You probably already guessed them:
“Thank you.”
Why? Because they have what I’ve come to believe is the hardest job on the planet.
You don’t truly realize it until you witness it firsthand. Over the years, as I have watched my wife, Polly, become a mother, I’ve finally witnessed the incredible challenges that come with being a mom—the crazy schedules, never-ending to-do lists, and dwindling amounts of sleep.
Whenever anyone asks Polly what she does for a living, she gives the perfect answer: “I don’t know,” she says, “but I do it all day.”
When I was a speaker for the Women of Faith conference, I was able to talk to moms all over the country, and they all seemed to encounter the same three main problems:
- They were way too busy all the time.
- They spent their days bogged down by stress.
- They felt too tired to really enjoy the full breadth of what life has to offer.
I would usually offer the best advice I could, but I never felt like I had a great go-to solution to any of those three problems. After all, what do I know about being a mom?
I’m writing this now because I’ve finally found what will—from this day forward—be my go-to recommendation for moms who are feeling overwhelmed, stressed out, and tired: the new book by Crystal Paine, Say Goodbye to Survival Mode: 9 Simple Strategies to Stress Less, Sleep More, and Restore Your Passion for Life.
In case you’re not familiar, Crystal is a wife, mother of three, and founder of the wildly popular blog MoneySavingMom.com (another great resource for all families).
If you’re spending most of your day tired, stressed, and overwhelmed, there is only one thing that can fix those problems—a plan. And that’s exactly what Crystal’s book provides, a simple 9-strategy plan that you can apply to make your life easier.
Even though this book is geared mostly toward moms, I—as a husband and dad—found there to be a ton of useful information for me as well! Here’s why:
- The book is full of practical strategies that can positively affect not just moms, but the entire family. Sure, they are strategies for moms to implement, but Crystal’s ideas on goal-setting, time management, and rediscovering passion are things that will have a HUGE impact on our two sons and me as well.
- Crystal embraces principles. And you know I’m a big fan of those!
- She focuses on the “why.” Everyone wants to have less stress and more time, but we rarely ask ourselves why we want those things. Crystal keeps you focused on the big overall result that matters most—a happy, joyful family that is built to impact the lives of others.
- It’s not just another boring, dry “how-to” book. Crystal’s personality shines through every page. She keeps things fun and interesting the whole way through.
If you’re a mom who wants more time to focus on the things that truly matter—instead of getting bogged down by all the “day-today” stuff—I really want to encourage you to read Say Goodbye to Survival Mode.
For those of you who are not moms, I’m willing to bet you know a few moms who would find this book highly valuable.
One more thing before you go—I challenge you to seek out a mom today and tell her thanks. Why wait until Mother’s Day when you can brighten someone’s day right now?
