Back-to-School Balance
As the new school year kicks off, I want to take a moment to wish all the parents out there a smooth transition back into routine. My prayer for you (and for myself) is that we find the superpower to protect our own physical and emotional health during this busy season of life.
I’m officially stepping into my working “soccer mom” era. The balancing act of work, school, sports, housework, and family time is real — and I know it’s only going to get busier as the kids grow older and discover new interests.
My main goal is simple: enjoy it, be present for it, and not disintegrate into the stressed-out, exhausted, yelling version of myself. (I’ve met her before, and I don’t like her very much!)
The truth is, it’s not realistic (at least in my world) to do all the self-care things we’re told to squeeze in as parents. But I do want us to:
Move our bodies and have energy to play
Eat nourishing, home-cooked meals
Stay sane while doing it all
Since adding hours to the day isn’t an option, I’ve been working on systems and routines that help me keep things together with a real smile on my face (iykyk).
LifestyleRx: Time Management
For me, the biggest hurdle has always been time management. (Honestly, I think my kids inherited this from me!) My brain is always full of goals, ideas, and I get easily distracted, which makes it easy to get off track.
Meal planning has always been a lifeline, but when life gets messy and the plan falls apart, I tend to fall right off the wagon. The thing is, I know my kids moods are better when they have a solid meal in their belly, and I REALLY want to make sure I am doing everything I can to keep their little lives running smoothly. This school year, I’m trying a different approach:
Some of the things I’m doing differently…
Monthly dinner planning: I map out meals for the whole month, aligning with my work schedule. On late nights, I plan easy slow-cooker meals so frozen pizza doesn’t become our default.
Sack lunch “menu”: I created a list of balanced go-to lunch items. Each weekend, the kids get to pick from the menu, which empowers them and streamlines grocery shopping and morning routines.
Weekly personal meal planning: Because I have specific health goals (hello, protein targets!), I plan my own breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and dinners out. If I don’t, I fall into the trap of skipping meals, only to come home to hangry kids — and a hangry mom. Not a good combo!
Gentle prep: I spend a little time chopping and washing produce so it’s ready to grab during the week.
Why It Matters
These systems aren’t about perfection. They’re about making the chaos a little lighter and giving myself a better chance to show up as the mom (and person) I want to be.
My advice: take a little time to think about your schedule, your routines, and what systems might make your life run more smoothly. Even a couple of hours set aside each week can make the day-to-day feel more manageable.
And honestly… can we just pause to appreciate grocery pick-up and online ordering? I still don’t know how my mom survived without them. 🙌
✨ Thriving by Design is all about finding practical ways to align health, family, and everyday life. If this post resonates with you, I’d love for you to join my email list and sign up for my periodic newsletter, where I share ideas, recipes, genetic insights (just a little science 🤓) and strategies to help you thrive in your season of life.
