Career-family-daily “must dos”!

BY LYNN LESSELL

Career-family-daily “must dos”! Decisions. Choices. Where is the “EASY” button? The answer? It’s all about perspective.

How do you see a glass filled halfway, half empty or half full?

As a working parent, and oh yeah, a person there have been those moments of feeling overwhelmed. I couldn’t separate all the versions of me and feel productive at work or at home.

After a day at work, there is a list of questions running through my mind as I travel home: what will I plan for dinner, how much homework do the kids have, is it soccer or karate scheduled tonight, is the house a mess, will I have a moment to myself? I’m exhausted! Sound familiar?

I wanted to be the best version of “me” and a good example for my children. That’s when I realized I had to change my perspective. There is no “easy” button; however, instead of looking at life as a series of challenges, I began to look at life as a series of choices and make those choices with a positive attitude. After all, the result we experience is based on the choices we make, right?

As toddlers, my kids were always underfoot wanting to do what I was doing. They would laugh as I struggled to complete the task and suddenly we were all laughing and having fun! Laughter is truly the best medicine, as Reader’s Digest says!

In their early teens, my kids went to a summer program for a few weeks that required them to do their own laundry. They came home from the program stating they wanted to continue doing their own laundry at home so they did not have me bugging them. No argument here!

A great way to spend maximum time with the kids at any age is to include them in the daily “must dos”, prioritize what cannot wait and determine together what you all can accomplish tomorrow. Create chores or daily “must do” lists for the family with a reward system. Use points, stars or allowance as motivation for completion of tasks. Plan a family adventure as a reward if everyone completes all of the chores together!

Empowering your kids offers clarity about WHY these things are important. They learn about making choices with a positive attitude.

No matter what ages your children may be, there is something they can help with. In fact, they probably ask to help in order to spend time with you. Make it fun!

Our children learn from us the values and life skills they will need to know later on when they are on their own so there is no time like the present!

On “ME” Monday™ plan time for yourself and teach your kids the importance of self-care in addition to all the daily “must dos”.

For more tips and tools visit: https://www.livingwellspendingless.com/great-chores-kids/

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If you could do something for yourself right now that you are not doing, what would that be…?

To your health!

Lynn Lessell

Certified Health/Life Coach