“Wherever you are, be there totally.” – Eckhart Tolle

Mindfulness is just that, being completely present where you are at any given time regardless of what you are doing. As a mom, I know this can seem nearly impossible.  

We carry the mental load of our families. We are the ones that remember to schedule the doctor appointments, sign the kids up for spring soccer, buy summer clothes before the stores sell out of the size you need, order the birthday gifts; the list can literally go one forever. We also are the ones that typically handle many (if not most) of the daily tasks to help keep our households running as smoothly as possible. We make dinner, pack lunches, check homework, clean, do the laundry, pay the bills, do the grocery shopping; just like the mental load list, this one could also go on forever. 

If you are like me, you sometimes start one task, wind up doing a bunch of other things, and get everything only partially done.  

Last week I went to the basement to switch the laundry. I got down there and remembered that I needed to take some stuff to the donation bin around the corner (I have been trying to do that for weeks). I decided this was the day. 

I grabbed the bags and ran them out to the car. Once I got out there, I remembered that I didn’t grab the mail yesterday. Got that and there was a party invite. Did the RSVP so I didn’t forget (like last time) and ordered a gift. While placing the order, I checked the pantry. Snacks. We needed snacks – added those to the order. Wait. Did I eat yet? Nope.  Went to Starbucks (told myself it was fine since I had to drop off the donations anyway)! 

Fast forward – I was winding down in bed and finally got comfortable. As I mindlessly scrolled IG, I thought about my day and I was happy with all that I had accomplished.  

Wait.  

The laundry. 

SHIT.

 I forgot to switch the damn laundry! 

Oh well, I told myself I would re-wash it in the morning.  

Oh yeah, remember those bags of donations I was going to drop off? Yep. Still in the trunk of my car.  

Does this sound like you? Is your mind constantly spinning but you seem to not get much accomplished or only get parts of things done? You're not alone, boo. 

Since becoming a mom, I’ve realized that practicing mindfulness not only helps me get shit done, but also makes me feel great. Nothing feels better than being fully present while reading my daughter a book or singing to her. I feel great when I am able to start and finish a project on my list and it feels even better when I get to cross tasks off of my never-ending to do list.

Practicing mindfulness helps you to maximize the use of your time and energy. Being a mom and working from home can be challenging AF sometimes because you are in the same space where you work and live pretty much all of the time.  

I know what you are thinking.  

"Kiera, this all sounds great and wonderful, but how the hell do I do it?"

Don’t worry! I’ve got you!

Here are four of my favorite strategies to use to help you practice mindfulness as a mom and as you work from home. 

4 Strategies for Being a Mindful Mom

1. Create Your Own Calm

Start your day off right in order to be present and mindful throughout the day. Wake up early enough to have some time to yourself to practice mindfulness and organize your day...aka finish your coffee while it's still hot. Practice breathing exercises, roll on some oils, meditate, get a work out in, etc. Choose something that helps you feel more in tune with yourself and prepared to start the day off on the right foot.  

2. Focus More by Doing Less

Set intentions for your day to help you be mindful and focus on one or two aspects of your day. Write them down or repeat them out loud (ie. I commit to being fully present while playing with my daughter today, I commit to creating three pieces of content today, I commit to folding the laundry today, etc). Setting intentions helps you shift your focus from everything you have going on to one or two things each day. 

In order to be focused, it is important to create a schedule and stick to it.  Be sure to make your daily task list realistic and attainable. This will help you feel accomplished, less stressed about how you are going to get it all done, and help you focus.

3. Move Your Body

In a funk? Stuck in a rut in the middle of the day? Get up and move your body! I know. This one is the hardest sometimes. Especially when you have a million and seven things on your to-do list. But trust me, it's one of the most helpful ways to flip your mindset.

Go for a walk, get a quick work out in, do yoga; do something to increase your movement throughout the day. Focus on your body and breathing in order to bring you back to the present. Movement can also help give you the mindful clarity and burst of energy you need to keep going.

4. Reflect 

Use a reflection journal at the end of the day to help you improve your productivity.  What went well? What can you improve upon? What are things you liked and didn’t like about the day? Answering these types of questions will help you improve your ability to shift your focus and determine what changes or strategies you need to put in place to keep you productive and happy. 

Adopting mindfulness practices like these will help you keep your mom life in check and improve your work-from-home-life mindset. You will be able to be in the moment and accomplish so much more.  

Let me know if any of these strategies help you be more mindful and intentional with your days. Do you do something different to practice mindfulness? Let me know! I would love to try new techniques to help me live a full and focused life. 

xo, Kiera