How to Plan for the Unexpected as a Working Mom
This winter is going down in the history books as one of the worst for the Denning household.
If your kids are in school or daycare, I know you get it!
We've had everything from colds and ear infections to strep throat and the flu. So many illnesses that it's almost laughable... almost.
Just this week, I left for work on Monday not knowing how the rest of the week or even the rest of the day would go. My daughter was on day 2 of a fever and the baby on day 1 of a cold. I didn't know if I would end up taking someone to the doctor, if I was in for a sleepless night, if our nanny would get sick, or if I would get sick. There are just so many unknowns this time of year!
It's frustrating and exhausting, but life has to go on.
It's not realistic to take a sabbatical from work or hibernate until the spring, as much as we'd like to. So I made a promise to myself on Monday that I would make the most of the time that I did have and plan for the unknown.
After following these 6 steps, I left work, headed home to my sick kids, and knew that my life wouldn't fall apart if I had to stay home the next day.
Instead of worrying about everything I still had to do, or worse yet, being angry at my kids for throwing a wrench in my schedule for the week, I was able to accept the situation for what it was...
...Flu season with 3 young kids who don't know how to sneeze into their elbow and keep their hands out of their faces!!
So how can you still get stuff done and prepare for the unexpected when you have sick kids or life is just unpredictable? The video below walks you through preparing for the unexpected, step by step. Or you can read more below.
1. Take Inventory of Your Calendar
Look at your schedule, meetings, and appointments for the week and write down any deliverables or action items that you have to have completed.
Are there any meetings that you can push out to a later week or reschedule?
Are there any appointments/meetings where there is an easy Plan B? Could someone else cover the meeting for you? Could you move the conversation to email? Can you give someone a heads up that you have sick kids, and while you’re still planning on attending, there’s a chance you may have to cancel?
2. Create a List of Your Non-Negotiables
Take the list that you started when taking inventory of your calendar and add to it any items that ABSOLUTELY MUST get done this week. Emails that need to be sent, projects that have to be started, conversations you need to have. Review and make sure that it is the bare minimum. (So many of us tell ourselves that something HAS to get done this week, when in reality it can wait.)
Next to each item, write down how long you need to complete it. 1 hour, 2 hours, 30 minutes?
3. Schedule Every Task
Now that you know how long each item is going to take you, put each must-do task on your calendar. Try to schedule as many for today, or as soon as possible.
You know the how the day before vacation or a long break from work, you work faster and more efficiently to try to wrap up as much as possible? That’s how I want you to work through your scheduled tasks. Assume that you won’t be in tomorrow and this is your last chance. The work doesn’t have to be perfect, it just needs to be done!
4. Create Your Secondary List
This is the list for all of those items that you THOUGHT were non-negotiable but actually aren’t. Put anything else that would be nice to get done onto this list.
If your schedule proceeds as normal, or you work even faster than you planned, these are the items you can move onto next so that you’re not twiddling your thumbs. But if shit hits the fan, you won’t touch this list, and that is ABSOLUTELY OK.
5. How Can I Take Care of Me?
This is the step that we all forget! But when we’re working efficiently, and taking care of others, especially others who are sick, it’s critical to remember the little things that will make everything easier.
Decide what you can do to take care of yourself, and add those items to your list of non-negotiables.
For me, that was drinking 8 glasses of water, taking my vitamins, rolling my shoulders and stretching out my neck throughout the day, eating a salad for lunch, and going to bed EARLY. What works for you?
6. Find Some Perspective
In our household, the average cold or illness lasts about a week. So when the days feel long and I’m tired, I try to remind myself that I can do anything for one week and so can you.
You have a plan, you’ve cut out the unnecessary items, you’re taking care of yourself, and tomorrow or next week could look completely different.
You can handle the unexpected!
What’s Your One Thing?
So my question for you is - what is one thing on your to-do list that you can push to tomorrow or next week? Or better yet, that you can completely remove because it’s just not that important right now.
Create some space in your schedule and in your commitments. Gain some flexibility for the unexpected. And most importantly, take care of yourself.