are you an overwhelmed mother?

The answer is probably yes, especially if you're a mother and mompreneur. I have many a day where I wonder how I'm going to get everything done on my to-do list, and that doesn't count the numerous unplanned interruptions (potty training fits right into that one). That thing where you run around like a chicken with its head cut off? I've used that expression one too many times. Tired of being a headless chicken I am slowly learning my world--family or business--won't fall apart if things aren't checked off the list. I'm trying to be more flexible, focus on the moment and fight the addiction to multitask every moment of every day.

I missed this week's Oprah about the overwhelmed mother who left her two-year-old girl in the car all day while she was at work. She simply forgot she was there. It was a tragic yet touching story that hit home to those of us trying to balance the daily demands of a life filled with children, groceries, laundry, invoices and emails. My first thought was, "How could she not remember her daughter was in the back seat?" And then I remembered the times when I've turned around in the car to make sure my daughter was in her car seat--I couldn't recall actually strapping her in when I left the house! Like Oprah mentioned, I too have arrived at a destination not knowing how I got there (and wondering if I ran any red lights along the way).

The message I took home from this Oprah episode was to slow down, focus on the task at hand and do whatever I can to avoid becoming overwhelmed. If you missed "An Overwhelmed Mother's Deadly Mistake" I highly recommend you read the episode (I believe it's close to the full transcript). It will help put your multitasked life into perspective. Hopefully none of us will ever have to go through something so tragic. --Emily