What to do when the schedule goes to trash
Life happens. Kids get sick. Things go wrong. So how not be stressed out when these happen?
In short: focus on what you can control and not on the things you can’t.
A bit more in detail:
I just finished the “GET IT DONE” workshop where I teached about time-management, scheduling, mom-balance. One of the questions was exactly about this. She asked how to maintain the schedule when life with kids is pretty hectic, there is just always some last-minute-thing, a surprise or some virus…
Yes, we all know these situations. But…
Scheduling anyway is better than not scheduling at all.
Think about it. If you don’t schedule your calendar because you expect the worst case scenarios, there won’t be any structure to guarantee your progress, there won’t be any plan to follow so you’ll always be at the mercy of your primal brain in the very moment and will try to get things done with your willpower. And that is very HARD.
It’s so much better to plan ahead of time (not easy in the beginning when your brain fights the idea to schedule your calendar) and then respecting those plans even if some things must be rescheduled or shifted. Long term it still gives you some sort of balance and structure.
The other thing I want you to think about is where that time pressure comes from?
Why are you so freaked out if your calendar would go to the trash?
Interesting thoughts to explore here in your mind.
In today’s world where we transfer money in a second, send texts in an instant, are live on social media… time became an enemy when something would take longer.
Why are you such in a hurry to get there, to finish that?
(maybe you have a wonderful reason which you love… I just want you to ask these questions)
Maybe… recheduling your whole week, deleting tasks and spending a few days with your sick kids is exactly what you need and want.
In today’s instant world we can’t even be Fcking sick.
I say you CAN. And your kids CAN. And you don’t have to freak out about it.
So let’s see what you can do when your kids get sick and the schedule goes to trash.
See whether that’s true. Do you really HAVE TO reschedule? Do you want to ask a grandma, a babysitter to take care of them while you do a certain task?
Look at your calendar and decide which are the NON NEGOTIABLES and you’ll do them anyway even the world explodes kinda things, and ask your brain to provide solutions-> How could I do …. with the kids around, or How can I have someone during that hour to take care of them…
Look at your calendar and shift some items to the following week. (It’s better later than never)
Delete some tasks. Yepp. Delete some of the things which you CHOOSE not to do. Maybe the kitchen decluterring can wait 3 more weeks. Maybe you won’t have to attend that event after all.
Free up your calendar with ease, thinking that you CHOOSE to reschedule and that’s not procrastination.
When you focus on what you can control: your tasks, your schedule, your goals you’ll feel empowered and resourceful. Don’t waste your brain’s energy on what you can’t control. Don’t spin around why they got sick again, and how you never have time for yourself… because these thoughts are going to make you a victim and will take away your resourcefulness.
It’s totally OK to clear your calendar and just be with them.
There is no pressure here.
Everything can wait.
Things are working out.
Life is happening FOR you not to you.
Everything happens for a reason.
You are exactly where you need to be…
Pick one. Pick a mantra that will make you feel better. Which releases the pressure and feels good.
It’s also totally OK to ask for support, to ask a grandma, or your hired support to take care of them while you choose to respect some items on your calendar. You are not a bad mom for doing that. In this case there are some sneaky thoughts which might create feelings like shame, guilt, doubt… But these are just thoughts. You can deal with them and redirect your mind.
As a summary, I want you to know that it’s 100% up to you what you WANT to do in a case when your kids get sick or you get sick or there is any kind of emergency. There is no ultimate right way to do this.
Choose to do what feels right and know that you can totally figure it out. There is no time pressure, there is no “shoulds”, those are just thoughts. It’s You and your decisions. You have the best solutions already in You.
