Wednesday, July 11, 2012

WILT...Work-Life Balance?

I read an article recently that, while really no surprise, still fascinated me. It was a study on working parents and how the stress they experience can impact the nutrition of their entire family. According to it, working mothers (especially those experiencing stress at work) reported less family meals, more reliance on take out, and less fresh food. The Debbie Downer part to me is that they also report less encouragement of their family's healthful eating.

As a full-time working mom I hate to hear these things, but I experience it every day. The challenge of squeezing 25 hours worth of stuff that 'needs' to be done into a mere 24 hours. And I only have one kid!!!

Squash from my garden anyone? Soon to be baby food!

I try to be mindful every day of how my actions may influence G and how she will grow to view her world. I want her to know that no one is perfect, especially her momma! But I do set goals for myself, alot of them health and fitenss related, and work toward them in the best way I know how.

I've been doing fairly well in July with meeting those goals. I got 3 good runs in (Goal #1) and a couple of total body workouts last week and am off to a good start this week with a run tonight. Clean eating (Goal #2) is a struggle, but I'm getting better. I did take one day of pics in an effort to hold myself accountable (Goal #3), and through some glitch G ended up in the collage instead of breakfast-since I think she's so cute I just left it!

I had overnight oats for breakfast, shared a cranberry chicken salad wrap for lunch (see the remaining crackers from my Habits post?) and a spicy back bean burger, sauteed kale and quinoa salad for dinner. We won't discuss the snacks as a few were a little less desirable. Maybe one day I'll take only pics of the things I'd rather not show-that should teach me a lessone!

But see, that's just the point-I'm not perfect, nor will I ever be-AT ANYTHING. I want G to understand that. I want to be able to let the little things that used to stress me out go. Here are some rules I'm learning to live by to make sure I don't fall into the category of the working mothers in that article.

My family needs to be:
  • clean
  • fed
  • clothed
  • loved

They/I do not need:
  • a spotless house
  • three course completely homemade meals
  • a stressed out mom/wife because the shower didn't get scrubbed!
For real, is anyone going to love me more because I stayed up late washing counters and picking up every last toy G decide to throw? Am I going to love me more? Of course not. Life is meant to be enoyed, our families and friends are meant to be enjoyed.

And that work stress thing-I'm learning real quick to check it at the door. There is no room for that in my house.

1 comment:

  1. FABULOUS post! You are 100% right. I am not perfect and I know this. My kids don't care and most days my husband doesn't care. lol. Seriously though, he's fine with it.

    I am definitely working on eating healthier as a family. There is resistance in my husband and 6 year old but we're all working on it. I sometimes don'e take pictures of the less healthy meals and I know that is something I need to work on as well. Together we will become healthier for our families.

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