Balancing Work, Home, Kids, And That Elusive Thing Called Self-Care
- Aug 16, 2021
- 3 min read
Written by: Jenn Taylor, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Do you drive home from work, using that much-needed time to decompress, to shift gears from “corporate mindset” to “Mommy mode”? To a house that needs to be cleaned up, to kids who need help with homework, disputes, laundry, showers, processing of emotions, discipline, and love. Do you gear up to make dinner, get things in order, connect with the kids and do all the things necessary just to maintain? Perhaps in the shift of world events, you’re working from home with kids, trying to figure out distance learning or new school rules, and which pants match your slippers?
There were so many days I didn’t even consider more than just maintaining. There seemed to be no energy to connect more deeply, to dig in, sit and really listen to my kids or my friends, and I would hear the words “self-care” and cringe.
In my work life, there was never a job I worked that didn’t want more. More hours, more productivity, more corporate income. They also wanted less. Fewer breaks, fewer sick days, fewer kids calling, fewer distractions from my home life.
My kids wanted more also—more of me.
I wanted time to breathe. Time to pray, time to process, time to get more done, time for more sleep, time to do something for me. Mostly I wanted to stop feeling like I was failing on every front. I hit rock bottom in a glorious explosion of tears, running mascara, uncertainty, insecurities, snot, fear, and resistance. It was the best thing that could have happened to me. It was the moment I dug deep and made changes.
I learned to build...
Better relationships
Career fulfillment
Better health
Clarity about your purpose
More intimacy
Better time management
At my turning point, I decided if what I was doing wasn’t working, I would need to change things, and I used a few things to help:
Calendar. I started scheduling everything so that I could really see my day, where I had time, where I needed it, what could go and what should stay the same.
Workout program. I paid for a program on a running team. I had the support and accountability I wanted and many workout options available to be able to exercise before kids were up and later at night. I could also bring them with me to some activities.
I found a church to attend and signed up for a class. I needed support spiritually, so I found what worked for me.
Facebook groups that resonated with me helped me connect with other women who were on the same journey as I was or were ahead of me. They became support and resources.
I wanted to turn my life around.
To change the way I thought and acted and achieve my goals.
To stop being a victim of circumstance, but excuses aside and take full responsibility for my life!
Once I did that, I decided what I wanted in life, accepted I could achieve anything I’d ever wanted, and make every day count.
If I could do it, you can too!
I know there are people out there like I was…stuck. Maybe you’ve sat on your bathroom floor where I was, ugly, crying and wanting more.
One thing I learned is to stop doing what others expect you to do and do what you feel you need to do. For you, for your kids, for your career, for your sanity.
Act according to your feelings and set your mind on what you desire, and act on it.
Jenn Taylor, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Jenn Taylor is Mom of 18 and The Naked Podcaster, a Mindset Coach, and Motivational Speaker. She is also an NLP Practitioner and has 15+ years in the foster care sector as both a parent and a trainer, has written the blog - Mom’s Running It - for 9 years, and is a published author of a self-help memoir "Hello, My Name Is... Warrior Princess". She teaches Compounding Joy, bringing fast, easy, actionable exercises to people to increase their joy and gratitude. She is also married to an amazing man in Reno, NV, is a runner, minimalist, and healthy lifestyle enthusiast. Compounding Joy - Using the theory of compound interest to create a happier life! If you’ve attended events or heard speakers in the past and gotten excited about making changes only to return home and not know what to do with the information, or feel frustrated at not knowing how to implement the information, you’ll love this talk! Compounding Joy brings fast, easy, actionable exercises to people to increase their joy and gratitude. Not only will you walk away with what to do, but you’ll also know how in quick, easy steps.
