How a Stopwatch Helped Me With My Mom-Guilt

Up until a few weeks ago, most of my stay-at-home days were riddled with a nasty combination of disorganization and guilt.

The house was always in a complete state of havoc,

I felt like I could never give enough to my kids, 

and I was often left wondering how 

I could work so hard 

to seemingly accomplish so little...

(Anyone ever felt like this before?)  

I had literally become a hamster in the wheel! 

Something had to change!  So change I did...just a few tweaks, but those few adjustments have really made a difference in me and how I handle the rest of the wildness of each and every day!

Perhaps the most delightful of changes has been to my schedule with my girl.  I'd been trying to alternate housework stuff with one-on-one time with her,

 but my guilt was always WAY too much to handle,

and I was always tormented by it when I was off doing something else separate from her.  I know, I know, it's good to do time apart and time with, blah, blah, blah!...I've read it, I've heard it, but it never served to console me like one would hope!

But then came the stopwatch, folks...

Now, I believe we've previously established the fact that I am closer to being a "fly by the seat of my pants" type of gal than, say, the "super neat freak, never deviate from the plan in place" type,

but I'm telling you that this stopwatch has been my window to freedom!

No joke, I set the timer on my phone for 20 minutes...
 ...In that 20, I'm either hanging with my girl or doing the housework...

                                                        Timer goes off and I switch!  

Now, if I'm with my girl, we tend to extend our time some, but if it's the housework, I pretty much drop it where it is, if I can help it!

I gotta tell you, it seems so simple, but it works! 

 Now, when she comes to me and wants me to read (or "REEE!" like she says!), I can say without guilt that "Mommy is working" and know that it's okay to...the guilt really and truly is kept at bay!

If any of you are guilt ridden like I have been, you really need to try this!  

20 minutes too much or too little?  Adjust it to whatever works best for you guys!!

Got any "guilt free" tricks up your sleeve??  I'd love to hear about them!!