One of the biggest challenges in motherhood has to be time! There isn’t enough to get the things that you want and need to do done. It means that as a mom, you have to choose what makes it to your planner and what doesn’t. But how do you decide? How do you pick which ones are worth keeping and which ones are not? The answer is, you prioritize! You decide what is important to you. And before you ask me how, here are 5 tips for identifying your priorities as a mom.
Why you must identify your priorities as a mom
Before we get to the tips, I want to highlight why it is essential to identify your priorities as a mom. To do certain things while leaving others out and still feel fulfilled and accomplished, you have to define what matters the most in your life. Moms juggle a lot, but you can choose what you juggle, according to your standards, not someone else’s. When you prioritize the things that are most important to you:
- You stop feeling lost and stuck.
- You become more focused, and motherhood and life become enjoyable and meaningful.
- You can set boundaries and know what to say yes and no to.
- You avoid being stretched too thin and burnt out.
- You can be present and enjoy every moment without feeling guilty about many other things you think you should be doing instead.
Remember your values
Values are beliefs about what is right and wrong and what is essential in life
What are the things that you consider essential in your life right now, mama? Is mental health important? What about spending time with your kids and your partner something you value a lot? Is creating a life of financial freedom essential? Then those are your values. Values inform our priorities. Therefore, take the time to ask yourself, “what is important to me currently?”
Identify and create a list of your priorities.
Consider your values from above and brainstorm your priorities. For example, if you value family time, then preparing meals and eating together as a family might be a priority to you. And if you value wellness, then exercise might be a priority to you. It can help to think about:
- What you want to be remembered for:
- Do you want to be remembered as a present mom and wife?
- As a successful mom boss/career woman?
- The things that you have now that you do NOT want to lose:
- Your job/income
- Your family and marriage or relationship
- Good health
- The improvements that you want to make in your life:
- Exercising more
- Going out on dates with your husband more.
- Tucking the kids in regularly
Take the time to think about these. You might have common responses to the questions, which means that those things are meaningful to you.
Know that you cannot make everything a priority
I believe that now you have a sense of what it is that matters the most to you. However, your priorities won’t have the same rank. I love looking at motherhood and life in seasons, and the hierarchy of your priorities depends on the season of motherhood you are currently on. So, which ones will be your top 3-5 priorities. Mine are:
- Family
- Wellness
- Career/Business
Keep in mind that the priorities that do not make it to your top 3 are not suddenly deemed less meaningful. Just because they are of lower rank doesn’t mean that you will never make time for them. And just because something is at the top of your list, it does not mean that it is the only thing that you will make time for. Priorities help guide you when you cannot decide whether or not to make room for something in your life. They are not rigid, the list of priorities evolves as you enter a different season in your life.
Set your non-negotiables
It is helpful to choose non-negotiables alongside your priorities. It is because your top 3 priorities are not the only things you will devote 100% of your time to. Yes, building a business might be a top priority right now, meaning you might be putting in long hours to achieve your business goals. However, you can decide that a weekly date with your kids is non-negotiable.
List and review your priorities.
Now, you can write your list of priorities in order of importance and if they have non-negotiables attached to them, list those too. Secondly, I want you to assess whether your current life aligns with your priorities or not. If yes, awesome, but it not, be empowered to make the necessary changes that will help you create the life of your dreams. Do not forget to review your priority list often. As I said, it evolves.
These are my five tips for identifying your priorities as a mom, and I trust that this blog post has helped you do just that. I know that we all have different approaches to things. Let me know in the comments below how you prioritize as a mom.
Great blog post, really helpful thanks Busi
It is my absolute pleasure Amanda, glad you found it helpful.