I often hear, ''I don't know how you do it all.'' or ''I know you're so busy..'' 

I understand where that perception comes from. As a mother, doula, and real estate agent, I do a lot of things and I work with a lot of people's schedules. 

But, to be fair, I should start this post off with the insight that my social media presence, like so many others, often makes me appear busier and my days fuller than I actually am or they are. Both of my jobs are super flexible (until they're not... #oncalllife) and I'm able to move things around to suite my days and desired schedule best. 

Secondly, I have my kids every other week, which means that I have a lot more free time than most parents. While I miss my kids like crazy when they are gone, the free time for choosing is nice. I work, work, work on the weeks that my kids are with their Dad (often working from 9am-10pm) and then I try to only work when they are in school (9am-12pm) on the weeks that I do have them. My goal is to spend as much time as possible with my kids when I have them since I only get to be with them 1/2 of the time. Shared parenting is very hard but definitely has it's perks. 

So, how do I make the most of my time on the weeks when I work, work, work, work, work? ​​

Well, I sing this song and send this GIF a lot...  and.... 

1. I make lists - weekly and daily. My lists are my saving grace. I do a giant brain dump of all the things that need to be done each Sunday and then I break down the list into daily tasks. 
I'm definitely a proponent of writing things on the list that are super easy to do so that I can cross things off right away and feel accomplished. Wake Up  ✓, Drink Coffee ✓, Take a shower ✓ These easily crossed off first tasks inspire me to keep going and do the harder tasks such as Write a blog post ✓ , Work out ✓,  Make phone calls ✓ Send emails ✓
​You get the idea... 

2. I use a scheduling program called Acuity. If you've ever scheduled anything with me, you've likely used my Acuity scheduler. It's a freaking game-changer. My Acuity program is linked directly with my Google Calendars and everything is blocked off for me. It shows when I'm available, and when I'm not. From scheduling doula consultations to prenatal and postpartum visits, mentoring sessions, or even coffee or lunch dates, Accuity makes my life so much easier. If you're a business owner in any capacity, try Acuity by following my affiliate link here. 

3. I say ''No.'' more than most people and have very little guilt. I'll never forget the look of surprise on a volunteer-recruiter's face when she said, ''Hi. Can you help in the garden this week or next?'' and I said, ''No. I cannot. I'm sorry'' ... and kept going. One, how bold of her to ask me  (seriously, I commend her efforts).. but also, how bold of me to say, ''No. I can't commit to that right now. Maybe another time.'' 

Also, enrichment classes? Not going to happen for my kids every session in this stage of life. Sorry kids, but I know my bounds... and nightly classes are not part of a schedule that keeps me sane. ​There is this Karen Drucker song that goes, ''N.O is my new YES. When I say ''No,'' I set myself free.'' Listen to the song here. It's my life anthem when I'm feeling overwhelmed. 

4. I wake up early and stay up late. So, the first part of this is really healthy and awesome... and the second part, not so much. I woke up this morning at 5:30am, filled with blog ideas and things I want to do today. I'll work on my computer until I run out of steam and then go work-out and try to get the momentum going again... or start in on my scheduled tasks and appointments. I tend to work best and have the best ideas right before and after sleep... and sometimes in the middle of the night. My goal is to get to sleep earlier... but I'm a work in progress!  ​

5. Lastly and most importantly, I prioritize self-care. I take time off. I breath. Every Sunday, I go to church and center myself with my Higher Power. My favorite part of our church service is the meditation. This is where I am most able to connect with God, regroup, and center myself for the week.  I am able to tap into and listen to my inner wisdom or intuition that tells me when I'm stretched too thin or doing too much... or which way I'm supposed to grow next. I pause and try to ground myself with prayer, with art, with friendship. 

I know this last tip is the hardest for many, but I know in my heart of hearts that ​I am only able to be my best self and ''do it all'' when I'm taking care of my Mind, Body, and Spirit. 

I hope these tips have been helpful for you. Want to schedule a free 15 minute phone call with me? 1. I'd love to touch base with you. 2. I'd love to hear how you manage your time and life better. Comment below or schedule our time together. 

I look forward to hearing from you!

​​Sincerely, 

Hey there, 

Welcome to my personal and professional blog space and website. My name is Molly Murray... for now. I'm getting married in just a few days and will soon change my last name to Thoms (rhymes with homes.) 

I created this blog space and website as a unified hub while I grow my professional career in varying directions (I'm a seasoned doula and a brand new real estate agent) and to highlight more of my personal journey.

As humans, we are born, we go through life which includes a lot of hard stuff and hopefully, many joyous moment, and then we die.

I lost my parents, grandparents, and a sibling many, many years ago. I realize through their life and their death that nothing is forever. The only way their legacy lives on is through the service they provided the world, the stories that they told, and the people that they connected with. 

My parents and sibling's lives were riddled with addiction, mental health issues, and an underlying tone of instability... and then cut way too short. Despite that, while they were here, they made a huge difference in many lives. Their life and death made a great impact on my trajectory of helping people and living a life of sobriety and gratitude. Their life and death inspired me to stay grounded and always growing. 

As people, we connect and we grow through stories and personal experiences. We build our legacy while we are here on this Earth. I am so thankful to be so connected with so many people. And now, I have been asked to show up in a bigger way and to share more of my story and life experience. 

To me, there are very little downsides to sharing more of who I am. I realize that this type of sharing is not something that everyone understands and there is sometimes criticism for being ''too open.'' To that, I say, ''I hear you.'' and ''You do you.'' 

For me, I plan on sharing more of who I am, of taking up more space as a person, sharing more of what helps me to survive and even to thrive in this crazy, ever changing and sometimes tumultuous existence we call life... which will hopefully help others to grow. 

Which leads to me to my catchphrase, ''Here we grow.'' I say it anytime one would normally say, ''Here we go.'' While we are alive, we are always growing or at least I like to think so... because otherwise, what's the point? 

So... Here we grow! 

Sincerely,