Slow Down and Be Present
It’s been three months since our baby boy arrived, and God, I’m learning so much—about him, myself, my husband, and us as a family. I’m not going to lie or hide the fact that it’s been tough… but in a really good and beautiful way. If there’s one major revelation I’ve had during postpartum so far, it’s this: be present, enjoy every moment of this beautiful chaos, and slow down.
I think a lot of you can relate when I say I’ve always felt like I have to achieve something; constantly working toward the next goal. When I was younger, it was grades. Then it was education and a degree. Then love, marriage, baby, and career. And even when you land that job, your mind jumps to the next thing: a promotion, recognition, more success. There’s always something we feel we should be striving for.
So naturally, when our baby arrived, my brain went: Okay, what’s next?
I told myself: I need to spend my maternity leave properly with our baby, clean and declutter our apartment, organize everything, and create a ton of content for social media and the blog, because I’m “not working” right now.
But here’s the thing: just being a mom can take up your entire day. Every day is different. Some days, our baby needs us more than others. Some days, they want us to be close so they feel safe and that’s completely understandable.
I had to stop myself from making endless lists, tasks, to-dos, and sticky notes. I had to calm down and be present with my baby. I kept convincing myself that I was doing all this for him, so he could have a better life and a better version of me, but sometimes it’s just too much. He mostly needs me being present with him.
Thankfully, I became aware of this very early on in postpartum. My husband noticed it too and gently brought it to my attention. I’m really grateful he did because he asked me a simple question that stuck with me: “What’s the rush?”
It’s not that I shouldn’t have goals or dreams; it’s just that no one is rushing me but me. And that’s how I end up stressed before I’ve even started working on anything.
So now, I’m working on slowing down. On staying present. On simply enjoying being a new mom and all the small, beautiful moments that come with maternity leave.
Because my husband is right: What’s the rush?
I don’t have any strict deadline for “life.” And honestly, if I were to die tomorrow, I wouldn’t think:
“I wish I’d blogged more, cleaned more, or worked harder on my goals.”
I’d think:
“I wish I’d spent more time with my family, the people I love.”
It sounds so obvious; but sometimes, we forget to pause and reflect on our thinking patterns and behavior.
Now, I take it day by day. I tune into what our baby needs. And when he sleeps, I use that time to clean, prep content, or rest without any pressure. It’s a much healthier way to live.
All my friends remind me that this time is precious. You don’t get it back. And I see it in their eyes when they hold our baby; how much they miss this phase. It’s such a warm feeling to witness.
Declutter and Organizing
Since having a baby, we’ve definitely accumulated more stuff. I already had a lot, and now with baby gear, it’s been a bit much. So I’ve started decluttering and throwing out things I don’t use and organizing our space so we know where everything is (baby stuff and ours).
Surprisingly, it’s been very therapeutic. I’ve been looking up organizing tips on Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest for inspiration and I’ve loved the process.
Prioritizing My Time and Being More Productive Without Stressing
This kind of ties in with the first section but also stands on its own at the same time.
After becoming a mom, I’ve learned to prioritize better. I’m way more efficient now with practical tasks around the house. Before, I’d procrastinate because I had “all day.” But now? I don’t have that luxury.
Because I want to be present with my baby, I get things done faster and smarter. I don’t want chores hanging over me while I’m trying to enjoy time with him.
I’ve started identifying which tasks are most important, and when to do them. And guess what? I actually follow through. It feels so good, and I’m genuinely loving this more efficient, intentional version of me.
Anyway, guys…
These are some of the biggest revelations I’ve had so far during my postpartum journey. I truly love this chapter of my life. I feel so blessed and grateful for this time.
