Pulse Check Monday

This week’s Pulse Check Monday question is: What can I let go of, postpone, or ask for help with this week?

As a full-time working mom of two toddlers, I often feel guilty that I’m not spending enough time with my girls during the workweek. I know I’m not alone in this. This week, I’m working on letting go of that guilt and reframing the narrative: I’m going to make the most of the time I do have with them.

Sometimes it helps to have small moments to look forward to like: pre-dinner dance parties, games of hide-and-seek, coloring after dinner, or even a special dessert together. These simple rituals can make ordinary evenings feel meaningful.

I also struggle with postponing tasks without feeling like I’m falling behind. Lately, I’ve been trying to apply the “glass ball vs. rubber ball” mindset. If you haven’t heard of it, “glass balls” are the things that can’t be dropped without consequences. For me, that’s my relationship with my husband, my girls, and at least one daily act of self-care.

“Rubber balls,” on the other hand, are the things that can wait; they may drop, but they’ll bounce back. These include cleaning, folding laundry, and most household tasks that are hard to fit into a busy workweek.

I’ve also been experimenting with spreading tasks across multiple days instead of trying to do everything at once. It’s not perfect, but it helps create more breathing room. Every week looks a little different depending on work schedules, activities, and how everyone is feeling, and that’s okay.

Lastly, it’s so important to ask for help. We were never meant to do this alone, and motherhood has felt so much more joyful as I’ve leaned on others. Lately, that’s looked like asking my husband to help me fold a load of laundry so I can get to bed earlier.

I’ve also started working on a simple pre-bedtime tidying routine with my three-year-old. It’s still a work in progress, but we’re doing our best to build healthy habits together.

The heart of this week’s pulse check is to reevaluate how you’re approaching your daily and weekly routines. No matter what season of motherhood you’re in, whether it’s working full-time, staying at home, caring for a newborn, or just trying to get through the day, you don’t have to do everything on your own.

Not everything deserves your energy this week, and that’s the point. 

To do this week:
Ask yourself this question and write down your answer. Share it with your partner or a trusted mom friend, and hold yourself accountable to your plan.

And tell me, what’s one rubber ball you’re letting drop this week?