Whether something is decided to be a benefit or a disadvantage is relative. What we think to be positive or negative has everything to do with our outlook, our point of view…our perspective. One person’s drawback is another person’s triumph. What one person perceives to be a problem, another person thinks is their greatest advantage.
The Right Mindset Will Get You Everywhere
A number of years back, after university, before I became self-employed and when I felt generally lost in life, I began to read Eckhart Tolle books, I created a dream board and I familiarized myself with the law of attraction. Through these personal teachings, I grew self aware of the debilitating capacity of my own thoughts and understood that my unhappiness was, simply put, MY FAULT.
It was an empowering realization.
Why?
Because this meant that I could control my state of mind. That I could choose to see the good in every situation. That even though I knew I wanted to make big changes in my life, that my happiness wasn’t the byproduct of my surroundings.
It was me.
“My Baby Takes Up All My Time!”
The first words that come to mind for a suitable response are…
No shit!
Like I said before, raising a baby is a FULL TIME JOB. Not part time, not contract…FULL time. For new moms like me, it’s certainly an adjustment and I’ve learned what it feels like to be robbed of my personal time.
Feel like writing a blog post? (ahem, hem) Better postpone that inspiration for the next time your baby decides to take a nap.
Dying to go to the gym? That’ll need to be timed impeccably around feedings, naps and babysitters.
BUT…I’m Now a Much More Efficient Person
The fact that the amount of time I have in a day to complete my to-do list has been cut by 75% is actually a huge benefit. You see, I now have less time to do more. And so I’ve become highly efficient at everything I do.
Let me give you a few examples:
- I make to-do lists in order of priority. Thought you were forgetful during pregnancy? Just wait. But these lists (thank goodness for Evernote) don’t only help me remember what I need to do, but they also serve a second, very important, function: The moment my personal time kicks in, I’m ready to maximize it.
- When my little prince goes down for a nap, I move like a bat out of hell! As I’m bouncing, dancing, swinging and cajoling my son to sleep, I’m thinking about what I’m going to do when it’s lights out.
- Every time I get a few minutes throughout the day, I break a sweat knocking items off my list. You’d be surprised how much you can accomplish in 10 minutes when you have no idea when the next 10 is coming.
- I’ve become a GREAT multi-tasker. My little guy has officially entered the phase where he loves to see and explore the world around him. So, I’ll often kill two birds with one stone carrying him around the house and doing the odd (one-handed) job here and there. Everybody wins!
- I’ve become an even better uni-tasker. When I had all the time in the world to get things done, it wouldn’t really matter how long it took me, or how I did it, or whether or not I got distracted while doing it. Now, I’ve learned that in many scenarios, being a uni-tasker is far better than being a multi-tasker. Sit down, concentrate and get ’er done. Then move on to the next task.
- When I work, I’m more focused. Knowing very well that I have a limited amount of time has worked wonders in my business life. When the prince is fed, happy and sleeping, it’s my time to be productive. So I bear down and get to it. No messing around. And it feels great!
Adaptation is Key
You’ve got free reigns to sit there and complain about the fact that your new baby leaves you with little to no time for yourself. Or, you can chalk it up to an albeit different interpretation but one that actually has great benefit.
While I’ll admit that at first it certainly didn’t feel like a benefit, after a couple months whizzed by, I began to notice that my efficiency is sky high!
Fellow new mothers, I swear, my baby makes me more efficient!
What about you? Has your baby given you a new superpower? Do tell.