Having a new family is overwhelming.
It is lonely, it’s the hardest thing you’ll ever do, it’s all-consuming, and it’s risky but its also highly rewarding and leads to your most treasured memories and friendships.
Sound familiar? Started a business? Worked your way up a ladder? Studied hard?
Or started a family? It’s the same thing. Really.
Simplify
In business it means streamlining and prioritizing.
In a home with young children this is equally vital.
Do one thing a day, prioritize family and close friends, give your children a good base of tools and emotional language to empower them from a young age so they can take part in decision-making.
Manage distractions
The demand of your attention is endless. The supply is limited.
Without boundaries you’re dead. Find a routine and structure that works and stick to it. Rules help.
Start early, this way you can take care of matters that are most important to you before you are endlessly interrupted.
Inspiration
Humans are gregarious by nature.
Your situation is fairly unique and few people can relate to you.
You are sleep-deprived, your time is limited, and some envy your position. Everybody needs inspiration. Find one person or book or song that inspires you and revisit them as often as possible. Do it guilt free. You cannot keep giving without also receiving. And avoid people who drain your energy, cut them loose.
Seize small units of time
Empower yourself to take advantage of gaps. If someone is late, read something you’ve been delaying, make that phone call you’ve been postponing. Make sure your phone and laptop are charged and remember to pack your book or magazine. Change your attitude.
Make lists and set goals
“If you fail to plan, your plan to fail”.
Prioritize three things every day and do them first.
A concerted effort of planning takes 5 minutes and saves you hours of wasted time and mental fatigue.
Spend 5 minutes setting up the agenda for the meeting and stick to it.
Dedicate 5 minutes to plan the meals for the week, and shop once.
Pack a ‘get-away bag’ once with everything you may need for the baby and leave it at the door.
Multitask
Within reason. This is a minefield.
Don’t become ineffective. But work smarter.
Type emails that are easy to forward, keep templates, use auto-complete.
Cook for a week and freeze instead of cooking every night.
That’s it.