God has only given us a set amount of time each day. No more, no less. And we’re responsible for how well we manage it. Whew. That’s a big responsibility. Thankfully, He’s also given us grace for each day. And let’s not underestimate how much we need that! Being a busy working lady and attempting to keep a sane and healthy personal life is tough. It can get messy– especially if you have kids at home. Sometimes you might feel like you’re not around enough for your family. It can leave you feeling overwhelmed and worn thin. BUT, when it’s done well, it can also fill you with a jump up and down type of joy that ignites you with passion and fills up your well, because you’re living out what God has created you to do. That, my friends, is what we’re after.

1) Learn to say no. Understanding that saying yes to work commitments means saying no to something else is HUGE. Sometimes we need to say no to good things because we simply don’t have time for them. If you’re giving it your all and still don’t have enough time for everything on your to-do list, it’s time to reevaluate and take a few things off of that list. Don’t attempt to be everything to everyone, because that’s just silly. It never works, and someone is always left disappointed (either you or the person you’re trying to please). We love how Lysa Turkeurst says it: “A woman who lives with the stress of an overwhelmed schedule will often ache with the sadness of an underwhelmed soul.” So good. 

2) Have boundaries. Sit down with a pen and paper and write down your boundaries. Maybe you want to be home by 5:00 every day to spend time with your little ones before bed. Or maybe you only want to commit yourself to one weekend event per month. Whatever those boundaries look like for you, get them onto paper. Don’t leave them floating around in your head. Writing them down gives you something to point back to when you’re tempted to throw in the towel and overcommit. 

3) Know when to switch gears. Sometimes life gets hectic and unplanned circumstances require more of your attention than planned. That’s okay!! Kids get sick. Deadlines get moved up. Life happens. Know when to hire a babysitter to spend a few extra hours on a pressing work project, or when to take off work early to spend time spoiling your little one who’s had a rough week at school. Don’t be afraid of a little (or big!) change in schedule.