Oct 18, 2017
Episode Summary:
I’m going to start today’s episode by saying something that might make some of you angry. But I need to share a little tough love with all of you working parents out there. Here it is:
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by your over-booked schedule, if you don’t have enough time, it’s for one reason and one reason only: because you aren’t setting boundaries around your time. You either don’t know how, or you aren’t comfortable, saying NO to other people.
There are a hundred excuses I hear from working parents who are overwhelmed:
- I have too much on my plate.
- My husband doesn’t do anything around the house.
- I don’t have enough help.
- My job (or my boss) is super-demanding.
- My kids are still young and they need me.
- I’m the person people rely on to get things done.
All of this is CODE for: “I haven’t learned how to set boundaries in my life.”
Do extenuating circumstances arise? Are there times that are busier than others? Of course. It’s life and sometimes things are going to be busier than others. And as working parents, you’re in a particularly complex season of life where you’re raising kids who really do need a lot of attention and support, while juggling a demanding job as well. So don’t get me wrong… I have a lot of empathy for you if you really DO have a full plate and are just trying to keep up.
But if the common theme in your life is overwhelm and burnout and you rarely have times of peace and calm, then it’s not about the various circumstances of your life. It’s about how you’re MANAGING your life. It is possible to have a FULL life without constantly feeling stressed out and at your wits end.
So today I’m talking with Monica Froese about the steps you can take to begin setting boundaries in your life, and how you can start becoming comfortable with doing it so it doesn’t jeopardize your relationships or your reputation or everything you’ve accomplished so far in your life. We’ll go into how you can set boundaries around your time when everyone needs something from you… because that’ll never end. There will always be demands on your time. So you need to become really good at saying NO and doing it gracefully so you don’t alienate the most important people in your life.
Monica and I had an awesome discussion on episode WPR009 about embracing your ambition without the guilt. We had such a great time chatting that I invited her to come back on to talk with me about setting boundaries and saying no and protecting your precious time as a working parent.
In case you haven't listened to my earlier episode with Monica yet (which is linked in the show notes if you missed it), Monica is a business strategist at RedefiningMom.com, where she works with mom entrepreneurs. She has her MBA in Finance and works to empower working moms to create online businesses and escape the 9-5 grind. She's been featured on several media outlets including Fox News, Scary Mommy, Healthline, and Mom Talk Radio, and was even invited to the White House in 2015 to chat with the President's senior advisors about workplace policies to help working families. You can hear all about that experience back on episode 9 as well. I could go on and on about Monica, but today I'm glad that we get to chat a bit more.
Show Notes: http://WorkingParentResource.com/34
Resources & Links Mentioned in this Episode:
WPR009: Embracing Your Ambition Without the Guilt with Monica Froese
Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No by Henry Cloud and John Townsend
How to Say No Gracefully (A Free Guide)
Working Parent Resource Burnout Assessment
Working Parent Resource Burnout Training
Working Parent Resource Facebook Community
Working Parent Resource Website
About the Working Parent Resource:
The Working Parent Resource is dedicated to helping ambitious working parents acquire the information, insights, and tools they need to create a more intentional and fulfilling life that reflects their deepest values and priorities. Sarah Argenal, the host of the Working Parent Resource Podcast, has her Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology with an emphasis on Marriage and Family Therapy and Adult Development, and is a Certified Professional Coach with 20 years of experience in counseling, coaching, teaching, course development, and project management. You can access episode Show Notes and learn more about the Working Parent Resource at http://WorkingParentResource.com.
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The post “WPR034: How to Set Boundaries and Say No to Protect Your Time with Monica Froese” appeared first on WorkingParentResource.com.