I’m a mom to two rambunctious youngsters, and I work full time. Sometimes you just have to leave clean laundry in the hamper for a few days. I know myself well enough to know that’s not changing, but there are a few other resolutions I’m willing to take a crack at. So if you’re a working mom too, here are some New Year’s Resolutions that might resonate with you.
- Make your lunch the night before. When the morning hustle takes over, as it does every morning, one less thing to do will be very welcome. Leftovers from dinner are perfectly acceptable and frankly preferred. Even when you’re so tired and only want to wind down from the long day, take those 10 more minutes. You’ll thank yourself in the morning.
- Similarly, stop leaving dirty dishes in the sink at night. Just do them. The morning will go smoother and you’ll be less agitated. Of course it’s late and the last thing anyone wants to do is stand in front of a kitchen sink and do dishes. But oh the heartache will be so much less in the morning. Go to bed with the sink empty. Every single night.
- Before leaving the house, do a personal body scan. Make sure there are no stray food bits on your clothes or in your hair. Double check you are not still wearing slippers. Run your tongue over your teeth to see if you’ve brushed them yet. You don’t want your boss to notice your shirt is on backwards, again. In other words, be presentable each and every day.
- Drink coffee only when it’s hot. You deserve this. Then, 2017 will be the year of adding “while sitting down” to this resolution.
- Do good for your body and spirit. Whatever that means to you – a hike with your dog, a gym membership, meditation – it will be worth it. You’ll have more energy, sanity, and peace. You’ll be able to focus better at home and at work. It may sound crazy or even impossible, but if you set the precedent and make it a habit, then it will happen. Conversely, if you just can’t make it happen one day (or even one week) for whatever reason, then take a little advice from our friend Elsa and “let it go.”
- Do good for your relationship. Carve out the time for each other. Go on dates, dance around the house, kiss goodnight and wake up kind. You’ve built a lot on top of this foundation, do your best to keep it strong and healthy.
- Utilize a delivery service. There are several services that will deliver diapers and tonight’s dinner to your front door in an hour or two. In other words – by the time you get home for work. There’s Amazon Prime Now, which features many of the items available on the main site, plus fresh groceries. There’s Instacart, which has a personal shopper pick up your items from the local store of your choosing (several food co-ops, Target, Petco) and communicates with you via text. Then there’s Minibar, which is exactly what you think it is! The real question here is, why aren’t you doing this already?
- Make a snow angel, jump on a trampoline, get dirty with your kids. Remember to take your work clothes off first! Or don’t! Keep yourself grounded and present.
- Organize your schedules. All of them in one place. Cozi keeps everyone’s schedules, shopping lists, gift ideas, birthdays and to do lists in a handy, simple app that’s always with you. Know who has to be where when without the bickering or crossed paths. And it’s not only important for you and your partner to stay organized and united, get your older kids on board, your nanny, your parents, anyone who is a regular feature in your family’s schedule can have access.
- Take six personal days off work throughout the year as true personal days for yourself. Drop the kids off in the morning and go do exactly what you want that day. For you.
Most resolutions for mom apply to you, regardless of your work status. Check out our post for New Year’s Resolutions for the Stay at Home Mom for even more tips!
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