Looking for tips on adding something new into your life as a part-time working mom? How do you add something new when you’re already strapped for time?
Most of us are focused on dealing with work, spending time with and taking care of our families, trying to maintain balance between those two, and trying to keep ahead of household duties. Maybe we add in things like exercise or functional pampering (think pedicure when it’s sandals season) into the mix of trying to balance our lives, but add something else? Yikes.
Why am I writing about this? I have taken on writing a book (and all the marketing that goes along with it) while being a part-time marketing consultant and taking care of our two young boys in addition to all my other household duties. That’s forced me to learn a thing or too about productivity and integrating new projects into the mix. Plus, I’ve done research on this in addition to dealing with it day-to-day.
So maybe the something new you want to add into your life is a new hobby or volunteering for something you’re passionate about. Maybe you want to learn something new (e.g., a language, sewing, gardening, etc.). Interested in adding more volunteer work to to your plate? Or maybe you want to take more time to do something simple like read a new book consistently or meet new people. Whatever that something new is, how do you actually get started?
Questions to help you in this process
- What do you want to integrate into your life? Is it something concrete that you’ve thought about or just an idea that you’re developing?
- Will it make you happier or more satisfied with your life? Is it something you’re passionate or excited about or do you feel you “have to do it”?
- Why now? Although, why not now? Is there something that is triggering this new interest? It’s helpful to understand that motivation or trigger and its effect.
How did I add in this new project into my own mix of things?
I’ve been working on this project for almost three years. (We even had another child during this 3-year period. In fact, we had our second child the day after the brainstorming with a small group to name the book).
To put it simply, I’ve integrated this book into everything else on my plate in small doses. I will confess that I’m not as busy on work projects right now as I try to put more effort into my book, but I’m still working on business development almost every day. I work on little bites related to this book and do them each day. It’s easier to break it down and let overwhelming.
Realistically, adding something new can be hard. Whatever the new thing is can be pushed to the back burner every day, even when it’s something you care about. That is why I think this new thing has to be something really important to you or else it can quickly fizzle out.
So how do you actually integrate a new “thing” into your life?
Here are some tips that have worked in making Mompowerment a real thing instead of an idea:
- What do you really spend your “extra” time on? Are you spending more time on things that don’t add value to your day? Only you can decide that. So, start tracking your time. Track it over a week in 15 minute increments on a Word document or Excel spreadsheet. You’ll be surprised about the little bits of time you can find here and there.
- Block out time to make it happen. Little chunks, big chunks, whatever you can put aside for it.
Ideas about adding something new from Gretchen Rubin, a habit expert:
- According to Gretchen Rubin, you should also track your efforts, so that you’re accountable
- Can you start this new hobby with a friend or maybe join a group? Gretchen Rubin talks about joining a new habits change group, but my suggestion is to join a group related to your new interest or to start it with a friend.
We don’t get to integrate being mom a little or working a little, but we can integrate a little bit of something new to our plate. And we don’t often get to remove things from our plate. So, we must get better at balancing a few more things and making sure we take the time for all the plates we’re spinning.
Have you recently included something new in all the things you balance? Did you struggle with a particular aspect? Do you have a few tips on something working incredibly well? Please share in the comments.
