mom’s who work full time and have more than one kid. (Well I guess I will be finding out soon because #2 is on the way and at this moment I don’t plan to cut back another day quite yet.) Those women are seriously magical unicorns or something! Motherhood is a full time job on it’s own, so working outside of the home is not easy.

My husband and I still have a very traditional view of marriage and we both agree that women are to do the cooking, cleaning, laundry, and main caretaker of the children. But when you still try to work a full time job and do all those tasks, it can be exhausting and just not possible like it was when women didn’t work outside the house. I feel like I am never giving 100% in any of my three callings and it takes a toll on you emotionally. I am blessed to have off Fridays every week ( though it does mean I work 10 hour work days instead of 8) and that day is my saving grace for motherhood and being a wife.

It is so hard balancing all those roles and still trying to leave a little time for myself and to do things I enjoy that aren’t every day tasks. I will admit that sometimes I am selfish and after Wyatt is asleep I do my hobbies instead of cleaning. I feel bad that my family takes the hit, but its so hard to not get to enjoy any of your night for yourself after a long day at work.

Here are just a few ways I attempt to balance the three roles that I love so much. I definitely fail at these constantly, but I love having a goal to strive for.

1. Meal Plan – I enjoy meal planning or having ideas ready for the week so that suppers don’t consist of me looking around the kitchen and finding nothing I can make. we don’t eat out so it is important that I kind of have a plan, especially if it includes meat that needs to be thawed.

2. Set out clothes week before – this is such a lifesaver and sometimes I am not the best at doing it but when I do I am always so thankful. For my 4 day work week I try to get all of me and Wyatt’s clothes set out in piles on the weekend. When this doesn’t happen I at least try to still set out the next days the night before.

3. Plan ahead night before – I attempt to have my food for the next day all ready to go and anything I might need to bring to daycare set out. I try to think what I need to pull out of the freezer for supper that night and have a pile in the fridge of my food for work and a pile on the table of the non-refrigerated food. When I don’t do this I notice I have to run to Casey’s/East Market to grab lunch because the food I brought probably isn’t enough.

3. Freezer meals – I am lucky to be part of a group at my church of young moms who get together ever other month and put together about 10 freezer meals. We usually eat those on Wednesdays ( the day I work a little later) and on the weekend so I can quick make something and not make a mess of the kitchen that I just cleaned.

4. Utilizing Friday’s – Fridays are usually well planned and executed and consist of cleaning/organizing and setting up the next week for success. I also schedule all doctors appts and other appts on this day to not have to get off of work. I am not saying we don’t have fun on Fridays because we often do, but when I don’t spend the whole day taking care of my household, we definitely suffer the upcoming week.

5. All hands on deck – Kyle has had to chip in around the house probably more than he’d like, and I am grateful for that. I know he’d prefer to not being doing housework, but he also likes a wife that brings in a full time income so he knows he can’t say much.

Just a few of the tiny things we try to do to keep our head above water in this stage of life. I know our life will continue to change as we add kiddos and they get busier….we just keep taking it one week at a time!