By Jolandi Becker – MD of Good Night
Women’s Day forms part of South Africa’s Women’s Month which provides an opportunity to pay tribute to the generations of women whose struggles laid the foundations for the progress made in empowering women and achieving gender equality to date.
The privileges and choices we have now is wonderful but not without its own challenges!
Let’s face it managing life with children, a partner, a household and a job is NOT easy! Each day is a constant logistical puzzle, requiring intricate organisational skills, patience, and flexibility. No wonder there is no space for additional spontaneity, this just happens naturally with all the variables (children and a house).
In comparison to those women who marched in 1956, my accomplishments are weak but because it is in my nature to solve problems and give advice, I am sharing some of my pearls (might just be pebbles) of wisdom in my own attempt to celebrate Women and what we can do!
- Stop telling everyone you are busy. It has become a standard answer for us all when asked “How are you?” The only person you end up convincing is yourself! Put a positive spin on it and answer: “Productive!”
- 5 minutes saved a day, is 35 minutes a week! Find ways, even if they are silly to do things more efficiently, this can be a game changer.
- Schedule everything, including relaxation and exercise! Whether you do it in a paper diary, online calendar or on Outlook. Whether it is picking up the children or driving them to activities, writing a blog, going to do your nails or a work meeting, have it in your calendar. If it requires your partner remember to send them a meeting request too.
- You can add attachments on Outlook. If you have to go buy ballet clothes or a whole list of stationery. Put it in your calendar and attach the list to your post, it will be on your phone and no need to look for it later.
- Plan your menu for the week. “what is for dinner?” became one of my pet peeves. The solution: a weekly white board from Makro! Once a week decide what will be for dinner every night for the next week. Take requests from the family and try to make it fun on a Friday night by throwing in some: “Surprise” “Let’s see” or “Take out”. This way NO one needs to ask, they can just look on the white board!
- Make a list before going shopping and don’t buy unnecessary things that are NOT on the list. As you do your weekly meal plan, you know what you are going to make and just like that you can write down what you will need!
- Try to do your shopping during quiet times or online! Sunday late afternoon, Tuesday or Thursday mornings is the best. If you don’t have those times available to go shopping, do it online and have them deliver when you get home. Most major chains have extended delivery times and don’t charge a lot more for delivery.
- Put your phone on silent. In fact, put all sound off, on your phone, laptop, and devices, especially if you are busy working on something that requires your attention, such as your children!
- Have dinner together as a family.
- Have screen free times. After dinner, include some reading and journaling time for the whole family. You can have your children listen to audio books, while you read something else.
- Exercise. It is good for you, you will feel less tired and actually get a lot more done.
- Sleep. It is good for you, you will feel less tired and actually get a lot more done the next day.
Let’s keep on fighting the good fight, now that we all have a bit more time! Happy Women’s Month!
#sleeptraining