Balancing Life

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Photo Cred: Monica Brown


Balancing your family and work is tricky at best. As a writer, I am plotting one manuscript, writing another, and editing yet another all while promoting the most current book. How do I balance that with all the demands of a wife and mother? One word: Prioritize.

When I wake up in the morning, the first thing I ask myself is what time shall I take my nap. Just kidding. Mostly. Actually nearly every week for several years, I write a list of priorities for that week, sometimes by the day. Anything with a deadline has priority, and anything not done will be moved to the next week. (I've had some things that have moved from week to week for several weeks until the items just fall of my lists completely.)

The one thing I prioritize is family time. This comes in the form of family scriptures and family prayer. Family meals get tricky with busy evenings, but we try for them.

I also prioritize my personal time to refill and recharge. Every morning I spend fifteen minutes in personal spiritual study/meditation and prayer. I also exercise daily for physical and mental health replenishment. I find if I don't do these things, I am not nearly as effective at wifing, mothering or writing.

The last thing I prioritize is time with my husband. He works a demanding job. We both volunteer time to our church. Making sure we connect is a priority. As a couple, we also take time to read the scriptures and pray every day. We also make sure we have a weekly date. Often the "date" is my husband reading my latest WIP and giving me ideas.

If I make sure I prioritize properly, then everything else falls into place nicely. Anything falling off the list, falls off the list.


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