SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE

Simplicity is the highest sophistication –Leonardo da Vinci

The most complex thing to do is to simplify. Don't we think only we are complicating things sometimes?? 2 decades before is there this much complexity in lives? Definitely not!! We need to simplify as we go. Where to start? Come let's get rid of things which are weighing us down in every way for the new decade.

·         Organize  and Declutter

Decluttering your desk/house/room is important when you want a peaceful lifestyle. Identify your unneeded things in your surroundings and get rid of them. This technique is not only for things but also for mindset. Declutter your mind if unnecessary threads are bothering you.

·         Batching:

All the time you don’t have to attend to every detail. Pile up to a certain limit for your tasks and you can concentrate all at a time. For example, if you are a homemaker, let the chores pile up your drawing room until you concentrate on your Kitchen work.

·         Prioritize:

Prioritize your chores or ideas or tasks in your day, week and a month. Try to delay unnecessary tasks in your day. This can give fewer complications for a day. Use Eisenhower Matrix

·         Single Task

All of us wanted to become a multi-tasker, but do you know multi-tasking is not a sign of productivity? The truth is you cannot multi-task. Concentrate on a single task at a time.

·         Say No

Every Indian face the problem of saying NO. There are ways to say no without hurting their feelings.

·         Let go:

In yoga, the first lesson I learnt is to let go. Is it that easy to let go? NO. There are many thoughts that weigh you down mentally. You have to learn to let go of a peaceful life. You need to be in the present moment.

Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śharaṇaṁ vraja
ahaṁ tvāṁ Sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣhayiṣhyāmi mā śhuchaḥ

BG 18.66: Abandon all varieties of dharmas and simply surrender unto me alone. I shall liberate you from all sinful reactions; do not fear.

·         Slow down

Once in a while slow down in your daily life, sit in peace, know what is going in your life, how you can take control of it.

            A simple life definition will differ from person to person. But the main motto is to eliminate negativity and spending time on important tasks for you. Simplicity is not an easy process, it is a journey, not a destination.

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PRODUCTIVITY HACKS FOR WORK AT HOME MOTHER

Times changed!!

After pregnancy, women are not ready to be at home. They were looking for work from home opportunities and the employees also offering them to work from home. But the question is, is it easy to work at home for mothers?? When children are around, whether newborn or toddlers, it is more than difficult to concentrate on work. Daily household chores are itself harder, if Mother's need to concentrate on her career, it needs good planning. Here are some tips for more productivity for work at home mothers. 

•  No social media: 

Strictly no social media!! I know it became a great stress buster for a mother. But to balance your work and child you need to get rid of that in your work time. 

• Batching:

If you want to do the dishes, you don't pick every dish and wash it. You wait for some time to pile up and after that, you do all the dishes at a time. This is what exactly batching means. As a mother you will be interrupted constantly, batching of work will help you. Instead of multi-tasking, you batch your tasks. By this, you can handle if there is a potty emergency and go back to work. 

• Prioritize and schedule

For a mummy, priorities will change, strict schedules will be crashed. But you need to prioritize your tasks according to your emergency and convenience.

• No Mom guilt

You have chosen work from home just because you have a life to attend at home. Don’t be guilty when you have a meeting to attend, or a task to be completed. Ask your family to help or hire a nanny if you are not able to focus.

• Brain dump

At times, you feel so confused, as so many threads running in your mind. In these times, you feel stress and anxiety. Whenever you feel like your mind is overloaded, write it on a piece of paper. Your schedules, or to-do lists, or the thing which is disturbing you put down on a paper. I am damn sure, it will help to empty your disturbances and you can focus better.

• Get a planner

The best thing about a planner for a mother is you can simply know, list of things we are not going to do!! (Yes we mothers can never follow as per plan. There will be a lot of things which will object in the way)

However, get a planner, at least you can know what important and urgent tasks are. It organizes your thoughts and tasks.

• Find your productive time

Some may be energetic during the day, some can be during evening time. Find your productive time and plan your tasks (whether it is household or official). You can become more focused. Work at home mothers has no time to waste. Use time wisely.

• Dressing and Placement

Generally, if a woman works from home, they wouldn’t concentrate on the dressing. Yes, it will be more comfortable in pyjamas than in formal attire. But dressing up like you are going to the office will help you to concentrate on work and your thoughts will be more directional. Your subconscious mind is trained for a particular dress code and place of work. Use this point for your productivity.

Likewise giving your laptop or PC or your work items space, it can help you and your children to distinguish your workspace from remaining home. They can be sure, that mother will be working here and you can make them understand you will have some limitations there.

• Pomodoro Technique

This is the technique I deeply appreciate and learnt through the internet. In this method, work undisturbed for short sessions, and take a break after every session. This is a proven method for increasing productivity and also method to teach your toddlers that you don’t want to be disturbed during work. Meanwhile, they can be engaged by colouring or making a toys line or play dough, or books.

The activities that engage your kids can be ordinary ones which they do in normal times.  

• Unload Your Mental Clutter Before You Get to Work

Last but not least hack which works like magic. Before you start working, dump your brain on a paper in the form of a to-do list or done list. By which you can be clear what is to be done.

Organizing is not a onetime thing. It is a lifestyle. Organize both your home and work with these tips. It is scientifically proven that women can handle so many tasks at a time. We can balance both work and home at the same time. And we can be the best.

Good luck!!!!

Happy Motherhood!!!

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WHAT MOTHER'S LIE ABOUT!!

The moment you have a child, your morals, your safety measures, your timings and your lifestyles will be changed. Mostly when you are a mother, you will learn how to lie beautifully to your kids during regular conversations according to your convenience. Here are some lines I use when I speak to my kid.

1. Looking at mobile phone:

When I was in a process to limit her screen time, I didn’t use the mobile phone in front of her. Because it triggers her to see the mobile, I secretly used the mobile. And used to lie her, “ I will not use mobile phone baby, because it is under repair.

2. Tasty bitter gourd curry:

“Amma, I won't eat this cabbage curry, it doesn’t taste nice”

“It will be so tasty baby, I made it with your favourite cumin seeds, complete it!!”

This will be the situation in every house, but many mothers don’t like that curries by themselves.

3. How good the school will be:

We, mothers, will describe the school, and promise we will be there till they come out. We know the truth!!
4. If she doesn’t eat her food, zombies in her stomach cry:

To make her complete the food, I used to say zombies are there in her stomach, and they will cry when they are hungry.
5. If she is not ready to go to the restroom in a new place, I said a monster in your stomach will eat you from inside:

My daughter is too picky about the restrooms. When we go to any new place, she refuses to go to the restroom. I lied to her that there will be a monster in her stomach and it will eat from inside. She still believes it.

6. The sun won’t come tomorrow if she doesn’t sleep:

When she refuses to sleep a late night, I say the sun will not be coming, if she doesn’t sleep. She loves sun, mornings, so I created this statement.

7. The toy is broken and never work for replacement of batteries:

The toy is broken and can never be repaired, even though it is a replacement of batteries. Just because I was bored with that toy!!

8. The ice-cream shop is closed and they open tomorrow :

I wonder why ice cream shops behave like emergency services, anytime you go, they will be open. I say the shop is open just to clean and that will be closed after cleaning, and there will be no sales today. They will open tomorrow.

9. Medicine tastes like chocolate:

I hate medicines myself. But I pretend that it tastes like orange, chocolate, strawberry. But it sucks!!

10. Minions will sleep at night:

My daughter is a big fan of minions’ movie. She wanted to watch it all day. But I say it is their bedtime!!
11. We miss our train if you don’t eat fast:

We pretend our sofa is a train, and I push her to eat fast to catch the train.
12.Interpretations: 

“What do that cartoon character say Amma?”

 “Listen to your mummy/daddy”, “Eat your food”, ”Drink water”

( I will be screwed if she understands)

13. TV guy will be on leave on Sunday:

We don’t switch on TV on Sunday. So I say the TV operator will be on leave/he is sick/he will be sleeping on Sunday.
14. Toys are not for sale:

Those teddies in the supermarket are attention grabbers for kids. I say they are just to see, not for sale.

15. ICONIC ONE:

I am your mother I will not lie to you!!!!!

Happy motherhood!!

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HOW BEING EARLY BIRD HELPS A MOTHER

To be honest, waking up early is not a cakewalk for most of us.  But it is scientifically proven that early birds have more benefits than night owls apart from getting worms. Earlier when I was in college and before marriage, I was not an early riser, I hated waking up early. But after my kid was born, I started liking waking up early(I wake up at 4.00 AM by the way). And also it helped me a lot in different ways.

• Productive:

Mothers need to do thousands and thousands of daily chores. Mothers, who are early risers can know the difference when they wake up 30 min late. By rising early, all the things fall into place.

• Me-time:

Moms job is not a 9-5 job, it is like the moment you open eyes to you close your eyes. You can get some me time if you wake up before your kids. Only Mother's know how it feels like to have their morning coffee without any interruptions. Every mom needs a break, a me-time. It is better to have some me-time every day, rather than waiting for a weekend.

• Finish all the work:

When you rise early, you can complete your daily chores. I know if it takes 10min to clean house without kids, it takes 30 min when kids are awake. If you use your time wisely, mornings are the best. I finish preparing lunch and breakfast before my daughter wakes up. She hates me being in the kitchen. Rest of the chores I can manage it after she wakes up.

• Few distractions:

The most peaceful time you find. Set your priorities at this time. If you would like to read a book, or listen to your favourite music, or watch a video you can clearly enjoy without any distractions. It is completely your time without any waitings or ant distractions.

• Early birds are happier:

If you get up early and get some sunshine, you can get more of vitamin D, which is the most needed vitamin for mothers. Which implies better mood, happy life!!
If you can finish cooking, no question of outside food, so you will become healthier too.

If you are happy with your time zone, stick to that. Mornings are not everyone's cup of tea. But if you want to improve your lifestyle and be happier, you can definitely consider rising mornings, it makes a huge difference.
Happy motherhood!!
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16 TIPS TO SURVIVE IF YOU ARE TRAVELLING WITH TODDLER

Travelling with your kids will be astounding.  Even though it takes a lot of effort, it will be fun. But it is not as easy as it seems. For your journey, these tips may help you.

1. Have plenty of time: Prebook trains, flights or hotels everything. Have plenty of time to avoid queues.
2. Make it handy: Make a list of things what the child needs every day. Mail me if you need a complete list for toddler travelling. 
3. Explain the trip: Even if your toddler cannot understand the meaning of your travel, explain where you are going, by what means(my daughter liked the train journey... Chuk Chuk Chuk...) whom you are going to see, or what you are going to see etc. 
4. Don't leave them hungry: Pack some handy snacks or food that can gain you sometime during the travel. 
5. Accept the truth: You may have breakdowns, meltdowns tantrums from your kids
6. Basic medication: Do not forget the basic medication for your kids. You may not know when you need them.
7. Identification cards/documents: Get your kids' ID cards for proofs required in travelling. You can ask for a discount using these cards.
8. Pack new toys or new books: New toys or books can gain you sometime during travelling or when they are cranky.
9. Give them a responsibility: Give them a bag to handle. Keep bottle or snacks or their toys in that
10. Avoid tight schedules: Especially toddles cannot adjust the tight schedule. Give them time to relax and adjust.
11. Engage them during the journey: During the flight or train journey talk to them if possible play some board games or small sitting games, so that they won't bother you. 
12. Make them comfortable at a new place: Ask them what they want, make them understand that they are in another place and get adjusted to that environment. Understand that they need time to adjust
13. If possible schedule the journey during their sleep time: Night journeys will be best if your kid is night sleeper. Adjust your journeys according to their sleep time.
14. Travel sickness: If this the kid has travel sickness, plan accordingly. Don't feed them to tummy full. Tummy makes their emotions. Feed them right. 
15. Spare: Spare outfit for you if you are travelling with a toddler: Spare outfit for the kid and also for you can help you during unexpected situations.
16. Carry a sling or stroller if you are planning for a vacation. Generally in India, we travel to parents’ house frequently. For this, you may need no stroller or sling. If you are planning a vacation you can carry these according to your comfort.

As a mother of a 3-year old, I travelled so much and faced so many problems with her. Hope these tips will help a new mother.

Happy Travelling!!!

Happy Motherhood!!!

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WHY YOUNG MOMS NEED THEIR MOMS

While sipping my ginger tea at 10 AM I felt relaxed, and started calling the usual number.

Her soothing voice “Did you wake up darling? How was your yesterday?”

The question may be funny, but that how we start our conversation. We start from yesterday, what challenges I faced during the day, what is with my health, she asks everything about me. We make a call daily. Some days there will be nothing to talk, still, we call and be online.

Without her phone call, my day would be empty. I cannot be a child on that day. I am a mother and need to take care of a family. When I call her, I become a child again, who needs pampering.  Especially when you are a young mother you need her the most. Not only for suggesting the parenting tips, but to hear you, to pamper you.

I hope many of you can connect this point.

1. Her voice will be soothing, whatever your mood is: 

Did you ever feel when you are away from your mother and when she calls it feels like a tight hug from her.  At times you don’t need anything except her presence. These morning calls can fill up that.

2. Gets pampered: 

 No one in your own home will ever pamper you as a child. You need to fulfil your responsibilities as a mother, wife and a daughter in law. You need to take all the responsibility in this house. The only place you can get breakfast on bed, coffee in the hand, can sleep until 8’O clock, without any disturbances.  Our mothers can do this by their voices and phone calls.

3. She will not judge you:

When I say “I did shout at baby today”  to any other person, immediately and unconsciously they judge me., but my mother won’t. When I had a bad day, or when I was so happy whatever my emotion was, she will not judge me.  She can bear my mood swings, but she will never sick of me.

4. You can be as free as you can:

As a mother, I need to play a different role, as an important member of the family I have another role. But the only place you cut off all your fake emotions and be free as you can.

5. Even she waits for your call:

When all her little ones leave the nest, your mother waits for your phone calls. A call from you will make her day.

No one can replace her place in your life. Even if you are old enough to handle a company or kids, you will definitely need her around you or on phone, to guide you, to pamper you, to scold you, to feed you.

Happy Motherhood!!

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WHAT I LEARNT AS MOTHER OF PRESCHOOLER

Motherhood journey is not a cakewalk, especially for new mothers. They learn a lot during the process, so did I. Being a mother of a preschooler is different from the mother of a newborn baby. The level of understanding, communication will be different.

Here are the top 10 things I learnt from my preschool going, daughter

1. Focus 200% on what you do: Kids involves in any given task with all their attention. My kid is not exceptional. If they were playing they play with full consciousness, involvement. I observed we, adults do without any involvement. Subconsciously we do most of the things in a day. Sometimes it makes me feel what is the difference between us and a machine? I can say kids live life more livelily than us. The first thing we need to learn from them.

2. Its okay not to know everything:  My ego never accepts if I don’t know something. But my kid just smiles and asks how to do, what to do something. Isn’t it a sweet characteristic we need to learn

3. Interested in New: New food menu? Excited? New plans? Excited! Change of toys? Excited. New school? Excited. I wonder how the kids accept change!! Some kids resist, but they definitely love the change. Did you observe when they were given a new toy? They have the zeal to learn new things. They will learn, observe the new things carefully and enthusiastically. They focus on learning. No fear of failure can threaten them. Change always enrich our lives.

4. Not forcing things, just relax: When kids got tired they go to sleep. When they were bored, they will stop doing it. If they don’t like a person, they will not smile. Kids don’t force things. 

5. Live in the moment: How many times we got tensed about tomorrow? How many time did we depress about the past? Kids don’t get tensed about tomorrow, doesn’t get depressed by past. They live today, in the present moment. I think it is the best quality to learn.

6. Friends and importance: Did you observe when kids fight; they will not hold grudges between them. In the next minute, they play again happily. Play happily; concentrate on the play, not the team members. The best lesson they ever teach you.

7. Being ON all the time: Right from the moment they open their eyes they will be active, and in a mood for exploring, learning, joy. Whatever happens, they will not stop being active all day. If parents told not to do anything, they may be silent or cry for some time, but they will divert their attention to other things and be happy again.

8. It is okay to cry at times: They don’t care about how others feel if they are crying. It is an outlet for their feelings. Medical studies have proved that crying for adults sometimes will relieve your stress. It is okay to cry (in the room of course)

9. Not being judgemental:  If I shout at my daughter and after a few minutes if I pamper her, she will not judge me for being rude. Actually, she forgets it. Even if I cry in front of her, she will not be judgemental. I can’t expect any adult to do the same if I react like this.

10. Ask questions without fear:  There were many incidents I didn’t ask questions, truly out of fear. In front of family, teachers’ friends, colleagues, shop keepers, I did not talk even if I had a question. “What will they think?”

“If it was a silly question, my friends will laugh at me”

“On the first point is this valid question?”

Like these there are many fears stopped me asking. But my daughter doesn’t care about how others feel if she had a question, she can shoot.

These are only a few things I learnt from her. When she came into my life there are so many things I learnt. Patience, preparedness, controlling my emotions whatnot. She made me completely a different person. She made me a good mother and I am proud to say it.

Happy Motherhood!!

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DIGITAL FREE SUNDAY

What is Digital Free Sunday?

The best decision our family ever took was Digital free Sunday. On Sunday the Television and the wifi switch will be off at our home. A night before that is Saturday night I switch off the extension box switch which is connected to Television and Wifi router. Every weekend we used to spend time with our daughter but with digital devices. The TV would be running on, the kid cannot take her eyes off her cartoons if at all her dad wants sports channel, he used to beg the kid, disappointment to kid and us. So to remove all this drama, I decided to switch off the TV on Sunday.

Why we took this decision?

I observed my 3-year-old daughter becoming cranky at weekends. I couldn't figure out the reason for a long time. After that, I understood that that is all because of televisions and gadgets. A weekend is the only time we stay together and watch television and cell phone. So the best idea came out is “Digital free Sunday".

What we do on Sunday

So many ideas came up when there are no digital devices around. Even we made some days. Here are some ideas for no TV Sunday:

1. Cleaning day

2.Colours day

3. Clay day

4. Board games day

5. Face paints day

6. Roleplay day

7. Music day

8. Story day

9. Gardening day

10. Laundry day

What is the result?

After 3 long years me and my husband has played board games. Surprisingly my daughter has enjoyed more than us, whenever we had thrown dice, she was like “toooo, threeee...sixxx”.

I can notice happiness on her face. She enjoyed her mom and dad being with her all the time and paying attention to her without any distraction. When I say today is Sunday, no TV for you she was like “okay”. At first I thought she would oppose my idea, but she actually enjoyed her parents being with her without digital devices.

At times this idea becomes a total failure. We want to go back to digital devices. Just to give my daughter a happy Sunday we took this decision. Remaining 6 days we will be into the digital devices. Once question pounded every time when I make her watch television. “Is this she wants or is this we want?” I want to watch her happy face while I was losing in Snakes and ladders. I want to watch her excitement when she sows seeds. This is the best decision I’ve ever taken.

Happy Parenting!!!

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ADVANTAGES OF BEING STAY AT HOME MOTHER

I wrote this in the view of mothers who have toddlers. 

One of my neighbours asked me why you are not working after your post-graduation?
"I stopped working after delivery, not after post-graduation", I said smiling, "and I prefer to be a stay-at-home mother at least for few years"
She began to say how working will enhance financial stability, contacts and many other things. Then I realised the advantages of being a stay-at-home mother.

1. Watch your kid's every single milestone achievement.
2. Never misses your kid's small detail.

3. The main advantage is, you will be there when your kid is not well.
4. No workplace deadlines, boss stress. You can give complete attention to your kid.

5. You are raising your kid. Yes, no one will be in charge of your kids while you are at work. You can determine what they eat when they sleep, their time table, and the values that are taught. You are in total responsible for their safety.

6. You are the master of the house. The managing household is one of the parts being a stay-at-home mother. Everything in the gone is under your control.

7. Stay-at-home mothers can have more family time. Unlike working mother's you have more time for family gatherings, friends outings.
8. They don't need a gym!! Who said raising a kid is an easy task? In the early age of kids, it's physically draining process. Sit-ups, cardio, and also many poses of yoga are done by mothers. Practically they do not need a gym.

Mother is always a mother, whether it is working or stay at home. Both have their own advantages and disadvantages. But I want to write only the advantages of stay at home mother because I am one!!

Happy Motherhood!!

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MAGIC PILL FOR MY KID: STORYTIME

8.30 PM

“Come dear its bedtime” I called out my daughter.

“No Amma, I want to play for some more time” my 2-year daughter pleaded with her innocent face.

“Do you want a lion story?” I winked at her.

“Yeeesssssssss!!!!!” she came running.

In the next minute, she is on her bed.

I started her favourite story. She asked some thousands of questions during my four-line story and went to sleep.

Stories play an important role in the development of kids. It can enhance their creativity skills. Why I Always say stories to my kid?

I don’t allow my daughter to watch television for hours. So I need something to engage her. So I say stories, talk, play with her most of the time.

.

“Amma, come let’s go to bed” called my daughter.

“Just a few minutes baby, I will finish my kitchen work” I said hurriedly.

Finally, she won the argument and we are on the bed. She started telling a story (Plenty of stories) until I started singing her lullaby.

Why Did I start stories?

My daughter’s talking ability started slowly. Even though I used to talk to her daily, I observed she needed more speeches. So using her toys I started tiny puppet shows and gradually started telling stories.

Moreover, I practically saw her talking ability improved and so her storytelling abilities.

During the age of 0.6 to 1 year, my daughter was addicted to mobile phone. She was not ready to eat her food without a mobile. Click here to know how to stop kids’ addiction to mobile

So to divert her I chose storytelling.

How Do I say stories?

She loved the stories!! This made me buy and read so many children books again. Even I stick some post-it notes around my house for the storylines.

I mix her daily activities, good manners, mistakes everything in a story. When she throws a tantrum in the shopping mall, at bedtime I will cook up a lion/tiger story with a baby tiger and indirectly says throwing a tantrum is bad habit. Generally, she understands it. After a few months, I saw a tremendous change in her behaviour.

When Do I start stories?

There is no particular time for stories. I start them depending upon her mood. When she is not in a mood to eat, drink or listen to anything, I don’t bother about the surroundings I start telling the story. Mainly whenever she needs a diversion I will start. I am not a great storyteller before, but I tuned my little one to listen to my stories.

What stories I say?

 Mostly I choose animal-related stories. My daughter likes it very much. In some special cases, I chose human stories. Also at the time, I say stories from Ramayana, Mahabharata and Bhagavatam(She loves the way Rama or Bhima or Hanuman kills the demons). I bought a few books on Panchatantra, which consists of animal-related moral stories. Personally I recommend this book for toddlers.

What is the result?

My daughter speaking abilities boosted from 2 to 10 on a scale after starting storytelling!

I handle her tantrums by diverting her with stories!

She became more creative and started telling stories On her own!

I put her to bed with stories!

I teach her good habits with stories!

 It works like a magic pill for my kid. I hope your kids love this too!!

Happy Motherhood!!