How Are You at Juggling??

This post is for any woman who feels like they have several roles to juggle on a daily basis…so this means ALL OF US!  It can be roles such as being a student-daughter-girlfriend or as in my case, wife-mother-full time employee-sister-daughter-student …whew, that’s a mouthful!  Many of us have to balance a lot of different roles and still maintain our sanity!!  Right now, I work full time and at work I deal with a lot of nonsense.  The expectations at my job are sometimes out of control but I have to keep some cash flowing in my house until I’m blessed with a better position or become self-employed.  Next, I am a wife! Enough said! Lol. I’m a mother of 3 wonderful kids BUT all 3 require a lot of time and attention.  For example, I was up at 3am a few times this week because my 5 yr old son suffers from CVA (cough-variant asthma). That disease is so disheartening because I feel that I should be able to do more for him (another post topic, I know).  My 12 year old son is now starting to get into that “it’s all about me” phase.  He takes pictures of himself everyday now, lol.  And my 2 yr old daughter, Whew!  She is a true Princess-DIVA-Tomboy, lol.  She is very strong-minded already and rough as the boys but still wants her nails polished at the end of the day! 

I have two older sisters but many times I feel like I’m the oldest.  Or at least I feel responsible for making sure they are okay.  And my mother has been a single parent for many years so ya’ll know I have to make sure she’s not in need (as best as I can).  Now for my role as student…I finished my Masters last year (May 09) but I’m applying for admittance into a Ph.D program hopefully next month.  It’s an online program but even that will require some finagling of my time.  Of course there are other smaller roles I play, (e.g. young girl mentor at church, friend, etc.) but for the most part the main roles I play can have me extra exhausted!  So what do you do to combat the exhaustion you say? 

Well, first I try to pray that God helps me to balance all the roles He has set before me.  Remember, God will not give you more than you can bear (1 Corinthians 10:13). 

 Second, I definitely take some time out for myself!! Both of these are MUST Do’s ladies!  When I say take some time out for you, I’m simply saying take maybe 1-2 hours a week and do something for yourself.  You can go get your nails and eyebrows done, have coffee with a friend, walk around the mall and make a wishlist of items you’ll purchase later on, go to a movie your husband won’t watch with you, or even go thrift shopping!!  I make it a point to do sometime for myself whenever possible.  I LOVE LOVE shopping so it’s nothing for me to steal an hour away and go to Forever 21, NY & Company, H&M, Target or whatever store I have in mind that day.  I’ll even go to a drug store and buy some new makeup to try.  It just doesn’t take much for me to shop! Lol.  Anyway, just do something.  I know many of us feel guilty when we do for ourselves because we feel we are neglecting out children or our households.  Remember, if you don’t take care of yourself, you may not be around long enough to take care of your children, husbands, or home because you’ll be locked away in a mental institution. Lol…I laugh but I’m Serious!   No one can take care of you like YOU!

Let me add by saying, I don’t have it all together! There are times when I spend more time shopping then cleaning my house or more time with my children than with my husband.  Understand that none of us are perfect, but as long as you have a priority list and know what’s important you can always refer back to it! This way you can remain being that virtuous wife-soccer mom-employee of the month-role model sister-helpful daughter-4.0 student-AND Natural YOU that God has created you to be!! 

So tell me what are some things you all do to stay sane or how do you all juggle your many roles? Do tell! I may learn something from you!! Until next time, Be Blessed Naturals!!

~NaturallyCreole~