The alarm goes off at 6am. The last thing I want to do is get out of bed but duty calls. Breakfast for the kids, finalize lunch boxes, school drop off, rushing to a work appointment, swinging by the grocery store on my way back to the office, finish the report my boss asked for 2 days ago, shove a granola bar in my mouth as I rush from work to pick up my mom’s medication at the pharmacy, pick up the kids, drive to my mom’s to give her the medication and review an insurance form she received, go home and make dinner, drop my daughter at dance class and my son at baseball, swing home to do the dishes, pick up the kids, fight with the kids to get homework done, go through the 30 minute bedtime routine of teeth brushing and tucking in, and then drop in my bed exhausted only to the alarm sounding again in what seems like minutes.
Aren’t you exhausted just reading this? I know we all hear about “work-life balance” and how important it is. But for me it’s not just work in the traditional sense, like at the office. It’s the work of life with kids, schedules, aging parents, etc. So is it really possible to strike a balance in a way in which we can actually breathe in moments and enjoy what is in front of us before it’s all gone? This week’s guest on Caregivers’ Circle, Carey-Ann Oestriecher, CEO of Potential Unlimited is here to share some strategies to help us get centered.