The power of positivity to save time for mums

Joy S. Williams is a proud mother of two boys who loves learning about self-improvement and writing. You can explore her world on her blog, or connect with her on Twitter

 

The power of positivity to save time for mums or two simple keys to becoming a happy super-Mum?

Time is perhaps the number one enemy of mothers everywhere. Often it seems that modern mums are expected to be the superheroes of society: the sexy and supportive wife, the nurturing mother, the second (or in some cases, only) source of income for the household, the maid, the cook, the best friend, ad infinitum. What does a mother NOT do? Under this growing weight, it’s no surprise that we easily fall into a cynical view of the world and continuously anticipate the worst circumstances for everything in our daily lives without even realizing it. I thought this behavior was normal too… until I learned about the power of cultivating positivity to save time and become a better mother for my children.

I received a gift of an eBook about time management recently, which I promptly tossed aside because I didn’t have time to read it of course, but later when my six year old son accused me of “…always being in a bad mood and saying that I don’t have time,” it hit my heart. Nothing hurt me more than realizing that my child feels like I don’t have time for HIM- my own little boy that I would do anything for.

I started reading the eBook with an open mind at that point, and among all of the practical advice was a chapter about positivity and mastering adversity… something that I initially thought had nothing to do with time management. It turns out that for me, this attitude shift has become the foundation for not just saving time, but enjoying my time better too.

This is the exercise that I started with:

1.    Before I went to bed, I wrote down 3 good things that happened to me that day.

2. When I got up in the morning, I gave myself a small assignment to do 3 positive things for others that day that could include:

-showing gratitude for someone’s efforts

-recognizing someone’s small accomplishment

-expressing faith in someone’s abilities

-taking a real interest in another’s suggestion

-forgiving something

I wrote these down in little notes to myself to remember them.

The first night, I’d had a really rough day and couldn’t think of anything positive at all, but the second night I was able to write down one small thing. Everyday as I tried harder to remember the good things that happened, it got easier to forget the bad things. The positive assignments I gave myself began to completely change the way that other people treated me. At work and at home, now I’m learning that my children and my husband are all more willing to help me out a little to lighten my load, and things honestly just keep getting better. This eBook also showed me how I can have critical conversations positively to address the issues that I used to avoid with others, and my relationships with everyone have vastly improved as a result.

I now save time by:

-Having fewer arguments with my family and co-workers.

-Receiving help easily when I’m overwhelmed.

-Keeping the right mindset to find the solutions instead of dwelling on my problems.

The best part is seeing the effects of my changes spreading through the whole family. Last night my youngest son, three years old, caught me in a down moment briefly and said,

“Come on, Mum, look on the bright side,” with a smile on his face.

I wondered if he really knew the meaning of those words and how much they are changing my life; I hope one day he will.