Resolve To Do Less

​Two weeks into the New Year—How are your resolutions going? The coming of a new year usually presumes the pursuit of a new you, which can mean adding new habits and routines to your life. And although we hope you’re drinking more water, exercising regularly, and getting a well-deserved eight hours of sleep at night, we know how hard it is adding more to-dos to your busy day (and sticking to them!) That’s why today’s post is all about doing LESS.

​We’ve put together some suggestions on how you can streamline a few of life’s necessary tasks such as grocery shopping, and doing laundry. A few timesaving tricks—plus deciding what NOT to do—means you can finally read the novel sitting on your nightstand, or you might simply slow down and be more present moment to moment. Excited to do less? Keep reading Mama!

Your Morning Routine
Getting ready in the morning is an important part of every Mamas’ day. If you’re pregnant it might mean connecting with your growing body, or choosing a work outfit that flatters your baby bump. If you have Little One’s, perhaps you manage to rise-and-shine before the kids are awake to guarantee you get a shower! Either way, every Mama might consider simplifying her morning in two ways: wardrobe & makeup.

• Wardrobe 

Deciding what to wear in the morning can be stressful, often because we simply have too many options. Try building a “capsule wardrobe” (take a look at this blog and printable workbook crafted by Encircled for ideas) with a few seasonally appropriate pieces that, most importantly, all work together.

• Makeup

As for makeup, think about why you wear it in the first place; is it to cover-up troublesome skin? Do you want to look professional at work? Or does your signature red lip simply make you feel like a boss? Whatever your reasons, try scaling back your makeup routine to see how it feels! Maybe you forgo concealer to let your skin breathe, but keep up with mascara. Or perhaps your eyebrow pencil and a dusting of blush is all it takes for you to feel put together. Experiment with a little less; you may end up liking it more!

Groceries & Cooking
Whether or not it’s you or your partner who takes the lead in the kitchen, your family needs to eat! And that means writing lists on scraps of paper, weekly trips to the grocery store, and time spent at your kitchen counter slicing and dicing. Between planning, shopping, and cooking—not to mention eating—food takes time. The good news is you don’t need to sacrifice healthy eats to lessen the grocery grind!

Start with your grocery list; consider an app that allows you to share lists with your partner. Add items that you buy regularly and simply check them off when you run out. Alternatively, type up your own list and keep it in the kitchen drawer so any family member can access it.

And if browsing the store isles isn’t your cup of tea, see if your local grocer takes online orders; they’ll have it bagged and ready for a quick pick-up! If you shop at Loblaws, you can order your groceries online, and have them delivered right to your car without ever having to step inside the store.

Fresh produce can even be delivered to your doorstep by companies like Mama Earth Organics and Hello Fresh (complete with recipes to follow!). As for cooking, the Instant Pot (a Canadian designed programmable pressure cooker) seems to be on everyone’s wish list, and is rumoured to save you time in the kitchen. And for nights when you’d simply prefer NOT to cook, keep a handful of healthy takeout options at the ready so you can nom, nom guilt-free.

Laundry
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If you spend the week hustling at work only to leave your chores for the weekend…or you spend your day running after Littles, barely managing to toss a load of PB&J stained T-shirts into the wash before collapsing on the couch, you’re in good company. We’ve all done the above, and the consensus is unanimous Mamas… Laundry. Is. A. Drag. So what’s the secret to doing LESS when it comes to cleaning our clothes? Simple, don’t get them dirty in the first place! Okay, there’s no way you’ll keep your wardrobe spotless indefinitely, but the longer a piece looks fresh, the more wears you’ll get out of it before it takes a trip to the laundry room.

• Make sure you wear deodorant everyday, and consider tossing a travel-sized spray or bar in your purse for a mid-day refresh.
• At home, wear an apron whether you’re in the kitchen or not; domestic life is a messy one so why not wear the uniform!
• If you’re a breastfeeding Mama, breast pads will keep your bras and tops milk-stain free.
  
• As for kids, they are bound to get grubby one way or another, so give them aprons, smocks, or coveralls when they play. These protective layers will take the brunt of their daily wear-and-tear.
• For mealtime, invest in a wipeable tablecloth (check out Gathre for covetable designs in colours such as tannin and pewter), and silicone bibs, which can easily be wiped down.
• Don’t forget to tuck a napkin in your own collar too! ​

Entertaining
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Entertaining may look a little different once you have young children in your life, but that’s no reason to forgo hosting altogether. Connecting with other Mamas and seeing your besties on a regular basis is a great way to spend your time and can do wonders for your overall mood!

That said, stressing about a spotless home, and planning elaborate five-course brunches will definitely defeat the point. Whether for afternoon tea, or Sunday roast, start by inviting fewer guests. By only hosting your nearest and dearest, you’re guaranteed to fill your home with people that bring you joy (these are the people who won’t judge you for your messy living room!).

​Kindly ask everyone to bring a favorite dish to share. Potlucks make for tasty gatherings filled with variety, which will allow you to focus on a single dish—easy peasy! If you’d like to do something special, consider mixing a custom drink in a pitcher or punch bowl to thank everyone for his or her contribution to the meal. Make entertaining more about “togetherness” and less about the bells & whistles of hospitality.

Overall, doing LESS is really about choosing to focus on the things that matter most to you and your family, while spending less time and energy on the things that don’t. Yes, we all have to eat food and wear (reasonably) clean clothes, but we don’t need to make it complicated. And, in fact, when life’s daily tasks are done more simply, without undue stress, they become more beautiful. Now that’s a resolution worth sticking to!

We hope this post has inspired you. Share with us what you'll be doing LESS this year, in the comment section below.