My life is busy to say the least. I work full time, which keeps me busy enough. I wake up at 6am and hit the ground running. After dropping the kids at school, I head to the gym, then come home to shower and dive into work.
When the clock strikes 3:30, my second job starts. Then its time for running my kids to their different activities, taking care of errands and chores, blogging, cooking dinner, making lunches and – occasionally – getting a chance to relax a little after they’re all in bed!
It’s a busy, full life. And it used to really stress me out. But I learned more than a few lessons, found some favorite products and have found a few tricks about balance along the way that have helped me maintain perspective and keep from dropping the ball too often.
Focus on the basics. You need to take basic care of yourself in order to even have a prayer. Sleep. Drink your water. Exercise. As soon as you neglect the basics, it will affect your health and energy. Remember, when you feel great, you look great!
Don’t overthink it. Taking care of your skin doesn’t have to be a complicated ten step process. I’m very loyal to brands I know and trust, like AVEENO®, known for its proven, ACTIVE NATURALS® ingredients. I love AVEENO DAILY MOISTURE SHEER HYDRATION LOTION – it absorbs in seconds with a powder-like finish and moisturizes my skin all day. When you’re super busy, go with what works! I’m obsessed with the POSITIVELY AGELESS® line – especially the POSITIVELY AGELESS® YOUTH PERFECTING MOISTURIZER BROAD SPECTRUM SPF 30. For me, it’s a one-step miracle!The best part is that when I’m doing the basics and taking care of my skin with AVEENO®, I can get away with just a little lip gloss and mascara, so it doesn’t matter if I forget to put on makeup.
Invest in a great planner. I have a planner that is always on my desk and I list everything in it. I also have my entire calendar – and my family’s calendar – on my phone so I can easily track where everyone is supposed to be and when. It’s a lifesaver.
Simplify routines. Streamline as much as you can. I have AVEENO® POSITIVELY RADIANT® DAILY CLEANSING PADS to wash my face morning and evening – it’s an easy way to exfoliate and cleanse in one simple step. I always keep a hand lotion around the house, like next to the sink, on my bedside table, and on my desk so it’s in the places I use it most. I keep notecards in my car so I can dash off thank you notes while I’m waiting for music lessons to end. I pay bills automatically. I have subscriptions set up so household items like toilet paper and even shampoo get delivered to my door on a regular basis. Simplify as many routines as you can and watch your stress levels go down.
Recharge your batteries. What fills your cup? A good book? A bubble bath? A spa day? A day at the beach? Take the time to find out what it is and carve out time to do it. For our family, it’s a beach day or hanging out together around the fire pit in the backyard. When that’s not an option, I indulge in a bubble bath with AVEENO® STRESS RELIEF FOAMING BATH with lavender and essential oils – it’s the only bubble bath I’ve tried that doesn’t irritate my sensitive skin.
Perspective. You’re not supposed to be perfect and you’re not supposed to do it all. Give yourself a break. Tell yourself this when you’re feeling guilty about bringing store bought cupcakes to the school bake sale or you forget the PTA meeting or you’re late for soccer practice. Worry about the big stuff. Are they happy? Healthy? Good. The rest will sort itself out.
Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Aveeno through their partnership with POPSUGAR Select. While I was compensated to write a post about Aveenoall opinions are my own”
About Melissa