How I Took Back 30 Minutes of my Day

As a working Mom, it’s hard to block out all the noise.

Noise in the literal sense after a long day at work. I hear crying from my 3-month old. Loud screaming/singing renditions of “Let it Go” from your three-year-old. Constant questions from my husband about dinner plans. There's also the mountain of phone calls and emails that already need tending from work. All the while, the girls are a disaster, I’m a disaster, and there’s no food in the house. 

And then there are the noises in your head. The constant chores (Laundry! Dust balls! Toilets!), remembering the text(s) that were never responded to, looming RSVP deadlines, work commitments, dinner ideas, grocery store lists, the comment you should have said to your [insert co-worker, friend, mother-in-law, husband, kid], outfit planning for the dinner you have next week, ideas on what you really want to do with your life...and the list goes on!

Photo credit: Adriana Claire 

Noise is hard to filter. Hard to suppress. Hard to quiet. Most of it good, some not so good, and some that you can’t quite figure out why you keep thinking about it, but you do. You love your kids, you love your life, but the whole work/home balance all blends together. You can’t separate work from home, or turn off one when you are immersed in the other. At least I can’t. It all meshes as one big, messy, noisy, HAPPY life.

But sometimes, I need a break. Not a vacation per se, although I wouldn’t complain if someone handed me a kid-free vacation. Somewhere warm, with white beaches and water that you can see your toes in. Just a way to better stay on top of everything coming at me throughout the day.

When I started wearing my Ringly Photo Booth smart bracelet, I loved receiving instant alerts when my hubby texted me about dinner plans. I even added my daughter’s pre-school in the app's CONTACTS section so I could know right away if there was an issue that needed my attention. 

After seeing initial success with customized mobile alerts, it occurred to me that perhaps there was a way that my Ringly could help me incorporate some quiet moments into my otherwise hectic life.  What if I set calendar reminders to tell me when to step back, close my eyes and just be? The idea was at least worth a try, and when the alerts started to come through, it worked. After a few days of success, I upped the ante and set three calendar reminders: one first thing when I wake up, a second in the afternoon and a final one at bedtime.

Finding balance as a busy mom, wife, and career woman is tough. But overall, life is good and these moments for reflection that Ringly has helped me to carve out, remind me of that.

Photo credit: Samantha Schifano featuring the Photo Booth, currently $165.

Guest Post written by Samantha Schifano.

Follow Samantha on Instagram: @samanthaschif 

May 02, 2017