motherhood Archives - My Inner Shakti

Raising a Kid with Doctor Dad

I like to joke that medicine is Vishnu’s mistress. A mistress that I’ve come to accept and befriend. Ha! She’s been a part of our lives since we starting dating almost 14 years ago. And she’ll be around until Vishnu retires. Who am I kidding? She’ll be around forever.

When it was just us, it was easier to work with and around Vishnu’s med school journey (studying, boards, residency application/matching process, etc.). Now that we have Kaiden, it’s a whole different ball game. But we’re learning to navigate this path just like we have all the others.

Before I share more, let me set some context…

When we had Kaiden, Vishnu had just started his 2^nd year of Radiology residency (overall year 3 if you count intern year). He’s now in his 3^rd year, and we have one more to go. After he finishes residency, he’ll complete one year of fellowship because he wants to specialize in a particular area of Radiology. Once he’s done with all of this training, he start working as an attending. Phew!

I’m not going to lie. From a significant other’s perspective, this journey has been exciting, challenging, frustrating, etc. I mean, I knew what I was getting into when we started dating and later married, but nothing can really prepare you for the ups and downs.

Vishnu wanted me to share that we do use bed sheets and a comforter. They were being washed at the time this picture was taken.

I will caveat this by saying I know we have it better than a lot of other people out there. My heart specifically goes out to the military families who deal with deployments, uncertainty, and long periods of time without seeing each other.

Something that often dictates how we schedule our time and how our days/evenings run is Vishnu’s schedule. And it changes by the month and every now and then even by the week. This means that sometimes he has to be at the hospital by 7:00 and sometimes not until 7:30. If it’s the latter, he’s able to drop Kaiden off at daycare. If not, it’s all me! I don’t mind the variances when they’re limited to daytime hours. Nights are something else altogether! When Vishnu’s on nights, he leaves the house at 6:30 pm and comes back the next morning around 8 am. His shifts run Sunday night through the following Saturday morning. The reason I truly dislike nights is because they eat up our weekends, since Vishnu needs to fit in rest at some point. Another game changer is call. For Vishnu’s hospital, these are the Saturday/Sunday shifts they do. Saturdays are usually 24 hour (7 am – 8 am) and Sundays are 12 hour (8 am – 7 pm). I hate 24 hour Saturdays. HATE! And I don’t think I need to explain why!

Other than the weekly/monthly variances, we also deal with holiday shifts. The past two years were rough, especially around the holidays. But oh well! What can you do? I’m hoping the final year of residency (next year) is as chill as they say it is. Fingers crossed!

Another aspect of all of this is the uncertainty that comes with the residency and fellowship matching process. It’s not a given that you’ll end up where you want to be in terms of city. For us, Kaiden wasn’t here when we matched in Chicago for residency. But now that we’re on to the fellowship process, he’s definitely something we’re taking into consideration, since he’ll be three at the start of it.

With all of this being said, we are always trying to be more aware of how we spend our time, especially on the weekends. In the past, we’ve always let med school/residency/etc. take precedence over all else. Now that we have Kaiden, we recognize that if we don’t bring intention to everything we do, these first few years of his life will fly by, and we’ll have big regrets later. For us, this looks like visiting the museum, going out to eat as a family, taking trips (definitely need to get better about this one!), etc. Vishnu’s committed not to let board studying (pretty much the first half of 2019) be his only priority. As is the case with everything, it’s a work in progress, but we’re trying!

The other side of all of this is accepting and acknowledging that this is all short term (although it doesn’t always feel like it). We’ll be settled somewhere in a few years, and I’m pretty sure we’ll miss pieces of the residency/fellowship journey.

Another aspect, for me at least, is accepting a few things and being ok with them (most of the time). For us, this means that I’m pretty much the primary parent. I’m also the one who schedules doctor’s appointments, activities, home stuff, etc. Some days I’m filled with gratitude and more than happy to take it all on, and some days…well, I’m not. Positive self-talk really does wonders. I have to remind myself that Vishnu’s not out having fun…he’s at work, studying, etc. And truth be told, Vishnu actually does a lot more than I would be able to do if the roles were reversed. He does a great job balancing everything, especially fatherhood and husbandhood. In fact, he’s the one who’s constantly thinking of new things for us to do and try, new places to take Kaiden, etc.

Many people think the doctor life is glamorous and easy, especially for the significant other, but I’m here to tell you it’s not. I have lots of friends who are doctors and/or are married to one, and glamor is so far from the reality of this journey. It takes a lot of dedication, compromise, resiliency, and faith to get to the end of training, and I imagine those same things continue to carry you forward well after.

So yeah, we’re 17 months in and pretty much agree that Kaiden should not go into medicine. HA! Jussssstttt kidddddinggggg! At least I am. Vishnu’s determined to guide him down a different path. We shall see!

Bringing Back Barre3 + Why I ‘Quit’ BBG

written by Parita 7 Comments

As a mom, getting into an exercise groove is much harder than I anticipated it would be. I used to be one of those early morning workout people. Up before the sun, ready to go! While I can’t say that’s me anymore, I hope to get back to AM workouts one day (when K regularly sleeps in until at least 6 am!). Currently, I’m in a season of life where it’s all about collective movement and fitting in what I can when I can. And not beating myself up when I can’t (this is key!).

With that being said, I am trying to be more intentional about the kind of workouts I do. With exercise being my ‘me time’ and an opportunity for me to destress, I want what I do to reflect how I feel. And that is why I’m bringing back Barre3 online workouts. After having Kaiden (and being cleared to work out again), Barre3 was the only thing that got me out of bed. It was the only workout that left me feeling good not only physically but also mentally and emotionally. I also love how it incorporates functional movements as well as cardio, strength, and stretching. I’m only a few days into it and already sore…those shakes and quakes are something I tell you!

If you’re interested in trying out Barre3 online, here’s a give $10, get $10 code. And if you want to read more about why I love it so much, check out these posts – 7 Reasons Why Barre3 Online is a Great Option for Moms and 5 Reasons to Try Barre3 Online.

Ok, now on to why I ‘quit’ BBG (for now at least)…

BBG is a great workout system. There’s no doubt about that. If you commit, you will see results. I certainly felt stronger and saw more definition in my legs, arms, and stomach area (I just can’t call it abs…because I’m so far from that!). The first time around, I got to week 5 (out of 12). The second time around (I started all over again), I got to week 9.

When I think back on my BBG workouts, the things I stopped enjoying included always working out by myself, the intensity of the workouts, and how monotonous they got to be after a while. So here’s the thing, I get that it’s only 28 minutes (in theory), they’re meant to be intense (that’s the whole point), and you’re supposed to build your strength from week 1 to 12. I get it all, but for me at this point in my life, BBG just isn’t working. So instead of doing it for the sake of doing it and finishing, I decided to ‘quit’ and say goodbye for now. I may pick it back up again at some point, but for now it’s Barre3, some wogging (walking + jogging), and Soul Cycle (still once a week when possible). Oh and lots of good old movement, which Kaiden ensures I get on the daily!

Overall, if I had to share one piece of insight I’ve learned in my own journey, I’d say this – do what makes you feel good because that’s what you’ll stick with through all of the ups and downs of…well, life! Don’t do something just because someone else is doing it. Do it for you! If you enjoy Barre, do that. If you like HIIT workouts, give BBG a try. If you’re a runner, stick with that. It’s good to try new things (all about that!), but at the end of the day, go with what you love. And remember, every little bit of movement adds up!

*Stepping off soap box…*

So tell me, what’s your preferred workout? What do you always go back to?

I See You, New Mama

written by Parita 2 Comments

It’s taken 15 months, but I can now see and admit that I often felt lost and alone those first few (6!) months after giving birth to Kaiden. I had tons of support from family and friends, but I was in my own head a lot. Am I doing ok? Is Kaiden big enough? Is he meeting his milestones? What if something happens to Kaiden? To Vishnu? To me? Simply put, I was overwhelmed, exhausted, and constantly questioning everything.

I now know this is very normal. I mean, think about the before, during, and after of new motherhood. It’s intense…to say the least!

Also since giving birth to K, I’ve thought a lot about what I would say to other news moms to [even slightly] reduce their anxiousness around the journey they’re about to start. It’s hard because every journey, every mom, and every baby is so different. That’s the beauty of it, but nonetheless, I would want my new mama friends to know that I see them.

So this one’s for you, new mamas…

I see you, new mama…walking around like a zombie. Ugh, sleep deprivation! Trust me it will get easier. While you may never sleep as deeply again (you know, the whole heart walking around outside of you thing!), your new family will find its own rhythm. And I know it’s annoying when everyone and their mom says this, but try to sleep when the baby sleeps (at least a few times a week).

I see you, new mama…struggling to feed your baby. Anxious if your baby is getting enough milk if you’re breastfeeding. Anxious about pumping and feeling like a human cow. Anxious about offering formula. I see you, and I want you to know it will be ok. You will figure it out one way or another. And take it from me, fed is best. Formula is not the devil. Do what’s best for you and your baby.

I see you, new mama…struggling to connect with your significant other. Vishnu and I have a pretty strong relationship, but it’s definitely changed a lot since Kaiden was born. Pre-baby, we had all the time we wanted/needed to hang out, talk, and do things to strengthen our connection. Now all of that takes a bit more work and energy. In the early days, we were definitely a good team. But there are no practice sessions when it comes to parenthood. You literally jump into the game and play your heart out for the rest of your life. So with that being said, it took a while to figure out what works for us. When to pass the ball, when to run…you get it! Our playbook changes every now and then, but we’re more agile than before. It takes time, my friend. The one thing I can say is communicate, communicate, communicate. Neither one of you is a mind reader, and this new third wheel may throw things off for a bit. But keep talking and acknowledging each other.

I see you, new mama…worrying about the future. This is probably the #1 thing I struggled with on a day-to-day basis. The unknown future. It’s so scary to think about, especially when the most precious thing in your life is a little human who depends on you completely. But I promise, it will be ok. As I like to say now, the future you doesn’t exist yet, but the present you does, so take care of her so she can take care of her baby. And everything will happen as it should in due course. Don’t give away your present joys for the unknown. Take it from me…it’s not worth it.

I see you, new mama…feeling vulnerable. Not only do you now have a new baby, but you also gained a new body and a new mind/brain. Everything is different now, so I don’t blame you for feeling vulnerable. I did and still do to this day. But again, please cut yourself some slack. You grew a human inside of you for 9+ months. You created a freaking miracle. It will and should take 9+ months to get back to you. A new you, I should say. Even though the feeling of vulnerability won’t just go away, you are a lot stronger than you think you are you. You were meant to be your baby’s mama, and you are just who he/she needs. Don’t forget that!

I see you, new mama…trying to be supermom/wife/everything. PLEASE try your hardest to remove this label off your back. I’m not saying you’re not super, because you are. I want you to take that pressure off because you’re human. You will make mistakes, and you’ll learn from them. You will let people down, and you’ll learn to be ok with that (and so will they). You will need to rest, and you’ll learn to ask for help. But only if you remember that you too, like the rest of your family and friends, are a human being. And if this just doesn’t resonate, remember that your kid needs a happy mama, not a perfect one. It’s absolutely a must to throw away the superXXX label and take care of yourself. I can’t stress this enough.

Above all else, new mama, I hope you know you’ve got this! It won’t be easy, but there’s no one better for the job.

My Thoughts on ‘The Maternal Grandparent Advantage’

written by Parita Leave a Comment

I didn’t know ‘the maternal grandparent advantage’ even existed until I read this article back in April. It makes sense on so many levels. However, a lot depends on your family dynamic, your relationship with your parents and in-laws, their relationship with each other, etc.

Before I share my thoughts, let’s review what this advantage is exactly…

According to the articles I read, the advantage stems from the fact that daughters tend to have a closer relationship with their own parents which leaders to a warmer relationship between the kids and their maternal grandparents. Paternal grandparents, on the other hand, have to tread carefully.

Another element to this is that women are still responsible for ‘kinkeeping.’ This includes planning, calls, visits, sharing news and updates, holidays, etc. The wife is the gatekeeper to not only her own family but her husband’s as well.

Like I said, a lot of variables are at play here.

So here’s what I can relate to…

I do have more frequent contact with my parents, specifically my mom (we talk 1-2x/day). She’s my emotional support, my advice giver, etc. My go-to on a day to day basis essentially! We also have a family chat between my mom, dad, sister and I making it easy to just check-in and say hi.

While I have the best in-laws in the whole world (no bias here!), the bond I have with my parents is just unique and can’t be replicated. For example, my in-laws have treated me like a daughter since before Vishnu and I were married. No daughter-in-law business. That said, I’m still there daughter-in-law, and there’s a level of formality that will always be there versus the comfort I have with my own family.

There’s also this element, I think, of Vishnu’s parents having two boys versus my parents who have two girls. It basically boils down to different expectations and relationship dynamics.

That said, I am also the gatekeeper/kinkeeper in our family. If you know Vishnu at all, this will make total sense! Ha!

So yes, I see how the maternal grandparent advantage exists in some ways.

But here’s what I can’t relate to…

Regardless of your relationship with your in-laws, keeping your kids from them is wrong. The only exception being if they don’t treat them well. The way I see it, Kaiden is as much my parents’ grandson as he is my in-laws, and he should have a strong relationship with everyone.

I know it’s easy for me to say because I myself have a great relationship with Vishnu’s parents, our parents are close, etc. But even if I didn’t, I would find a way to put my feelings aside for Kaiden’s sake. Grandparents are such special people, and I wouldn’t want to take that away from him.

I would love to hear other thoughts on this topic because, like I said, it totally depends on your family dynamic. Leave a comment or email me if you’re more comfortable (myinnershakti@gmail.com).

Working Mom + Momprenuer – Avani Sarkar from Modi Toys

written by Parita Leave a Comment

I’m super excited about today’s post, so I’m just going to get right to it. I connected with Avani Sarkar on Instagram after seeing so many people I follow talk about the Modi Toys Baby Ganesh. I loved this idea and can’t wait to get one for K (currently on the waiting list!).

What intrigued me even more though is the fact that Avani is a working mama AND a momprenuer of TWO companies. After letting this sink in, I definitely thought about how I don’t have room to make any excuses for myself. She has the same number of hours in her day that I do. So inspiring!

With that, here’s Avani to tell her story…

I am fortunate enough to have a job with some flexibility, where I get to work from home twice a week. My daughter goes to daycare for a few hours those days, but my mom and in-laws are the primary caretakers during working hours. Since my mom stays with me a couple of days a week, she’ll meal prep for me. But since my husband isn’t vegetarian like me, I’ll make chicken for him once a week, along with some side veggie dishes. I try to spend as little time in the kitchen as possible because it’s usually for the best! But when I am feeling rather adventurous, my go to is The Chutney Life for easy to follow recipes. My daughter has major FOMO so she usually doesn’t go to sleep until I go to sleep, which either means I fall sleep early sometimes or she’s up way past her bedtime. I try to squeeze in Modi Toys work somewhere in the midst of all of this throughout the day: as I’m commuting to work on the train, as I’m walking home, once my daughter is asleep, etc. If all else fails, I give her an iPad so I can work uninterrupted at times. Mom guilt is at an all time high when I do this, but I try to make up for it by spending time outdoors with her and going on trips (near and far).

Passion doesn’t come with a switch that I can just turn on and of unfortunately. I wish I could say that when I’m at the office, all I think about is work. Or that when I’m with my daughter, all I think about is her. My mind has a million tabs open at any given time so I’m always thinking and being inspired and planning ahead.

My first foray into entrepreneurship was actually with a passion project I started in 2012 called Ever After Proposals. Just as couples hire wedding planners to help them with their wedding, guys would hire me as a Marriage Proposal Planner to help them pop the question. My motto for the company always has been: for the hopeless and the romantic. My goal was to simply help steer guys in the right direction to ensure they “think like a woman, and plan like a boss.” In the past six years, I’ve planned proposals everywhere from Florida, Puerto Rico, San Diego to NYC. I still try to squeeze in proposals, but as you can imagine, this falls to the bottom of the priority list these days.

That said, entrepreneurship always excited me, but Modi Toys happened more organically. My brother and I didn’t sit in a conference room to brainstorm business ideas we could launch. We naturally stumbled on an idea, which happened to check a lot of the boxes that you would want in a product: it’s unique, it provides immense value and it has a mass appeal.

My brother and I both became first time parents at the same time (our daughters are born a week apart). During this time, we were naturally being inundated with toys and other gifts for them. And it was almost like a passing thought: why aren’t there any toys that are inspired by our culture? If there are stuffed animals that can sing the alphabet or random nursery rhymes, why aren’t there toys that are more meaningful? Truth be told, this idea was compounded by our mom, who would always be harping on the fact we shouldn’t lose our “sanskar.” Her point was valid and it became the backbone of our company: if we don’t retain the values/teachings of our culture, then how can we expect our children — and their children — to?

To be perfectly honest, my brother has the “doer” role in our entrepreneurial journey. He was the one that contacted manufacturers and spoke to lawyers and recording artists. He is the operations guy who put the idea into action. If it weren’t for him getting the product into production mode, I wouldn’t have anything to market. But that said, we make a really great team. I manage all of the creative aspects of the brand – from developing the logo, website, social media, partnerships, campaigns, etc. It also helps that my masters and professional background has been in marketing, whereas his has been in consulting. We both just naturally assumed our roles in the company.

Since Ganesh is the symbol of new beginnings, we decided to launch a plush Baby Ganesh first. We figured, we’ll see how it does, if there’s any demand for it, and take it from there. Surprisingly, our daughters weren’t the only ones who loved it once we received the first prototypes from the manufacturer. Hundreds of moms we asked in mommy groups also loved the idea…enough to give us the confidence boost to do an official production run.

Being a “Mom plus anything” is tough – be it a working mom, entrepreneur, athlete, etc. To feel like you’re being the “best” mom you can be requires you to give kids your undivided attention at all times. And when you have other priorities and other passions in your life, it’s hard to feel like you’re giving any of these roles your 100%. But that said, eventually your kids will grow up and become more independent. While they’ll still need you, the capacity in which they do, will be different. I keep telling myself that if I hustle hard now, I can enjoy the fruits of my labor with my family down the road.

So rather than wait until “the time is right until your kids are older,” I encourage people to leverage their skills while they’re still young. I’m in my 30s and I’m younger today than I will be tomorrow so no time to waste! Nothing irritates me more than people who have ideas without a plan. Ideas come easy but you know what else comes easy? Excuses. And frankly, where there’s a will there’s a way.

Thank you for sharing your story, Avani! I’m positive you’ve inspired so many people to take a step towards their dreams…me included!

Energy Management + ‘Not Right Now’

written by Parita 1 Comment

I’ve been thinking a lot about how I manage my energy on a daily basis. Personally, it’s important I have enough fuel in the tank (because we all know it’s not unlimited), so to speak, as my day usually starts at 5 am and ends around 10 pm.

Like so many mamas, I give a bit of my energy to everyone and everything – Kaiden, Vishnu, my extended family, friends, coworkers, work, cooking (and everything that comes with it!), cleaning, laundry, exercise, etc. I’d say about 85% of my energy is spent on these people/things/tasks.

The remaining 15% is reserved for me – blogging/Instagramming, downtime, TV time, journaling, reading, etc.

This isn’t an exact science because I have plenty of days where I feel like I have 0 time for me, but generally speaking, this is what my breakdown looks like.

My breakdown also looks different on the weekdays vs. the weekends, days when Vishnu’s around vs. days when he’s working, etc.

The one thing I realized when thinking about all of this is that I have less control over how I spend my weekday energy, as there are some big things that demand my attention (i.e. work!). And honestly, while I’m bone tired by the end of the day, I thrive with a bit of routine, so I’m happy with how our weekdays run.

The weekends, on the other hand, take a bit more work. There’s so much I want to do, but everything is kind of up in the air depending on Kaiden’s nap schedule (one nap or two, 60 minutes or 90?), Vishnu’s work schedule, our must do commitments, the weather (this impacts everything!), etc.

Over time, I’ve realized I’d like my energy to be more balanced during the weekends. Obviously, Kaiden and Vishnu take up a lot of it (as they should), but I’d like to leave more time for free play and exploration for Kaiden, and I’d love to have some leftover energy for me to do more writing. Things like taking K to the park and the museum are super important to me.

With all of this being said, we recently said ‘not right now’ to K’s swim classes. They were taking way too much of my energy, and to be completely honest, I felt a sense of ‘not this again’ every Friday night and Saturday morning.

For those who haven’t taken a toddler to swim class before, let me tell you – it’s a lot of work. Before, during, and after. And this year, a lot of the work would have fallen on me because of Vishnu’s work/interview/boards studying schedule. While I love taking K on play dates and the museum, swim class left me exhausted and a bit frazzled. By noon every Saturday, I’d find that most of my energy was spent.

When my parents were here in September, my mom came with me to swim. Afterwards, she gently mentioned how we may want to consider pushing this particular activity back a bit. For my sanity! When she said that, I felt this immediate sense of relief because deep down I just needed someone to tell me that saying ‘not right now’ is ok. Thank you, mom!

Initially, we wanted to enroll K in swim because it’s an important life skill to have, something we can do with him, and a fun weekend activity. Well, it turns out that a 15 month can’t just learn how to swim, and this is something that can be deferred to age 3. Also, taking away swim leaves time for lot of different activities versus just one.

Another key point here (for me at least) is that with the winters we get in Chicago, taking K to swim every weekend would be a whole lot harder. Just thinking about lugging our winter gear around was stressing me out!

Vishnu was a little hesitant to quit, but when I explained everything to him, he definitely understood. In fact, his exact response was, “Maybe we can sign him up for soccer instead!” Oy vey!

It’s been a little over a month since our last swim class, and I can’t tell you how much more balanced I feel on the weekends now. This just goes to show that sometimes saying ‘not right now’ is the best answer for everyone because happy mama = happy family.

This is all to say that if the way you’re spending your energy is making you unhappy, change it! Say ‘not right now’ to a couple of things, and reinvest that energy into activities that are fun for you and your baby! As modern mamas, we want to do it all (at least I do!), but that’s not realistic and honestly not important. While swim classes sounded like a good idea at first, we quickly realized it just wasn’t the right time. And that’s ok. Your baby’s not going to remember this time anyways, but you will. And I’m 110% sure the future you will want to see a mama who’s energized and happy!

Outsourcing + Motherhood

written by Parita 1 Comment

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned over the past 15 months is that I can’t do everything. Surprise surprise! As much as I love tackling extensive to do lists, there’s just not enough time most days. And more importantly, now that we have Kaiden, I’d much rather spend any extra time I do have with him.

So how do I create time for myself? Well, let’s just say the answer didn’t and still doesn’t come easy.

Plain and simple, it’s all about figuring out what you can outsource and finding someone and/or a service that does it well.

Let me give you a little background first so you understand where I’m coming from.

I’ve lived on my own (i.e., not with my parents) for the last 11 years. And in that time, I’ve done my own cleaning and my own grocery shopping. Always. I just couldn’t fathom paying someone else to do those things for me when I could do them myself AND to my exact preferences.

And then came baby!

CLEANING

Not my bathtub btw!

Both last September and this August, I had major revelations that perhaps it’s ok to get a little help with the more time consuming tasks. In September, we made one of the best decisions ever and decided to hire someone to come clean our apartment every three weeks. You see, [deep] cleaning took up a lot of my time (hours…usually on the weekends). Once Kaiden arrived, I realized there’s no way to do what I needed/wanted to all at once. This meant I cleaned throughout the week during nap time instead of resting or doing other important tasks that can’t be outsourced. After the first professional cleaning, I realized how life-changing this was going to be. Obviously some maintenance is required throughout the in between weeks, but I haven’t deep cleaned a bathroom tub in over a year, and it feels so good!

GROCERY SHOPPING

And then in August, I used Instacart for the first time! Now, let me start off by saying that this isn’t going to be a regular thing because I truly LOVE grocery shopping and picking my own produce. But I’m so happy to have tried it now and know that it works for us, especially during the winter, after coming home from vacation, etc. For those who aren’t familiar with Instacart, it’s essentially a grocery delivery service where you pick your products (from produce, to deli meats, to ice cream) online and select when you want them to be delivered [to your door]. That’s it! Personally, I was a concerned about the cost of this service. I didn’t want to pay a fee for something I can easily do in under an hour. But what I found is that I actually end up paying less for groceries when using Instacart because I truly just order what I need versus buying all this extraneous stuff when I physically go into the store. Again, not giving up this little passion of mine but good to know I have this option if I need it.

I don’t know how this works for other people, but my hurdles with outsourcing stem from a place not wanting to invest in something I can do myself. Superwoman mentality at it’s finest. Also, my parents never hired cleaning help, so it was a little uncomfortable at first. And honestly, it took a little back and forth between me and Vishnu to figure out how we would fit this into our budget, but once we committed, all these doors opened up and I wished we had done so pre-baby!

I guess my takeaway thought here is this – take a closer look at what you spend the most amount of time doing and figure out if it can be outsourced. If no, figure out a way to work smarter, but if yes, see if it’s possible to do so (cost, availability in your area, etc.) and try. You can always go back to your old ways, but I promise you that not having to worry about cleaning your toilets and literally getting back hours every week is life changing.

Happy mama = happy family, right?!

*P.S. If you live in the Chicago area and are searching for an amazing cleaning person, shoot me an email (myinnershakti@gmail.com). I love who we use and highly recommend her!

No portion of this post is sponsored. However, affiliate links are included. There is no extra cost to you, but I do receive a small commission on anything you buy through my links. Thank you for reading and supporting My Inner Shakti!