This is part of a compensated campaign with Little Remedies.
We’re through the end of the January and I’m starting to feel the stress encroaching upon our family once again. After the hustle and bustle that is the holiday season, there is a lull…a wave of calm settles over us and I feel like I can catch my breath. The holidays are always a bittersweet time, and while we all anxiously await those celebratory moments with our family, I secretly look forward to the new year. This is the time when I vow to exercise more and eat less of the foods that dominated the Christmas season. I’m motivated to tackle my organizational plans and determined to be more present with my kids. And then the vicious work-life cycle begins and I find myself failing to make good on my “resolutions.”
After a 4 hour goal-setting workshop with my husband, we came to the conclusion that busyness is the source of much of the stress in our family life. During that precious, uninterrupted time, we devised our family goals for the year. Along with making a commitment to regular date nights and fostering healthy sleep habits within our children, we wrote down three ways we plan to simplify our life in 2014.
1. Commit to regular downtime: Working from home is a blessing that I never imagined would be possible given my chosen career. Unfortunately, it means I have to be very diligent about work-life balance as it is easy to allow work to encroach upon every aspect of our lives. This year, I’ve committed to dedicating our weekends to family activities, and that has made a world of difference as far as family stress.
2. Learn to say no: I don’t like to disappoint friends, family members, or those I work with, which is why saying no has been one of the most challenging personal hurdles I’ve had to overcome. Learning to distinguish and prioritize those things that are essential is a lifelong process and one that I’ll continue to work at for many years. But setting personal and professional boundaries for the benefit of my family has been one of the best things I’ve done to reduce the stress in my personal and family life.
3. Commit to using the family calendar: A few years ago, my husband set up an online calendar complete with color-coding so that we could keep track of work, school, and extra-curricular activities. This year, I’ve committed to being better about using it so that there is no confusion or conflict about who is doing what at any given time.
4. Create and stick to a regular routine: Our children thrive on knowing when they wake up, go to school, eat meals, do homework, and go to bed. It only recently dawned on me that our family could also benefit from a regular routine that allows for some flexibility. When our life dictates a change in that routine, we try to communicate ahead of time to alleviate any undue stress.
5. Be present with family and friends: Because we live in an age that is dominated by technology, we’ve had to become vigilant about shutting down. No technology at the dinner table and time-limited screen time are just a few ways we strive to connect as a family and be in the moment with our children.
As I’m writing this post, I can think of many more ways to simplify my life (my desk is calling me right now!). Weaved throughout my simple tips is the common theme that “less is more.” Whether we’re talking about our day-to-day schedule, my inbox, or the medications I give my children, simple is always optimal. Even before my children cried their first tear, I was thinking about the types of foods and medications I would give them, which is why Little Remedies is one of our medicine cabinet staples. Created by a pharmacist and a father who wanted effective remedies containing ingredients he could feel good about giving his children, Little Remedies also holds to the philosophy that less is more. Their products are free from saccharin, alcohol, artificial flavors, artificial coloring and dyes and some are herbal-based including their Gripe Water which contains a blend of ginger and fennel to ease stomach discomfort from hiccups or colic in infants. In general, there aren’t many medications you can give an infant, which makes Little Remedies a stand-out for parents looking for safe, all-natural remedies for their children.
2014 is well underway and while we’re definitely making progress towards our goals, there is still work to be done. How do you simplify your family life? I’d love to share your tips and thoughts below.
Images: Little Remedies unless otherwise noted.
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