When preparing to become a mom, I read books, chatted with my mom friends, and took classes.
The precious new additions (yes, twins!) would change our lives, so I wanted to be as informed as possible.
I mean with twins on the way I knew things would be different – but I couldn’t prepare for what came.
I expected the lack of sleep, being covered in spit-up, and that ‘Wheels on the Bus’ would be my new jam.
What I didn’t predict was how very real mom brain fog is.
Thankfully, I’ve discovered a simple hack that has helped to structure my days and my mind!
Sunny Turned Foggy
I’m what some might call a Type A person. Before May 13, 2021, my life was overly organized.
Calendars mapped out my day-to-day at work and home, and my husband and I had our weekly routines of grocery shopping, cleaning, and other necessary tasks.
Last-minute changes? No, thank you!
My structured world was turned upside down and inside out once the twins came home.
I adored my babies and the gift of time I had with them, however, I was struggling mentally with the day-to-day.
This was amplified as my husband and I decided that I would stay home to care for the twins instead of returning to paid work.
Because my new normal lacked the organization I used to thrive on, days blurred and tasks grew into a mountain-sized stressor.
During nap times, I was either determined to complete every task on my to-do list (allowing myself zero time to breathe), or I sat on the couch in a daze, scrolling through social media until a baby woke up.
I knew I needed to find a balance.
Sunshine Comes
Then, one day, an idea popped into my head.
The babies had just gone down for their morning nap, and I was feeling overwhelmed by the bottles that piled up in the sink.
I remembered a teacher trick I used to use – setting a timer to help students with task completion.
Why not try it for myself?
I decided to set a 15-minute timer and get done all that I could during that time. And it worked! I was motivated to work efficiently, as I only had 15 minutes.
At the same time, I knew I would still have the chance afterward to take a shower and get ready before nap time was over.
The beauty of the timer is that once it is set, you can let go of one of the thousands of thoughts running through your head. You trust the timer will remind you.
It provides encouragement to accomplish tasks or the peace of mind to better manage time. The fogginess turns to clear skies.
Since then, I’ve been using timers daily to structure my time.
Timer Ideas for Moms
- At the beginning of each break of time you have, set a timer. Then, get things done! Once the timer is up, it’s time to do something for yourself.
- Are your kids adjusting to a new nap schedule? A timer can help with tracking wake windows.
- Do you have a goal of reading with your kids for a certain amount of time? A timer assists with accountability.
- Breaking up the day into timed chunks of activities keeps things moving. I love my babies endlessly, however, sometimes time can drag while at home with them all day. A timer helps with that!
- Timer + cooking = a must. I cannot be trusted to keep on top of the timing by myself, especially when babies are around.
- If your baby is anything like mine, bottles can be snacked on instead of finished right away. Start an hour timer when your baby starts his or her bottle so you’ll know when the bottle is expired!
- As a natural night owl, it’s hard for me to stop watching Netflix or reading a book when it starts getting late. A timer helps indicate when I should start wrapping things up to get solid rest.
A timer may be a simple tool, but it packs a big punch. How freeing is it to set a timer and know you’ll be reminded of something when the time is right?
Hopefully one of the above timer ideas will help to organize your time, leading to a sunnier, fog-free brain. What would you add to the list? I’d love to hear.
Please comment below!
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