This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Blue Diamond® Almond Breeze® almondmilk. All opinions are 100% mine.

Make life easier right now with these simple ideas!

Do you ever just take a moment to notice how unnecessarily hectic your life is for absolutely no reason? Probably not. You know why? Because you’re SO busy drowning in your self-made chaos! Seriously, think about it. How much of your day is spent doing things simply out of obligation to others, without any actual gains {emotional, monetary, physical, etc.}? I’d say this is especially true of mothers. We become so accustomed to caring for and supporting others, we truly forget to tend to our own needs. So here are my ideas for how to make your life easier right now.

 

The Power of “Nope”

Every day we are given choices. Sometimes they don’t feel like choices, though, when we are playing that “superhero-martyr-savior mom-wife” game {aka mom guilt}. Volunteering at your kids’ school, helping out a neighbor, planning the most nutritious dinners ever for your family members, running additional errands, assisting a co-worker, putting the kids to bed yourself so your husband can go out with friends. Whatever it may be that adds to our daily stressors, there’s one very powerful thing you can do — say “Nope”! Rather than burning yourself out trying to help every last person in your life, prioritize based off the time you have available to assist others vs. the time you have allotted for self-care. You don’t have to volunteer at every school-sponsored event; pick and choose what would be most valuable to you and your children.

 

Ask for Help

This is one I always have to remind myself to do because I tend to want things to be done my way, but seriously, learn to ask for help. This can be as simple as asking your husband to pay a stack of bills sitting on your desk or taking your kids to their after-school activities. Get your kids to help put away the laundry. Ask a neighbor to grab something for you at the grocery store while she’s shopping so you don’t have to make a separate trip. Don’t be afraid to get assistance from the people who care about you.

 

Set Your Schedule

As a work-from-home mom, I have the flexibility to basically do what I want every single day while my kids are in school. While that sounds like a dream come true for most people, it can be quite stressful because I have a set number of hours to accomplish so many different tasks. From sending emails to writing blog posts to photo shoots to the gym to meal prep to cleaning the house. All of a sudden, those 6 hours are gone quickly. It helps to come up with a set schedule that gives you personal time and work time. Tuesday and Thursday mornings are my set gym times. I try to make Monday, Wednesday, and Friday my full work days. I have to do lists that guide the tasks that need to be done so that I feel accomplished.

 

Enjoy Togetherness

We always read about how important it is to step away from the computer and enjoy some family time, but for digital influencers like me, this is an exceptionally difficult task. We live our lives on social media. We’re constantly sharing on our personal Facebook pages, business Instagram account, responding to emails, applying to new opportunities, etc. And while my career is such an important part of my life, it’s also extremely important for me to step away and just enjoy my family. We love to take little weekend road trips to nearby places, like my birthday weekend in Savannah last November, and enjoy the special places within our community, like our neighborhood farmer’s market. Shove your phone in your purse, get silly with your kids, laugh with your spouse, and get caught in the moment.

 

Simplify Meal Times

I love to cook {hello, food blogger}, but I can’t spend time preparing a gourmet meal three times a day. I’m quite fortunate that Richard prepares the kids’ breakfasts and school lunches every weekday morning {seriously, best husband ever}, so it’s my responsibility to figure out my own breakfast each morning and healthy dinners each night. When it comes to dinner planning, don’t be afraid to take some shortcuts. The meatballs don’t always have to be made-from-scratch, the sauce can be from a jar, and frozen veggies are still veggies. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with a 20-minute midweek meal of spaghetti, meatballs, and broccoli. As for breakfast? Cereal works just fine, too {as does a smoothie made with frozen fruit, blended up in just a few seconds}. With how busy my life is, it’s nice to have a simple breakfast solution that I know is good for my family. Just start with California-grown Blue Diamond® Almond Breeze® almondmilk in a variety of flavors { Original, Vanilla, Chocolate, and Hint of Honey} as well as sweetness levels {Sweetened, Unsweetened, Reduced Sugar}. For a quick smoothie, combine Almond Breeze almond milk, your favorite frozen berries {I love a combination of strawberries and raspberries}, half a banana, and a little honey to make a tasty breakfast smoothie. The best almonds make the best almond milk, and it’s a great low-calories alternative to cow’s milk {and a good source of Vitamins A, D, E, and Calcium).

And if you really want to make your life easier, enjoy a bowl of your favorite cereal, like Honey Nut Cheerios™! Together, Almond Breeze almond milk and Honey Nut Cheerios are the perfect pairing for a delicious breakfast. Honey Nut Cheerios bring me back to my childhood. My mom would always slice up banana to add to my bowl of cereal, making a balanced school-day breakfast.

Ready for a real treat? Now, you can enter for a chance to win a grand prize 5-day trip for you and three of your breakfast BFFs to Los Angeles, CA  for some family fun in the sun or one of two first prizes, $500 gift cards.

Check out the sweepstakes rules.

To enter, click here —> enter the sweepstakes

What ideas do you have to make life easier right now?