Every single weekend it’s the same thing; a mad dash to try and finish everything you couldn’t get to during the week because of work. Cleaning the house, doing the laundry, paying the bills, planning meals for the week, and grocery shopping all quickly gobble up any hope of rest and relaxation. How can a working mom keep it all together? How can she do it all and still be happy?

Learn to Let Go. There are things that must be done and there are things that you want to be done. Prioritize your To-Do List and start with the items that must be done. We are only human and may not be able to finish that daunting list every single weekend. The biggest gift you can give yourself is permission to not finish that list. 

Ask for Help. Help comes in many shapes and sizes. Maybe it is enlisting the entire family in tackling the chores or ordering your groceries rather than going through the store yourself. My children all learned how to do their own laundry by ten. This way, if a uniform or favorite shirt wasn’t washed and I wasn’t home to get said item ready before it was needed, they would be able to run the washer themselves. 

Spread It Out. There is no hard and fast rule that says that everything must be done on the same day. You know yourself and your schedule best. Run the dishwasher as you go to bed and empty it first thing in the morning. Throw a load of laundry in the washing machine when you leave for work and put the load in the dryer when you get home. Keep a running list on the side of the fridge of any items needed at the grocery store. 

Take the chore out of the activity. There are six of us in our family. Each week, every person was responsible for dinner one night. This person had to plan the meal and add anything needed to the grocery list. My children all learned how to cook and some of the basic nutrition facts as we discussed their plans. Of course, this meant we had macaroni and cheese every week because it was one of the things that the youngest could do, but it was the best mac and cheese ever when you saw the look of pride on his face as we all sat and ate the meal he prepared. 

It’s okay to say no. Everything is running smoothly and it looks as though you will be finished on schedule. Then your oldest son calls and invites you over to play with the kids. If I learned one thing from parenting it is that you do not get a mulligan. These children are only children for a short time and then they become adults and begin a life that is not centered around you. Don’t miss these opportunities. Looking back, I feel as though there were so many minutes I gave to other people and things and I would give anything to have those minutes back with my children. It’s okay to say no to doing it all.  

We expect a lot from ourselves – often times too much. The floor will get swept and those clothes will get folded, but sometimes the most important thing you can do is to know when doing it all means doing what matters most. What that might be is up to you.