Help!! I’ve Dropped My Balls!
Today's post is a guest post by Jacqueline Daniel. Jacqueline is a life coach who specialises in helping women whose partners work away. She draws on her 17 years experience as a Fly In Fly Out (FIFO) and Defence Force wife with an intimate understanding of the complexities of this unique lifestyle – the challenges it brings from juggling work and family to the feelings of disconnection and isolation. She has also been working with me to further understand the intricacies that Pilot Wife Life can bring. Jacqueline is dedicated to creating a legacy of empowered women who own their identity, strengths and vulnerabilities, creating a life they absolutely love!
You slump into bed after an exhausting day ready for a good nights sleep. Ahhhh bed…….. You snuggle under the covers and close your eyes. For a moment there is silence and then PING! Your mind starts to do mental gymnastics as it scans through the enormous to-do list that awaits you the following day.
You have become everything to everyone and the once energetic, full of life, cheery person has somewhat diminished beneath the everyday responsibilities of being a Pilots Wife. Talk about multiple personalities- you have them all; Mother, Wife, Cook, Counsellor, Mediator, Financial Controller, Taxi driver, Dog walker, Nurse and Domestic goddess to name a few. Then there’s work and the stuff that hubby has left for you to do while he is away. Not that you mind of course. You’re happy to help out and support your family – you love them after all.
Life has become a juggling act where you are constantly throwing balls in the air in desperate hope that you won't drop any. You have glimpses of what life used to be, how simple it was. What the hell happened? Where did I go? Life/work/balance – what’s that? ‘STOP! I haven’t got time for this’, you murmur to yourself mid-thought, as you frantically chuck the clothes in the washing machine, scramble the kids in the car and set off for the day.
Washing ✓
Beds made ✓
Kids at school ✓
At work on time ✓
Fantastic job! You say to yourself as you walk towards your desk, only to glimpse down at your feet and notice that you are still wearing your slippers! (True story, I did that! Talk about embarrassing, luckily I worked in an office and not with the public).
It’s definitely challenging trying to keep the balls up in the air and most of the time we do an outstanding job with very little help. But what happens when we do drop a ball and the unexpected happens? After all what goes up must come down. And sometimes through no fault of our own the balls do come tumbling down.
So what can you do to create more balance and reduce the juggling act??
Here are my 5 top tips:
- Pick only 2-3 items to do of your list each day
- Get the kids involved by turning the chores into a fun game
- Cook meals in batches and freeze
- If budget permits hire someone to help eg. Cleaner/gardener
- Create a friends group, where you can help each other out, swap babysitting, or car pooling
And don’t worry, it’s okay to let those balls drop, you’re only human and you are doing an amazing job. Remember though, to take some time out for you each day to recharge (even if it’s only 15mins), you’ll find it will help you get through the day and reduce your stress levels.
To find out more, check out Jacqueline’s special link for Sky Families members and receive a free self care guide.
If you’ve found this helpful or know someone who would benefit from theses tips please feel free to share.
