Something I have had to work very hard on, is accepting that there are times I cannot physically accomplish everything I wan to in a day. What I do accomplish, is dictated by the tiny humans demanding my attention throughout the day.
Beginning to understand that my productive could no longer be gaged on a linear trend, really helped eliminate frustration I was starting to feel as a mom. If I lost you with the math gibberish....don't worry I will explain.
Before having kids, I could set out a To Do List and accomplished everything in an orderly fashion. Top to bottom in a timely manner. Now with a one year old and three year old...my task list zig zags and looks more like a tangled ball of yarn. As someone who naturally has troubling focusing, yet enjoys completing tasks...I have really struggled to accept that productivity looks different as a mom.
Some days it looks like knocking out everything on my To Do List and other's it's giving my kids more of my time. This is a concept I am still working hard to adapt to and wish I had realized this sooner . Here are a few things I am doing to change my mindset around productivity.
Redefine what productivity means to me- I now view any task I am actively completing to be productive. It doesn't matter if it's child care related, cleaning or working....whatever I get done in a day is productivity. Spending time with my kids is productive. Walking the dog is productive. Making dinner is productive. Even resting can be productive if it's desperately needed!
Setting Realistic expectations- Understanding that my productivity is more limited than it was before kids has helped a lot. I have little people depending on me for meals and interaction. Fulfilling the daily needs of my children and home , only allots so much time for extra tasks.
Celebrating what I DO accomplish- I try to think positively about everything I did accomplish in a day, rather than dwelling on what got pushed till tomorrow.
Accepting that this is just season in life that will soon pass- This one is hard, but I have to keep reminding myself that my children will eventually grow up and move out. At that time I will be able to do whatever I want during the day. Currently my focus needs to be on them and their needs .
Embracing the zig zag pattern of task completion- I have come to learn that any task I try to complete will be interrupted about 100 times before I finish. This one is hard for me, as I naturally struggle to organize my thoughts. Embracing multitasking and being flexible has helped a lot. Writing a Daily To Do List has also been a game changer . Even if I get interrupted, I have a written plan to circle back to. Check out this editable To Do List Template
All of these small mindset shifts have helped me to start viewing productivity differently. My productivity as a mom with young kids, looks vastly different to the pre-kids version did . I have more responsibilities than I did before, meaning less time for anything extra. Accepting that productivity is different, has helped me to be more flexible and less angry throughout the day. This is still a mindset I am working daily to maintain. It's yet another learned skill of motherhood that takes time to master!
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