One thing that I really struggle with as a single mother is prioritizing. There is so much to do and still only twenty four hours in a day. I want to be able to do things with my daughter, I need to work, the yard needs to be taken care of, I have to do laundry, and vacuum. It seems like the list gets longer every day. I have found that I get so overwhelmed that I tend to laser focus on one thing.
The most important job I have is being Hailey’s mom but doesn’t mean I can let the job that pays the bills slide, or that I can let the house go, part of taking care of her is providing a safe and clean home with healthy meals. I usually feel like I’m jumping from thing to thing, five minutes putting away dishes, vacuuming for ten minutes, making beds, folding laundry, helping with homework, putting dinner in the oven. Somehow it usually gets done but none of it is done well.
Then, where is time for myself? I need time to exercise, it makes me feel better and I’m calmer, but it feels self indulgent when there is so much else that needs to be done. I also need time to unwind before I go to bed, I usually read, but Hailey is still up, and usually she wants to talk. I feel like a bad mom if I shoo her out of my room so I can read before bed.
How do you get it all done? What is most important? Should I play a game with Hailey every night? Or is it ok to just have one or two days a week that I give her that kind of attention? It’s hard to juggle everything, I never feel like I’m managing well. How do you prioritize and more importantly, how do you let go of the guilt when you feel like you are falling down on the job?