The difference between busy moms vs productive moms is a distinction we have to make as many of us are working from home due to COVID. As a busy mom of 3, the pandemic opened my eyes to know the difference as I was busy juggling remote learning, taking care of my girls and working from home. I took a hard look at my to do list and realized that I was plain busy.
I recently had the conversation with a mom about not looking forward to life pre-COVID. You know the busyness of it all and thinking that more on your plate is what life should be about. Being a busy mom is about working harder and focusing on the quantity of tasks completed while being a productive mom is about working smarter and focusing on the quality of tasks completed. I found myself treating every task as urgent because when your kindergartener is telling you that the teacher cannot hear her on Google Meet, you spring into emergency mode.
I am relieved to see that we are normalizing mental health talk in the aftermath of so much unrest and uncertainty like COVID, racism, election and war so I encourage us moms to observe any productivity killers and mental downers in our day to day life and make the appropriate changes needed for our mental well-being.The difference between busy moms vs productive moms is about realizing that not all tasks are created equal and prioritizing tasks make all the difference. Busyness results in uncontrolled frenzy and leaves you drained mentally and physically. I was doing the best I could with what I had but I knew something had to change. Productivity with a S.M.A.R.T (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Bound) plan in hand results in controlled and focused environment that gives you the ability to assess and manage as you go.
The change I implemented in my day started with a good night sleep. Putting off a good night sleep to finish up leftover task can have an adverse effect. You have to know your body and a restful night for me means at least seven hours of sleep. I feel the difference in my mood and my day. To all my coffee lovers reaching for that enticing cup in the morning and/or the afternoon, allowing your body to naturally increase your energy level and boost your immune system is the healthiest way to go, especially first thing in the morning, then you can treat yourself afterwards with a brewing cup of your favorite latte!
When I wake up in the morning, I wash my face and brush my teeth. It sounds trivial but being a mom taught me the sacredness of cherishing those “Me Time”. Then I head to the kitchen for a cup of water and not coffee or tea. I drink my water while getting breakfast started. After that my oldest two are up and I go to my quiet corner to read my Bible and journal. Next I check my calendar to take a look at my day while eating my breakfast. After I drop off my girls at school, I head home to exercise after a nice walk or run around the neighborhood. I enjoy a quiet bath afterwards as I prepare mentally to attack my work load.
The difference between busy moms vs productive moms is challenging yourself to make changes in your day that kill productivity, hence your mental well-being. My work space is dedicated solely to my work and when I sit at my desk, I do my best not to entertain any distractions. I work in blocks of 45 minutes with 5 minutes break to stretch and hydrate myself. I schedule half hour lunch and take a walk after lunch, weather permitting. This helps me get over the midday slump.
The key to any change is to start where you are and make the changes gradually. I schedule 30 minutes on the weekend to assess my week and make any additional changes that will help me optimize my week. I realized working out before my girls woke up felt like I was rushing to get it done and would become frustrated when I got interrupted. When I changed working out after dropping them off now that they are all in school, it was the game changer and mental booster I needed.
The difference between busy moms vs productive moms is about cultivating a lifestyle that requires you to observe the productivity killers in your day and be intentional in making any change needed in order to own your day. Life is full of unknowns but one thing that is sure is that we all have 24 hours each day and the choices we make in those 24 hours determine the quality of our lives, mental, physical and spiritual. We really owe it to ourselves to make smart choices for what matters and slow down when needed because you have one life to live and make it worthwhile!
WELLthy Life NODte:“You could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do and say and think.” -Marcus Aurelius
