The 5 Biggest Mistakes That Moms Make at Night

Sometimes evenings can be the worst times of day for moms:

1) we have to prepare dinner
2) there are dishes to wash
3) there is homework to help with
4) you have sports practice or music lessons to drive kids to
5) there is always, always, always laundry to finish

And the list goes on and on. With so much to accomplish moms can feel frazzled, with little time to spend on things that matter most, but our nights don't have to be this way.

Take a look and see if you are making any of these 5 mistakes in the evening:

1. Trying to do too much. I am so guilty of doing this! There is so much that I want to do like read a good book, spend time with my girls, spend time with my husband, watch my favorite TV show... the list goes on and on... but it's unrealistic to get all of it done. No matter how much I multi task or try to sneak in a minute here and there.

If my most important goals are to cultivate important relationships with my family then I must choose to work toward these goals on most nights and then set out to successfully accomplish them.

2. Not having a plan. One of the things that I think is so helpful in taking most of the stress out of each evening so to plan for dinner. Knowing what  I'm going to make each night and having the ingredients on hand makes it easier to get dinner on the table quickly.

3. Not being honest about your bad habits. Admit it, checking social media is way more fun than reading the same book over and over to your children. Have you ever stopped to actually measure how much time you spend looking at your phone? I recently realized that I was spending quite a bit of time in the evenings on my computer checking facebook, instagram, and browsing pinterest for my next project.

Maybe your bad habit isn't social media... maybe it's drinking too much coffee or you can't  make it to bed at a decent hour. Whatever it is, it's a good idea to take a minute and think about how bad habits might be affecting your weekends.

4. Not going to bed early. Sometimes staying up late after the kids go to bed may be the only time you get by yourself or to spend to time with your husband. I'm guilty of this. It's hard to get a good night's sleep especially when my youngest still doesn't sleep through the night. I know when I go to bed late it affects my attitude the next morning and I do not like that.

5. Taking care of yourself. It's important to take care of yourself. As a mom, you are the center of your family's universe. Keeping yourself healthy  and physically strong is a gift to yourself and your family. So, I don't feel that taking time to sleep or go for a walk is selfish.

What is the one thing you struggle with the most in the evenings?