I announced it on my IG stories last week, but if you missed it, the news is out: I quit my corporate job in the engineering industry to be a stay-at-home blogger and mom. Friday was my last day at work, and today is my first day in my new role. Cue the confetti! Though I’m extremely excited about this huge life change and the opportunities ahead, I’m aware of how big an adjustment it will be. I’ve spent the last month mentally preparing for this shift and I’ve taken specific steps to tackle the things I foresee could be challenging about it.
#1: Having a Clean Space
I knew immediately that keeping a clean house would be imperative when I’m spending so much time at home. A cluttered home is akin to a cluttered mind. When my space isn’t clean and organized, I get preoccupied with trying to make it that way. I know from experience that an entire day can slip by when I’m moving from one cleaning task to the next, and the next, and the next. Before I know it, I’ve spent all my productive hours cleaning rather than accomplishing the things that mean the most to me, like having quality time with my baby or hitting my blog goals. Luckily, Blake understands this about me, so we spent Sunday cleaning the entire house. We didn’t just clean surfaces, though. We completely decluttered every room. We cleared off tabletops; purged closets and drawers; and trashed, donated, and put away as much as possible. When I woke this morning and walked around our clean house, I felt refreshed and excited for the day ahead. I could breathe deeply knowing I wouldn’t have my day sidelined by a bunch of cleaning tasks that don’t contribute to my overall goals for the day.
#2: Managing My Time for Maximum Productivity
Another challenge to tackle was how to manage my time each day for maximum productivity. When I have a full day ahead and a long to-do list, it’s tempting to start on the small tasks to get some quick wins in my pocket. But my mornings are when I’m most focused and motivated, so I know I’d serve my goals better to work on the bigger, important tasks first. To deal with this, I researched different productivity softwares and found Todoist. It’s a productivity tool that allows you to organize your tasks into different projects, schedule due dates, and get them out of your head. I started using Todoist six weeks ago and it’s been life-changing! I don’t waste time trying to mentally sort through my to-do list and identify what’s most important. My goals are already listed out and scheduled in Todoist. I can begin each day with a clear mind of what I need to accomplish in order to reach my goals.
#3: Having a Clear Purpose with Goals
I’ve been unemployed once while I was between jobs after college. To put it frankly, it wasn’t good for my mental health. I learned from that experience that I need to have a purpose and be providing value to feel happy. Whether that value is contributing financially, completing tasks and projects that makes me feel proud, working through challenges and growing my skills, etc. — I need to be able to look back on my day and know that I contributed something of value to the universe to feel fulfilled. Being a mom to my baby each day would be enough to give me that, but I also don’t want to lose myself in a purpose centered around caring for somebody else. I won’t always be needed 24/7 as a mom! When that day comes I don’t want to be left wondering who I am and what my role is in our life. Creating this blog ensures I don’t lose myself and my passions. Prior to quitting corporate life, I set quantifiable goals for blogging — goals like posting three times a week (versus my current three to four times a month). Setting and reaching these goals will guide me in continuing to do what I’m passionate about and feeling inspired each day!
Identifying these challenges and working to manage them has allowed me to make this shift with nothing but positive thoughts. Have you ever had a big life change that was both exciting and scary at the same time? Tell me in the comments below!
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