“Some days, she has no idea how she’ll do it, but every single day, it still gets done.” – Unknown
Parenting is not easy, and single parenthood, as you can imagine, is even harder. There are days when I feel like I can conquer the world, and there are other days where I think the world has stomped all over me. Finding the balance between single motherhood and my ambitions has not been easy. Both are high priorities for me. I have not found the perfect formula for balance; however, I manage to get everything done. Over the past two years, my academics have been my focus. I recently completed my Bachelor’s degree in early childhood leadership, and I received acceptance into the Master of Teaching program, which will start in September of this year (2020). On top of my academics, I am trying to maintain some consistency with my blogs, my social media content and everyday life.
Motherhood will always be a consistent priority for me. As my son grows and becomes more independent, I can add more to my plate. Adding my academic goals to my workload has been challenging. However, I have been able to find ways to maintain a balance. For me, organization is critical for finding a balance between parenting my son and my academic achievement. I have learned and experienced how our brains strive from a consistent structure, so I try to take full advantage of that. I keep a physical calendar, which has been great for me. I’m able to visually see my months and plan each week. I also create a daily to-do list as I find it hard to get things completed when I don’t know what I actually need to get done. I create a list each night before bed for the following day. These lists allow me to stay on track and prioritize tasks based on their order of importance. Ultimately, it feels great to look at my list each night and see that everything is scratched off. I love that feeling! (Sometimes things don’t get done and that’s okay).
As I mentioned in a previous blog, “3 Tools for Raising a Strong-Willed Child”, I use a visual schedule for my son. This visual schedule not only supports me in raising a strong-willed child, but also has helped me keep my son on track throughout the days. This then helps keep me on task because I can plan my days around his schedule. For example, my son’s schedule has a designated period for quiet time; this is usually a time where he is watching one of his favourite movies on Netflix. At this time, I’m able to look at my calendar and my to-do list and see what I have prioritized for that day. I look at what I can get started or what I can finish within the two-hour time frame he is watching a movie. I schedule my son’s bedtime at a decent hour each night, so I can get myself settled for the night and get any work that needs to be done before the night is over. Sometimes that doesn’t always happen, but that is OK. It’s reality, and I just work around it. In the future, I definitely will make a blog with more details regarding my organization strategies, so I can show you guys how I construct my calendar to match my son’s schedule. I find peace in staying organized and on task. I am less likely to procrastinate, which gets me overwhelmed and when I’m overwhelmed, I procrastinate even more.
To my benefit, I have a strong support system that I have mentioned a couple of times throughout my previous blogs. My support system is made up of family members who all take part in helping me raise my son. Having this support is the number one reason I have been able to find a balance between being a single mother and my ambitions. I rely on my supports to get me through the weeks. When I have night classes, assignments, online exams, and I need some quiet time to get my work done, they are always there. However, there are times where my support system can’t always be there (that’s understandable), so my organizational skills are extremely important when this occurs. Although it is often hard to remain consistent, I have no other choice, as situations arise. . I have my months where I fall off, or I become extremely exhausted and overwhelmed, but I give myself a break and allow myself to look at my reality and see that life can’t always be perfect. I pick myself back up when I need to, and I get everything together again.
Comment below with the things that you do to balance specific aspects within your life. Not necessarily single motherhood and ambitions. Share with me what you struggle with and let’s celebrate where you have achieved success.