The mom of four, pediatric ER nurse and medical educator shows us how she moves through her day with the notion that motherhood, love and caring for others is at the core of everything she does. In her own words, here’s how Shannon makes it from sunrise to sundown with balance, presence and focus.

6 am: This is crucial to start the day right. Before my kids are awake, I make sure I am up (keep in mind I’ve been pregnant or breastfeeding for 12 straight years – so I get how difficult this sounds).

This gives me some alone time to move my body and clear my mind. This is when I will set my intentions for the day and put ONLY the three most important things for the day on my to-do list. This hour lets me set the tone for the day, rather than spending the day feeling like the day is chasing me. Of course there are days when I want to stay snuggled in my cozy sheets, but I always remind myself that I’ve never regretted my morning time. 

7:30 am: Give thanks! This may look different for all of us, but my faith and prayer has guided me through it all. Slowing down to truly give Him glory grounds me each day and asking for help is a necessary part of my day. Because this job as a mother was never meant to be done alone.

8 am: Family Breakfast. We love to start our day sharing a giant, yummy smoothie while gathered around the kitchen counter discussing our day ahead. Smoothies are my go-to for delicious, nutrient-packed breakfasts that both my kiddos and I love. Frozen fruit, mixed greens, and any extra nutrients all blended up starts our day off right. You can practically sneak anything into a smoothie for your kids to try, and those nutrients will power you and your children throughout the day!

9 am: Homeschool. Homeschooling has given us more quality time together, and also, a great deal of flexibility. Watching them learn and grow is my very favorite thing! During our homeschooling lessons, this is the time in my day I try to be fully present with them, ready for their endless questions! There’s nothing better than seeing their eyes light up when they have an “ah-ha” moment. I feel so thankful to be able to foster their inquisitive minds each and every day. 

12 pm: Work. After homeschool and lunch, it’s time for daddy to stop working and take the kids while mom sits down and works, serving moms through our business.

Approaching my work with gratitude to be able to help others is the biggest motivation. Whether I have an hour, or four, investing in others through my business is always part of each day. This is where balance really comes in: my job as a mom will always come first, so running a business on top of being a mom and teaching homeschool can sometimes feel overwhelming. This is when communication with my husband and asking for help when we need it is an absolute must. And sure, sometimes, I can’t do it all… it’s a constant effort to give yourself grace and be ok with that!

3 pm: Social time! We are outside in the sunshine! This is the time we support our kiddos in their own activities, do a certain activity as a family, or get together with friends. It may be swimming, the beach, run club, or really any sport.

If there is something lingering from the day and one of us needs time to wrap up we may sneak it in here and one of us will stay home. There are different seasons where we need to be more “on” with work or more “on” in parenthood, and knowing this keeps us grounded. I’m so grateful for Ryan and how far we have come. Working together is not always easy, in fact, it’s the most challenging thing we have done in our marriage – but the reward has far outweighed the difficulty. 

6 pm: Family Dinner. You’d think we’ve had enough family time by now, but this time is different: our phones, computers, calendars, they are all put away. No matter what our day brings, this is the time we gather as a family; discussing the sweet and sour parts of our days over a home-cooked meal (or take out!). Making time for family dinners is sometimes hard, but it’s always been worth the effort. Something our parents did for us, that I hope we can do for our children for a very long time.

7 pm: Night. We leave these wide open for whatever comes our way! It may be sneaking in a little extra work, maybe it’s a drive in the golf cart around Puerto Rico, maybe it’s cleaning the house, maybe it’s a walk to the beach to collect sea glass, maybe it’s quiet time, or maybe it’s a game night. One thing is for sure: mom’s in charge of the bedtime routine. 🙂

There is always a lot to do: the goal is to be fully present in whatever it is. This is when you don’t miss the little things that always turn out to be the biggest.