How do you do it all?

[Dutchie]

This morning I was thinking about stuff (doesn't happen all that often lol).

I was running around like the proverbial headless chicken trying to get as much done as possible because I have to go to my small teaching job this afternoon and I try to get the laundry done, the dinner ready plus a load of other stuff too before I have to leave at 2.30 pm.

I read on here all the time about so many ladies who work full time, have kids AND do so many money saving stuff as well.

So my question - how do you do it all?

[thesightofoneself]

i dont have children. but my solution: lack of sleep. but hey, i get things done, right?

[joyofsix]

I don't watch television, read as much as I'd like and only surf the net when taking a designated break. Oh, and I still don't get it all done, at least not at once.

[TheRootedNomad]

It doesn't ALL get done and it would be even worse if DH and the boys weren't ok with being directed. However, kids or not, thesightofoneself appears to use the same major tool I do. Sleep goes. I can't remeber the last time I got more than 5 and a half hours, although I can give several examples over the last couple of weeks where I have gotten considerably less, and I'm sure that's not a good thing.

[DJ1972]

I don't get it all done, and I'm ok with that. When my kids were toddlers I drove myself nuts trying to make everything perfect. Thank God I got over that! My house is not cluttered which makes it easier to clean, and my house is small. I work 3 days a week, so I have plenty of time when the kids are in school, to do what I need. But, sometimes, I take a nap instead...shhhh! Life is too short to stress over every detail.

[WV_mom_of2]

I don't get it all done either. I just decide what's important to me and I do those things on a regular basis (dishes, laundry, bathrooms). The rest waits until dh or the kids can help or until I get around to it.

I love to read and watch tv, etc. and I do those things when I want to. I agree with someone else that life is too short to always being doing what you think "has" to be done instead of what you want to do!

[Dancing Lotus]

Get it all done, what a joke...
Let me tell you a secret , no body gets it all done. It might appear that they do but underneath it all something is getting neglected. And it's usually mom's needs.

Mom's who work full time and appear to have a perfectly kept house and kids who are in every activity are usually ( but not always ) the ones who have the least. These families are living to keep up not to enjoy the moment.

The house is clean because nobody is ever home long enough to mess it up. The kids are in a dozen activities to keep them out of mom's way. Often times in these families there is little time for just bonding and being a family..

[Momto2Boyz]

I don't know how working mom's do it. I've been on both sides of the fence, in the working mom aspect...and even though I am home now (which I thought would help) didn't help me get more done at all!

I think it is more about how you look at things. Being flexible helps. I set a list each day and do my best to get it done, but I know whatever doesn't get done today can get done tomorrow!

[MyMelody]

I work 8-5 but don't have kids. Most days it doesn't all get done and I try to just prioritize what's most important to me to get done that day. Sometimes I stress over housework at my "real" job, and I'll make myself a post-it note with my top 3 or 5 tasks that I need to do, then stick it to my wallet in my purse, and that helps.

[Trishagirl]

I break up my chores into each day so that makes it easier on me. Do a little each day and it gets all done by the end of the week. That's my pholosophy! If it's not done they I can throw in a load of clothes on the weekend.

[valerian]

I've been a SAHM for 11 1/2 years and I don't even come close to getting it all done and you know what? The world's not going to come to an end if I don't! I do what I can or what I want to and that's that. If anyone around here thinks more needs to get done, well, then they can have at it!

[MommyBliss]

I am with everyone else on this. You don't get it ALL done, you pick your priorities and go with those. I'm also a big stickler on having a schedule and always making sure if you start something that you finish it.

[amanjud]

I'm with everyone here...there will always be something that needs to get done, in fact right now I should be shredding the mountain of papers I've gone through, or mopping the floor, but it's my time now(kids naptime) and having a cup of coffee and reading posts sounds so much more enjoyable...the mountain will be there later..

[StartingOver]

I work 40 hrs/week outside the home and have 2 children (14 & 9).

What works for me is that we have a routine for about every night of the week. The kids schedules are on the calendar and we know what we have going on at any given night.

I pick up the house before we go to bed and before I leave the house. I do at least one load of laundry every day, so it does not pile up, and I don't have a mountain of it to do by the weekend.

The nights we don't have running to do, that's when I get caught up on laundry and anything else that needs to be done. I'm in bed every night by 10:30 and up by 6:30.

I clean my house on Saturday mornings and do whatever else needs to be done. I feel it's a very well balanced out.

But for me and the kids, we thrive on routine, I realize this doesn't work for everyone but for us it's the answer for balancing work, home, kids etc...and of course the unexpected does pop up frequently, but we deal w/it and I adjust my schedule.

I find I'm more productive and organized now that I'm working outside the house, than I was when I was a SAHM, as I was always thinking "I'll do it tomorrow."

[rsbs]

1st - it doesn't ALL get done - sometimes it looks like it does, but it really doesn't
and 2nd - a routine is critical. And multi-tasking!

I work 40 hrs a week outside the home. Luckily, I have only one child, but a very busy one. I wake up in the morning, jump out of bed & start my day at a dead run. Morning is my most productive time. I also chose a small house & we built it to be low maintenance. I am very lucky in that regard! I use some appliances that make my life easier (roomba - which wasn't cheap, but very worth it for me - I never have to sweep or vacuum our tile & I would die without my crock-pot!) While DD is at practice - I sit with the other mothers, socialize, & work on my projects... that way I'm supporting her, but I'm also filling my soul - AND - getting things done!
But don't get me wrong, the best gift anyone could give me would be a day off, with nothing I have to do!