Finding The Balance

[shelleyk]

:) Finding The Balance - That is the title of the chapter in a book I co-authored last fall. It is challenging to have it all and work in network marketing. I am not sure if I am allowed to post it on this board.
Create a great day!
Shelley Kimberly
shelleyk@raex.com

[Audrey]

Shelly,

We'd love to have you post tips on balancing family and work.

[taraburner]

I also think balance for one isn't balance for another.
All are made individually and uniquely so what works for one may not work for another.
I know some people would look at all I do and ask how I'm 'balanced' but I AM!
think it's an individual decision
Tara :)

[MamaSoul]

I guess it just comes down to prioritizing. Because I am a creative personality, I tend to find the most joy in the process of things...which can lead me down a bad road of starting projects and not finishing them. Sometimes, before I know it, I have 50 million things in the works and only a few will I bring to fruition...at the same time, I am trying to be a mom, a wife and treat myself with the care that I need to keep me healthy and happy (if momma aint happy....)
In the past year I have tried listing my priorities and then ticking the list off everyday just to make sure I've covered my most important bases...for instance: did I sit down with each of the kids and give them my full, undivided attention? Have I done the same with my husband? Have I taken time out for me...to sit and enjoy a cup of tea or do my excersise routine? Those are my top biggies...but because they can easily be taken for granted, I make it a point to make sure i have done those things everyday...then, I go down my list of school work (im a full time student), home business, catching up with friends...etc. Sadly, the last thing on my list is cleaning the house...I say sadly because at the moment I have put that one off for so long I don't know how or where to begin in this pigsty I'm living in!

[Audrey]

Do you have 15 minutes per day to clean house? I vacuum almost every day (dog hair) and it's under 10 minutes to vacuum the whole house.

I also wipe down the kitchen counters often (I love to cook). Again, this takes me under 10 minutes.

If you were to break house cleaning down into different chores, and then spent 15 minutes per day on one or two chores, you'd be amazed at what you can accomplish.

I too try very hard to give each of my kids my undivided attention every single day. Often that's through a walk with each of them which also gives me great exercise :)

[MamaSoul]

hi Audrey, That's a good idea....however, if I I think about it, i don't have 15 minutes a day...but I guess I could force myself to make an extra 15...something else would have to give. here in NZ we don't use clothes dryers unless it's been raining for weeks and no one has a single pair of clean undies left...so that means I have to make sure to hang the laundry everyday...with putting the clothes in the washer...then hanging them and putting in another load...that eats up about 20+ minutes depending on how many socks there are (socks are a pain to hang).
I think I will take your advice though and not try to do everything at once, just maybe one thing a day. good thing I have big kids...they come home and do the dishes and vaccuum...husband is a chef so he cooks, and I pull the clothes off the line. I am the only one who'll scrub the toilet however:eek:

[taraburner]

that means I have to make sure to hang the laundry everyday...with putting the clothes in the washer...then hanging them and putting in another load...that eats up about 20+ minutes depending on how many socks there are (socks are a pain to hang). :


Go barefoot ;)
LOL
ok so I'm in south florida and DO go barefoot most time...hmmm in fact only time I have socks on is for my 30 min runs!!!
See you're with Miessence as well!
AWESOME!
Tara :)

[MamaSoul]

Hi Tara,
Yeah, we are barefoot most of the time, in fact, kids in primary go to school barefoot here...not necessarily in the winter, but some do, they just don't feel the cold like some grown ups. The older kids have to wear uniforms and have uniform socks, hubby has work socks and I have running socks as well.
But when we don't have school, work or runs...we have our toes in the sand:)

I just love Miessence products, only been with them for a couple of months but it's been the best home biz I've ever done.
Shauna

[taraburner]

Hi Tara,
Yeah, we are barefoot most of the time, in fact, kids in primary go to school barefoot here...not necessarily in the winter, but some do, they just don't feel the cold like some grown ups. The older kids have to wear uniforms and have uniform socks, hubby has work socks and I have running socks as well.
But when we don't have school, work or runs...we have our toes in the sand:)

I just love Miessence products, only been with them for a couple of months but it's been the best home biz I've ever done.
Shauna


ohhhhhhhhhhh i wish we could get away w/going to school barefoot! that'd be awesome!!!
and yes Miessence is GREAT!!!!!
To health, success and being barefoot!
Tara :)

[Nanci5]

Shauna - Where do you live that kids go to school barefoot? Really?
We don't go barefoot to often - SNAKES & horses :shock:

And - THAT's the way I clean my house too! Why spend a whole day doing it all? I'd rather break it down like that and keep it clean all week. Those disposable wipes (clorax, windex, etc.) all work great.

[MamaSoul]

Hi Nanci,
We live in beautiful Gisborne, New Zealand...it's a magical place where kids go to school barefoot, are safe riding their bikes into town on a Saturday afternoon and the best part of all....NO SNAKES!!! Not a single one in all of New Zealand...No poisenous spiders either!! It's truly paradise here.

[taraburner]

Hi Nanci,
We live in beautiful Gisborne, New Zealand...it's a magical place where kids go to school barefoot, are safe riding their bikes into town on a Saturday afternoon and the best part of all....NO SNAKES!!! Not a single one in all of New Zealand...No poisenous spiders either!! It's truly paradise here.

I'd LOVE to be there!!!!
Tara :)

[Audrey]

Neither of my kids like spiders. Over the weekend a friend helped me move two pieces of furniture into my house. There was the tiniest spieder I'd ever seen. My daughter screamed. My friend and I didn't think we'd ever stop laughing.

[Marlo Boux]

Audrey - your daughter and I might be related :)

I remember one time I was alone with the kids and this monstrous (okay maybe not monstrous but certainly BIG) spider was on the carpet.

I screamed and got the vacuum and sucked it up. I couldn't even empty the container ;) Hubby had to do it when he got home.

*sigh*

[Audrey]

Marlo,

That's cute. I have things I can't do, but I don't want to gross you out LOL. I could not clean up if my kids were sick. Their dad had to.

For some reason I'm ok with spiders. I kill them daily around here.

[Marlo Boux]

LOL Audrey. I am with you there! I DO NOT do vomit patrol :eek: - no way, no how. Being pregnant has just made all the stuff that grosses me out that much worse hehe....dirty laundry and stale coffee smell sends me running for the ladie's room hahah....and public washrooms?? Well, I would rather hold it until the point of pain then go in one of those :puke:

[Audrey]

ROFL. As you know, my kids are older...they are 17 and 24. When I was pregnant the first time, ok wait, before I was pregnant I used to LOVE diet coke. I drank 2 or 3 per day. Then I got pregnant and couldn't drink any dark liquid. Remember, she is 24. It's only the last 2 years I can again drink tea, root beer and diet coke.

Funny how we change and sometimes it takes 22 years to recover LOL

[MamaSoul]

Vomit I'm ok with blood not so much!

Once I had a spider chase me that was as big as my hand when we lived in Washington and ever since then I've been so phobic!

Audrey, your house cleaning tips have helped me so much...I'm slowly getting there 15 minutes a day! It's amazing what you can do when you just MAKE yourself do it!

[Audrey]

Fifteen minutes per day can produce a really clean kitchen or a vacuumed house etc.

I'm noticing this morning that there is dog hair everywhere. I'm thinking my cleaning time today needs to be getting rid of all the hair LOL

[Marlo Boux]

15 minutes sounds good to me Audrey - that is about all I can muster right now to tidy up....ugh second trimester sleepies have hit me HARD LOL.