“Maria… How Do You Do It All?”
It’s one of the questions I’m asked most often in practice.
“Maria, how do you homeschool your children, run a business, look after your family… and still find time for yourself?”
Every time someone asks me that, I smile.
Not because I have it all together.
Not because I’ve mastered some magical productivity system.
But because I know what they’re really asking.
They’re asking because they feel overwhelmed.
They’re exhausted.
They’re trying to keep everyone else afloat while quietly wondering when it’s their turn to breathe.
And the truth is… I know exactly how that feels.
Whether you’re caring for a newborn, chasing a toddler, juggling school drop-offs and work, managing a household, running a business, caring for ageing parents, or simply trying to survive another week, life has a way of consuming us.
The washing never ends.
Dinner still needs cooking.
The house somehow becomes messy five minutes after you’ve cleaned it.
Someone always needs something from you.
And somewhere amongst all of that…
…you disappear.
We All Reach a Point Where We're Simply Existing
I’ve seen it countless times in practice.
The new mum who hasn’t had five minutes to herself in weeks.
The parent rushing from school to work, to sport, to dinner, to bedtime.
The business owner carrying everyone else’s problems while quietly neglecting their own wellbeing.
The stay-at-home parent who feels like they’re raising children alone while their partner works long hours.
Different stories.
Different stages of life.
Yet somehow they all say the same thing.
“I’m just trying to keep up.”
If that’s you…
Please know you’re not alone.
The Biggest Lesson I've Learned
People often assume the answer is better time management.
It’s not.
For me, it comes down to one simple word.
Choice.
I chose to homeschool my children.
I chose to continue running my business.
I chose the life I’m living.
Does that mean it’s easy?
Absolutely not.
There are days where it’s incredibly hard.
There are moments where I’m tired, overwhelmed and stretched.
But once I made that choice, something shifted.
Instead of asking,
“Can I do this?”
I started asking,
“How can I make this work?”
That small change in thinking changed everything.
The Secret Isn't Finding More Time
It’s being deliberate with the time you already have.
One thing many people don’t realise about me is that I actually crave quiet.
I love being by myself.
I love reading.
I love gardening.
I love walking.
I love sitting at the beach listening to the waves.
Yet I spend most of my days surrounded by people I love.
Patients.
Children.
Family.
My team.
Everyone needs something.
Which means if I don’t intentionally create time for myself…
…it simply won’t happen.
My Morning Walk Changed Everything
For the past five or six years, I’ve started almost every morning with a walk.
I’ve probably missed only a handful of mornings.
I wake before everyone else.
The house is quiet.
The world feels still.
I breathe fresh air.
I watch the sunrise.
Sometimes I meditate.
Sometimes I think.
Sometimes I simply walk.
When I return home…
I’m different.
I’m calmer.
I’m more patient.
I’m more present.
I’ve already filled my own cup before everyone else begins asking for a piece of it.
I’ve realised something important.
If I wake up after my children…
I’m already behind.
I’m reacting.
I’m rushing.
I’m trying to catch up all day.
But when I begin with myself…
The whole day feels different.
Not perfect.
Just better.
Sundays Became My Reset Button
There was a season in my life where I was carrying more stress than I’d ever experienced.
I wasn’t enjoying being at home.
I wasn’t enjoying life.
I was surviving it.
So I created a new habit.
Every Sunday morning…
I disappeared.
I’d head to the beach for four hours.
No laundry.
No dishes.
No noise.
No interruptions.
Just me.
Walking.
Thinking.
Reflecting.
Listening to the waves.
It became my reset button.
Interestingly, many of my best business ideas came while walking along the shoreline.
Not because I was trying to solve problems…
But because my mind finally had room to think.
These days I don’t go every Sunday.
Maybe once or twice a month.
Sometimes more.
Sometimes less.
But whenever I feel myself becoming overwhelmed…
I know exactly where I need to be.
It's the Little Things That Keep Us Grounded
It’s easy to think we need a holiday to recharge.
Sometimes all we need is twenty minutes.
Reading.
Gardening.
Painting.
Crocheting.
Woodworking.
Baking.
Going for a walk.
Sitting with a coffee while the house is quiet.
Working on a project you’ve been putting off.
None of those things are selfish.
They’re necessary.
Because you cannot continue pouring from an empty cup forever.
If You're in the Thick of Motherhood...
If you have a newborn…
A baby…
A toddler…
And you feel like you’re drowning…
Please hear this.
You do not need to earn rest.
You deserve it.
When your baby sleeps…
Maybe the most productive thing you can do is take a nap yourself.
Maybe it’s reading a few pages of a book.
Maybe it’s sitting outside in the sunshine.
Maybe it’s asking your partner, your parents, a friend or even hiring some help so you can have one uninterrupted hour.
You don’t have to do everything alone.
If Your Kids Are Older...
Get them involved.
Children are incredibly capable when we allow them to be.
Cook together.
Garden together.
Work on projects together.
Give them responsibilities.
Not only does it lighten your load…
It teaches them valuable life skills they’ll carry into adulthood.
Everyone wins.
You Matter Too
One of the biggest lessons homeschooling has taught me wasn’t about education.
It was about life.
I’ve realised I’m actually better for everyone around me when I first take care of myself.
Not in a selfish way.
In a sustainable way.
When I slow down…
I’m more patient.
More creative.
More connected.
More present.
The irony is that making time for myself hasn’t taken away from my family.
It’s allowed me to show up as a better person, mum, chiropractor, business owner and friend.
So... How Do I Do It All?
The honest answer?
I don’t.
Some days the washing waits.
Some days dinner is simple.
Some days the house is messy.
Some days work doesn’t go to plan.
But every day, I choose the life I’m building.
And I deliberately make room for the things that help me become the person I want to be while living it.
Because life isn’t about squeezing more into every day.
It’s about making sure the things that matter most—including you—have a place in it.
If there’s one thing I’d love you to take away from this, it’s this:
Don’t wait until you’re burnt out to give yourself permission to breathe.
Find small pockets throughout your day.
Create moments throughout your week.
Plan little resets throughout your month.
Protect them.
Because when you take care of yourself, everyone around you benefits too.
And that might just be one of the most important investments you’ll ever make.
