As a mom who works from home (lucky to be able to write articles and tutor students from nearby schools), everybody thinks that I have all the time in the world. Well, think again. Sure, I don’t have the 8am to 5pm schedule but it takes some discipline to create a schedule that will fit all my mom-teacher-homemaker duties in one day. When I look at my social media, it seems that some moms have already found their rhythm when I see posts of well-curated photos on how they balance family, business and me time. To be honest, I dream of that too but I’m still working on a balancing technique that will fit my personality, the whole household and our budget. Here are some tips to get ourselves started on project #BalanceMom.

Write it down.

I like taking down notes and writing something about my day. Writing is still the best option to keep mommy brain away (so you won’t forget the birthday of your child’s playmate, or a bill to be paid on a certain week, etc.). Writing is still different from typing in your laptop or mobile phone. There’s a sense of fulfilment whenever you cross out a to-do item from your list.

Plan ahead.

I’m not good at this part. Most days, I just look at the art materials available in our home classroom then I decide what activity I’ll do with my child. Planning weeks ahead or even the day before will ultimately save you some time and effort. I know, i know, planning can be a chore for moms but you can always keep an alarm using your phone or a note posted on your ref. Ask someone else to remind you if mommy brain does really get in the way.

Keep things simple.

Sometimes, we want to do things the Pinterest way but reality shows you otherwise. Be open to other options and just do what you can. For example, I wanted to create unique Christmas gifts last year. Our budget can’t accommodate the number of people in our Christmas list so we opted for lemon-honey-ginger in bottles. It something useful (for their teas or breakfast) but are reasonably priced. Be realistic and try not to please everyone. Make sure that whatever you do, you can finish it without killing yourself.

Talk to your partner.

We try to be the supermoms that are expected of us. Well, we also have those days when we just don’t feel like doing anything at home and would just like our kids to have a cartoon marathon just so we can have a long and peaceful afternoon. It’s okay for moms to feel like blah sometimes. The best way to release this feeling is talking to your spouse about it and figuring out how you two can work things out around the house. Maybe for that week, he can offer to bring the kids to school or make sandwiches in the morning just so you can have longer time on your own. Instead of keeping everything to yourself, it’s best to speak up before you explode.

No to perfection.

Give yourself a pat on the back at the end of each day. You know you deserve it even if you weren’t able to finish your to-do list or your child threw tantrums for two hours straight. Relax, you have the next day to start over again. Just remember to clear out all negative thoughts before you sleep. For me, the best way I create balance is by making sure to allot time for my toddler in the morning, some me-time after lunch and work in the late afternoon with my tutees. Lastly, I dedicate my evening time to my family making sure that everything is okay. Find your own balance, you’ll get there.