By Deborah Stumm
President & Founder

Event and meeting planning is an important part of each of our identities. For all of us, however, it is just one portion of our daily commitments and must be integrated into the multitude of responsibilities we face in our careers and with our families. As a busy mom, business owner, wife and chronic perfectionist, I find that striking the magical balance between work and home is a never-ending struggle. In talking (or more likely emailing or texting) with many of my friends and peers, it seems to be a challenge we all share. In my personal quest to become a super mom, accomplished business woman and basically master-of-my own-universe, I have come up with a few helpful hints to add a little sanity to our mostly insane lives.

Set goals and make lists – Although we’re all on a bit of technology overload, I’ll admit that I would be completely useless without my Microsoft Outlook task list and calendar. "To Do" lists are an important way to write down your thoughts, set goals and keep yourself accountable. If you are not a high-tech fan, handwritten lists can work just as well as long as you track your accomplishments and keep tabs on items that still need to be done. I also find that writing down ideas helps get them out of my head and more likely to be put into action.

Separate work and family time – This is a big one, and probably one of the most difficult to accomplish. One of the ways I try to achieve this is by setting boundaries for my family and me. During certain hours of the day, my time is dedicated strictly to my company and career (barring my daughter falling off the monkey bars at school and breaking her arm -- true story!). I feel it is my responsibility to give my job 100% of my focus during the hours I am in the office. When I am committed, I can get more accomplished in a shorter period of time. On the other side of the equation, I am a firm believer that your spouse, friends, significant other and children also deserve your undivided attention when you are with them. Establish distinct work and family spaces in your home and select specific times to dedicate to both work and family whenever possible.

Relieve stress – How many times have we all heard this? Doctors, friends and family members will frequently make this statement without offering any advice on how to actually accomplish it. I am not going to try to tell you the best ways to achieve this in your life -- but rather we each need to find things in our own comfort zones to help reduce our stress levels. For me, a good workout and sweat usually does the trick. For others it may be curling up with a good book, spending quality time with a significant other or friend or scheduling a much-needed massage. Finding activities that help you cope with life as it comes at you is an important part of finding your balance.

Ask for help when you need it – The saying goes, "Do as I say, not as I do," right? This by far is the toughest one for me. As an independent, strong-willed (my husband calls it stubborn) woman, it is hard for me to ask for help. If you have kids, this might mean hiring a neighborhood babysitter a few days a week to help the kids after school. If funds are tight, maybe schedule a play date exchange with a neighbor where you take her kids one day a week and she watches
yours on another so you can get a few things done. If you have roommates or a spouse at home, delegate responsibilities between yourselves so that everyone pitches in utilizing their strengths.

Simplify – I really wish that I could have titled this section, “Don’t over commit yourself,” but the reality is that we are all overcommitted. Since we may not be able to reduce the number of items on our “to do” list, the only option is to find more simple ways to get them done. For that reason, I have recently added a new division to the Party Plan-It family of companies called SuperMoms360.com -- The Busy Mom’s Guide to Being Simply….Super! The concept for the site is to create a place where busy moms and families can go to get "real" ideas for kids’ and family parties, local entertainment & activities, easy weeknight recipes, kid-friendly holiday crafts & recipes, gifts, healthcare, resources "just for mom" and more!

On the corporate front, we are as committed as ever to our EventConnection360.com division and realize you are stretched thin in your work responsibilities. If we can assist you in finding a location for an upcoming meeting or event, a caterer or restaurant for an upcoming luncheon or business dinner or a unique vendor for company teambuilding, please contact us at (858) 695-3895 or you can email me personally at deborah@partyplan-it.com.

As always, our services are free of charge to our clients. And who knows, with the extra time you saved, you may find that you can squeeze in that overdue massage after all!