The Art of Doing It All (And Why I’m Not Very Good at It)

It has been said of me that I have a tendency to take on too much.

I’m not sure whether that’s a red flag or a green one, but it’s definitely a flag of some colour!

Since I had to stop working in January due to pregnancy complications, I’ve launched myself into social media, started a website and blog, opened an Etsy store and created dozens of products, joined the gym and lost 40 pounds, started my own private home care nursing business, and enrolled in university.

All while continuing to manage our household, support my partner’s home business, care for our new baby, and parent our three older kids.

To say I’m busy would be an understatement.

And if I’m being completely honest?

Lately, it’s all catching up to me.

I think moms have a tendency to try to do it all.

We wear so many hats and become so many different versions of ourselves for the people around us that it’s sometimes difficult to find room for the things we want to do for ourselves.

And lately, I’m really feeling that struggle.

My baby is six months old now. He’s nearly on the move, increasingly demanding, and apparently under the impression that I exist solely for his entertainment.

Which, to be fair, is a pretty reasonable assumption based on the first six months of his life.

But it means that during the day, when he’s awake, most of my personal projects have to wait.

Instead of sitting down to write a blog post, work on an assignment, or reply to emails from potential customers, I’m preparing meals for baby-led weaning, supervising tummy time, changing diapers, and wondering how someone so small can go through so many outfits in a single day.

And when he’s sleeping?

Well, that’s when the real prioritizing begins.

The housework needs doing. Can’t let that slip.

Errands need running. Apparently, these people expect to eat every day.

The dogs need walking, the garbage needs taking out, and somewhere in there, Mom could really use a nap.

Just keeping up with the everyday responsibilities of running a household takes up a significant portion of my day.

But thankfully, my little guy goes to bed early.

He’s usually down for the night by 7 p.m., which gives me roughly three blessed hours to get my own things done.

Right?

You’d think so. But no.

Because when the baby goes to bed, my other kids want my attention.

And rightly so!

They’re wonderful kids, and they’ve been incredibly patient with how much of my time their baby brother requires. But when he’s finally asleep, they want their mom back.

My daughter wants to cuddle and watch a movie.

My son wants to play an online game together.

The oldest wants to tell me about something that happened at school.

And my partner would probably appreciate a little attention in the evening, too.

So I spend those hours spreading myself around, trying to make sure everyone feels seen, heard, and loved.

Because the last thing I want is for the older kids to feel like their baby brother has somehow become more important than they are.

They deserve my time, too.

By the time everyone is tucked into bed, I usually have about an hour and a half left before I need to go to sleep myself.

And because I’m currently working toward my nursing degree, that time is almost entirely devoted to university.

Weekly readings, discussion posts, research, assignments, and the seemingly endless stream of deadlines that come with being a student.

I’m proud to say that, so far, I’m keeping up.

Not gracefully, mind you.

And certainly not without the occasional last-minute panic.

But I haven’t completely lost the plot. Yet.

On top of all these daily responsibilities, I’m also trying to make it to the gym a few times a week, work toward my fitness goals, maintain friendships, attend appointments, show up for family gatherings, and occasionally remember to wash my hair.

It’s exhausting.

Wonderful, fulfilling, and something I wouldn’t trade for the world.

But exhausting.

And when I look at the impossibly long list of things I’m trying to accomplish every day, I know there are things I could cut back on.

But here’s the part that I suspect won’t surprise a single mother reading this.

The first things I consider sacrificing are always the things I do for myself.

Maybe I could cut my gym visits down to twice a week instead of three.

The blog can wait. Writing isn’t that important.

Maybe I should spend less time working on my business.

If I skip my afternoon nap, I could finally get around to cleaning up the back door.

And on and on it goes.

We start bargaining with ourselves, shaving little pieces off the things that bring us joy to make more room for everyone else’s needs.

And somehow, those little sacrifices add up.

I think moms are almost conditioned to sacrifice.

We give, and give, and give.

Our time. Our energy. Our bodies. Our sleep.

And often, we do it so automatically that we don’t even realize we’re doing it.

Now, don’t get me wrong.

Being a mother and a partner is the greatest joy of my life. I love my family fiercely, and I wouldn’t trade this busy, chaotic life for anything.

But I’m not just a mom.

I’m also a woman with ambitions, hobbies, interests, and dreams that exist outside of motherhood.

I’m a nurse who wants to further her education.

I’m a business owner who wants to build something meaningful.

I’m a writer who genuinely enjoys putting words on a page.

I’m a woman who wants to feel strong and healthy in her own body.

And none of those things make me any less devoted to my family.

In fact, I think there’s something important about allowing our children to see us pursuing our own goals.

To see that motherhood doesn’t mean the end of ambition, or that becoming a parent requires us to abandon every other part of ourselves.

I want my kids to grow up knowing that their mom loved them with everything she had.

But I also want them to know that she was a person with dreams of her own.

And maybe that’s why I keep taking on so much.

Because all these things matter to me.

Not equally, and certainly not all at the same time, but they matter.

I wish I could end this post by telling you that I’ve figured out the secret to balancing it all.

That I’ve discovered some magical schedule, productivity hack, or organizational system that allows me to be the perfect mother, partner, student, business owner, and human being.

But I haven’t.

And frankly, I’m beginning to suspect that such a thing doesn’t exist.

As I write this, the laundry is piling up, the fridge desperately needs cleaning, I have a term paper due that still needs another 2,000 words, and my daughter is begging me to play Dress to Impress on the PlayStation with her.

And I’m pretty sure the baby needs a diaper change.

Again.

So no, I haven’t figured out how to do it all.

Maybe the answer isn’t learning how to squeeze more into every day.

Maybe it’s learning that not everything has to get done today.

That the laundry can wait.

That sometimes the blog post matters, too.

That taking an hour to work on something that makes me happy isn’t selfish.

And that being a good mother doesn’t require me to put myself at the very bottom of every list.

I’m still working on that last one.

For now, though, I have a diaper to change, a daughter waiting for me, and approximately 47 other things demanding my attention.

The fridge can wait.

And maybe, just maybe, I can stop treating myself like the least important person on my own to-do list.

---

Let’s Keep the Conversation Going!

If you’ve made it this far, first of all, thank you for spending a little of your precious free time with me! I know how hard that can be to come by.

I’d love to hear from you in the comments!

Are you a mom who’s constantly juggling a million different things? Do you struggle with putting yourself first, or have you somehow cracked the code to finding balance?

Seriously, if you’ve figured it out, please share your secrets. Some of us are out here running on coffee, dry shampoo, and sheer determination!

A Little Something to Help You Stay Organized!

Speaking of juggling a million things, if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that having a little organization can make the chaos feel much more manageable.

That’s why I’m sharing my FREE School Information Sheet with my email subscribers!

It’s a handy little tool to help busy moms keep track of school-related schedules, responsibilities, and all those little things that somehow end up on our mental to-do lists.

You can find the complete School Dashboard Printable in my Etsy Store.

Sign up for my email list below to grab your free printable!

You’ll also get updates from the blog, new freebies, and little glimpses into the wonderfully chaotic world of motherhood, family life, and everything in between.

No pressure, no unnecessary clutter in your inbox. Just a little mom-to-mom support!

Not Ready to Leave Yet? There’s More!

If you’ve got another five minutes (or you’re hiding in the bathroom for a little peace and quiet, no judgment here), I’d love for you to stick around!

Here are a few more posts you might enjoy:

🎃 Halloween Fun Without Breaking the Bank

Looking for ways to make Halloween magical for your kids without spending a fortune? I’ve rounded up some fun, budget-friendly Halloween activities that prove you don’t need to spend a lot to make great memories.

📱 When Is the Right Age to Give Your Child a Phone?

It’s one of those parenting decisions that seems to get more complicated with every passing year. Let’s talk about kids, smartphones, and figuring out when they’re actually ready.

❤️ Blended Families: How We Talk About the Other Parent

Blended family life comes with its own unique challenges, and navigating relationships with co-parents is a big one. I share my thoughts on how we talk about the other parents in our household, and why the words we choose matter.

Thanks again for being here, for reading, and for sharing a little piece of this crazy journey with me.

Whether you’re a stay-at-home mom, a working mom, a student mom, or some combination of all three, I hope you find a little encouragement here.

We’re all just doing our best with the hours we’ve got. And sometimes, doing our best means leaving the laundry for tomorrow.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have approximately 47 things to do.

And I’m choosing to finish my coffee first. ☕