Tips for Clarity when Juggling Multiple Roles

I am a wife, mom, friend, teacher, writer, homemaker... There are unfinished lists, unhappy people, and a demanding world grabbing our attention. So how do I move forward and not get stuck?

This life is a complicated balancing act. We each have different roles we play, things we manage, and jobs we do. The more responsibilities you have, the more complicated your life can be.

I have broken down my roles and it has given me clarity. I can look at my list and see what I actually need to be spending time on. I can also see the places that have quietly been forgotten. I often get distracted by the loud and “urgent” that are actually demands from others. 

We need to know what roles we actually have.

• What are you actually responsible for?

• What do you care about?

• Who are you?

---

Writing out all these things may seem ridiculous to other people.

It is calming for me.

It tells me where I am actually at. What is true.

What I am trying to get done in only 24 hours and 7 days a week.

---

These questions and this process just click for me. I fits with how I see things. Hopefully, they bring some clarity to your own journey, helping you avoid getting bogged down in the small stuff.

Photo by Alexa Williams on Unsplash

Here is an example of my process.

{use this as a prompt or a place to start and adjust it to your unique needs}

My Lists:

I grab a fresh piece of paper or the notes app in my phone and start making my messy lists.

I like to start with the obvious so that I can be practical right away.

• My Home

  • What tasks/projects need to be done? 

  • Walk around and make notes.

  • Basic chores and weekly cleaning.

  • Deep cleaning and specific organizing.

  • Getting kids to do their chores and clean their rooms.

  • pets & farm animals – care, maintenance, cleaning, grooming

• Meal Planning 

  • sort the pantry, freezer, and the fridge

  • Seasonal Dinner Queue, gathering recipes, updating lists 

• My Health/Fitness 

  • Long walks, Healthy Habits, Workouts, Yoga

  • Drink more water!! 

  • eat more salads and fresh veggies

---

Then I go deeper into the next level of what matters to me.

• My Personal Growth 

  • How am I feeding my mind, heart, and soul?

  • Reading List, Bullet Journal, Commonplace Notebook 

  • Hobbies & living a vibrant life – What am I doing to be fully alive?

• Wife

  • How am I choosing to love Jim well? How can I support him?

  • things to discuss, plan out date nights, decisions to make together 

• Mom Life

  • How can I invest in each kid? 

  • What can I do to foster love and communication? 

  • What do my teens need from me?

  • What do my younger kids need from me?

---

Then I look at all the jobs that I balance. There are so many things that I manage.

• Long Term planning 

  • Seasonal / Holidays / Birthdays 

  • What is coming up?  What needs to be planned for? 

  • RV trips and Adventure Days – plan them out

  • Bucket Lists – Seasonal activities to add fun into our days

• Finances

  • Am I staying within my budget? What needs to change?

• Homeschool 

  • What needs to be planned, scheduled, and completed? 

  • Grading, organizing materials, and sorting all the things…

• Writing

  • Where am I headed? What is next?

  • Inspiration – Fill the well. Capture ideas in the moment. Spend time writing daily.

• Friendships  

  • Invest in life-giving people – Who brings me back to who I am? Who is grounding?

• Extended Family

  • be kind and encouraging, love them well

---

Woah! That is a lot. And I think I forgot to add the mountain of laundry to that list.

Writing out all the things tells me where I am actually at. What is true. What I am trying to get done in only 24 hours and 7 days a week.

It brings me back to the realistic and what is most important.

It often explains why I feel like I am being pulled in many directions.

Because… I AM .

That frustration is legit. I am trying to do too much.

This is the moment when clarity sweeps over me. Suddenly I know what I need to spend more time on, and what I need to let go of.

Photo by Alexa Williams on Unsplash

• What are you actually responsible for?

• What are the basic areas and jobs you have?

• Where and how do you spend your time?

• What do you care about? Who are you?

---

Trade-offs are real and decisions should be made strategically and thoughtfully.

A choice is an action, not just something we have but something we DO.

–Essentialism by Greg McKeown

I hope that making these crazy long lists encourages wholeness and continuity. We want to live in a way that is full of what we care about. We do not want segmented life that is wasted on small things.

My prayer for you is that you find an intentional path to where you want to go.

Breaking down my own roles has really helped me see things clearly, and I hope it does the same for you.

💙Wishing you the best! – April

---

Photos by Alexa Williams, and others on Unsplash