Y’all, my brain is in overload. The last few days my wheels have been spinning. I’m returning to work tomorrow from maternity leave, so there are a million things I’ve had to do because I’ve been putting them off. Being a natural procrastinator really brings me into some stressful situations! This maternity leave has shown me how extremely important it is to plan ahead and stay organized. I’m now in the process of creating a budget, using a planner every day, and developing a folder system of some sort to help keep me organized and ahead of the game. Without a system in place, everything becomes a chaotic mess. I’m learning from my mistakes. And I’m also learning how to stay motivated in the midst of it all. Having three kids is a lot of work. A lot of cooking, cleaning, changing diapers, feeding, washing bottles, bathing, laundry, and more goes into this “line of work.” So staying motivated to get things done can be a little bit of a struggle sometimes because of the overwhelm. I’ve developed a little system (I’m becoming the biggest fan of systems!) to help keep me on top of things. It is a combination of strategizing, visualizing and realizing.
Strategizing
My motivational plan begins with a little bit of strategizing. First, I write down exactly what I want to get accomplished for the day. Just thinking about marking things off of my to-do list starts to get me motivated.
I then give myself a time frame. What time do I want to have everything finished? I give myself plenty of time to get the tasks accomplished so that a) I’m not overwhelmed with a lot to do in a short period of time, b) I can have the wiggle room to do everything correctly so that I don’t spend more precious time doing things over, and c) I don’t get halfway through and freak out because I see that I’m not going to finish everything. It helps to have days of the week designated for particular tasks (i.e. Monday for planning, Wednesday for writing, Friday for cleaning).
Another important strategy is to eat the frog. This means tackling the largest, most daunting task first. When you do this it is a huge confidence booster, and makes everything else on your list seem like a piece of cake (much more appetizing than a frog! lol).
Now that you have a strategy in place, time for some visualization.
Visualizing
Okay, now it’s time to imagine what your day looks like after you have accomplished everything on your to-do list. Think about how sparkling clean and organized your house will look and feel when you’ve finished (if cleaning is a task on today’s list). This vision should be sigh-inducing. It always is for me! Also think about relaxing with a bubble bath and book, or a glass of wine and your favorite television show. You can enjoy these things once your work is done. I dont know about you, but I’m really starting to get motivated!
Another thing I visualize is what other people will think or feel once I’ve gotten all of my chores tackled. My man will be impressed, proud, and excited that I got everything done and we can spend the evening in a clean and organized house. My children will be happy because mommy got her stuff done so she can play, read books, or share a snack. Motivation!
Now that visualization techniques have been implemented; its time to recognize!
Realizing
Okay, we’ve developed a strategy for getting things done, and we’ve visualized what it will be like once we’ve completed our work, so now its time to realize.
You need to realize that it is in your and everyone else’s best interest to do these things. As much as it may suck, this is a part of adulting, which we all hate but it is just a freaking fact of life, damnit! You also need to realize that you got this in the bag, girl! This is your house, business, etcetera that you run, and you run it how you want to. And since you’re such a boss lady you are going to do everything you need to for it all to thrive and flourish. Right? Hell yeah! You own this shit, and you’re gonna do it, aren’t you? Of course you are, because you are a grown-ass, responsible, mature woman and this stuff needs done.
Are you motivated yet? The last technique I use to get my day going is music. Something upbeat and energetic, setting a pace for me to do the damn thing! This is when I turn on my Spotify. Here’s the link to my Motivation playlist.
Okay, girl. You have created a strategy for yourself, visualized what it will be like when everything is done, and realized you gotta do it and you can do it. So go do it!
If you have other motivational strategies or you think this one could be improved upon, then comment below to let me know. I’m always in need of some new inspiration. Now go get it, girl!
aroundthewaymom 