Have you ever felt as if things never slow down in your life and that chaos is part of every minute of every day, starting from the moment you wake up until you get home from work? Whether it’s hearing, “What’s for dinner tonight?” or seeing your children fighting over something for the thousandth time or seeing a path of mud trampled across the floor, or how about another e-mail you have to respond to… there is never a dull moment! Something or someone is always vying for your attention.
As overwhelming and exhausting as it may seem, chaos isn’t always a bad thing, though. The key to balancing the chaos is by finding a way to organize it at every level so it doesn’t take over your life. For instance, the next time you come home and feel like you’ve hit a breaking point, try transforming things into an environment that is peaceful and harmonious for everyone by applying the following tips.
Strategies for creating more balance in your household and turning the madness into an organized chaos
Declutter and simplify your schedule
Organize your schedule by making a small number of priorities in your life. If you feel that you have too much on your plate with work-related responsibilities and chores at home and that there is way too much to accomplish in so little time, start to downsize your priorities. You can make things much more efficient by scheduling what you absolutely need to do first and what can wait thereafter. Getting into regular routines will help you make the best use of your time. It is very important for you to find that “me” time in each day where you can be mindful and take care of yourself. I like to keep my gym clothes and a pair of sneakers in my car so there is no excuse why I can’t go to the gym right after work and get in a good workout, even when I may feel like going home instead.
Delegate responsibilities to others
Assigning children with daily chores to fix their beds, clean their rooms, empty the dishwasher, and set the table for dinner not only get kids into a daily routine that will help you, but it teaches them the importance and value of being a contributing member of the family. It also teaches them to do for themselves and become self-sufficient, which over the long run will save you the time, energy, and aggravation spent on getting your kids to do for themselves and positively contribute to the family.
Set a schedule for your kids
Kids respond very well to structure and routines. Set a time when kids should be working on homework and when they can go outside and play. Try and limit your child’s use of electronics as much as possible. These days, kids can become very inactive and sit for an exorbitant amount of time playing video games or plop themselves in front of the television for prolonged periods. Having too much screen time can lead to a loss of face-to-face social interaction skills. A study conducted at UCLA showed that kids at an outdoor education camp in Southern California who had no access to electronic devices scored significantly higher at reading facial emotions or other nonverbal cues than students who had access to their electronic devices.
Listen to soothing music
Sometimes all it takes to calm us down is the soothing sounds of music. For me, it’s all about what I am in the mood for listening to. When I am looking to get invigorated, I listen to an upbeat song. When I am looking to be uplifted, I listen to an inspirational song. But then there are those times when soothing, calm sounds help me regain balance and bring much needed peace to a very active mind. Research has shown that people who listen to nature sounds have a reduction in cortisol levels, which is the hormone that is released when you are stressed.
Don’t sweat the small stuff
If everything doesn’t go as you planned or if you didn’t accomplish all that you had in mind that day, there is always tomorrow. The important thing to remember is that kids whose parents show love and respect and spend time being there for them emotionally are more likely to grow up happy and become well-adjusted adults. Do you want to learn how you can regain balance in your life while handling daily responsibilities? Click here to receive your free 25-page WHOLE LOTTA LIVING guide for you and your family.
Happy Discoveries!
