Life is challenging for all of us. You know the drill; we make a home for ourselves and our families which puts us in charge of schedules, making sure everyone is fed, to-do lists, errands, general household upkeep and apparently knowing where anyone in the house has put the thing they need for the event that starts in five minutes! We do this in addition to owning and operating a business, and the cookie artists I have had the pleasure to get to know perform this delicate balance like a duck on a pond. They're gliding along on top, making it look easy and graceful while paddling madly underneath with lots of hard work and sweat equity.
First and foremost, they focus on their families. They are wives, some to active duty military members who have moved time and again but always seem to take each one in stride and settle quickly in the newest place. They are moms with active, vibrant, healthy children and are lovingly involved in their children's lives, education, sports, etc.
Family comes before business, as it should. Our cookie artists do not boast, nor do they complain; they state matter-of-factly that they work in their businesses around the obligations of their favorite people. That makes for a packed schedule of early mornings, late nights, short bursts of work during naptimes and sometimes missing out on simple pleasures for themselves. In other words, they are women described in Proverbs 31:27
She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
What are their secrets for work-life balance? I can't speak for all of them, but I can give you advice from my own experience of being a housewife, homeschool mom and business owner for the past (insert number that is a lot but doesn't make me too old) years.
1. Lean into your faith if you are a believer. Nothing will restore and refresh you as much as Jesus time. Do you have to get up at 5 a.m. to read and pray? That is an option, yes, but not the only one. Bible apps will read Scripture to you if you can't seem to sit down during the day, and worship music always helps change a bad mood or attitude. Hopefully, you are also an active member of a faith community and can enjoy fellowship (as well as coffee :D) with them.
2. Take a walk seems so cliche, but there is some truth to resetting mind and body with fresh air and movement. If you cannot get away from the house to exercise, you can do short bursts of squats, push ups, jumping jacks, etc. If you can get in a walk and are a believer, this is a good time to pray as well.
3. Read. Read with your kids, read to your husband, read for pleasure, read for entertainment, read to learn. And you may sense a theme here, but if you're a believer, read Scripture, even if you only have time for one verse or chapter. The Bible changes us as we read it and the more the better but even in small increments, it is beneficial.
4. Eat real, nourishing food together as a family. I know, I know. The effort involved in cooking a meal every night for people who may not always appreciate the effort sometimes seems overwhelming. That's why I didn't say "cook supper every night." Of course there will be evenings where everyone is running all over creation and you are grateful to be able to grab something quickly that has some semblance of a nutrient or two. Sharing at least one meal a day as a general rule will provide your family the nourishment needed for strong minds, bodies and souls as well as strengthen the ties that bind. And you don't have to do all the cooking. We made a deal before we were married that whoever was home first would cook, and the other would be in charge of dishes. Kids were taught how to cook (age appropriate) meals from the time they could take direction well.
The above suggestions are not exhaustive, nor are they meant to add to your daily tasks. They are exactly that, suggestions, and ones which I would give you if we could go to the local coffee shop and chat over cups of Victory Roast. They are encouragement to you that if you are a cookie artist who is running a cottage industry so you can be a steadfast presence in your family's life, express your creativity and contribute to the household income, you are as Proverbs 31:10 describes,
A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.