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At our Monday morning staff meeting this week, there was a lot of talk about the Globe & Mail’s new series on work-life balance around the table. It definitely struck a chord with all of us busy moms—busy with our work here at SavvyMom, busy with our kids’ schedules and now, busy with holiday prep. (There was a time when holiday prep started in December but now it’s the day after Halloween if you haven’t noticed!)
The headline that caught my eye the most from the various articles in the series was the one entitled “Hoping to get sick in order to rest”. It’s been a long-time fantasy of mine to get sick enough to be bedridden for a few days, but not so sick that it would prevent me from finally reading the many unfinished books on my bedside table. But if you know me or my family, you will know that I have to be VERY sick before I slow down and even MORE sick before any of them will happen to notice that I am sick and suggest that I take a break from my caregiving, chauffeuring or organizing duties. (Even a full-blown bout of H1N1 last November didn’t get me off the hook much, other than a few nights to bed early).
But I also feel very fortunate to have the crazy, busy life that I have—the thriving business, the children with innumerable interests and activities (better than staying home all day watching TV) and the friends and family to stay connected to. And so in a weird sort of way, I enjoy the frantic rhythm of the seasons and the transition from one crazy stage to the next, whether that’s soccer to hockey or back-to-school shopping to holiday shopping. I just count my lucky stars that I seem to be OK only getting six hours of sleep a night, every night.
The interesting parts to the Globe series are not the expert tips, although they are helpful, but the real-life stories and tips readers are sharing. My personal favourite was the family who sits down on Sunday night to pre-decide which parent will take each day of the week off should it be necessary due to a child being sick or some other unexpected situation. It sounds like a great way to share some of the burden.
I’d love to hear some of the ways you manage to get a little work-life balance in your life.
Camping has always been a tradition in my family. For the past 30 years, we have been travelling en masse to a small provincial park in northern Ontario. This year, my husband and I decided to be brave (or crazy) and take our twin girls (2 years old), Madeline and Riley, camping for two nights.
Even though we were only going for two nights, my preparation began weeks ago. I started by making lots of lists, and stressing about all the potential disasters that awaited us—bugs, dirt, water, open flame—not to mention how we were going to handle napping and bedtime! Here are a few things I learned on our trip:
We were all exhausted by the time we got home, but had a great time and I’m already looking forward to next year. Maybe we’ll go for three days…
What are your camping experiences with kids?
Wow - brave you were indeed - sounds like a lot of fun for all!
Awesome article!! It’s fun to get the kids out of their comfort zone once in a while (and yours!). Glad it was a success!
Comments
As a reflexologist I teach my clients how important it is for the body to maintain a state of balance for optimal health and wellness. A 1 hour session of reflexology on the feet, hands, ears or face will contribute toward creating a balance between work and life.
Getting up before the kids get up gives me a little peace and quiet to get stuff done and start the day off right. I try to exercise then too!