How the hell do you ‘do it all’?

[Bookaholic73]

I’m on about how on Earth people manage to work full time, feed your family healthy home cooked meals, make time to go to the gym, have a spotless house, make time for 1-1 time with your DH/partner and also make your children feel not neglected?

Please tell me, is this actually possible??

Why post this? It's been done to death on 1000's of other threads.

I find it easy but then I only work part time, do a quick clean and make the house look 'respectable' most days, and batch cook a lot.

I often wonder this myself. I’m assuming that at the very least they’re not sleep deprived. Having two children that aren’t great sleepers has reduced my energy levels considerably.

I used to be one of those people who was always super busy but having kids turned that into burn out. There was definitely an element of toxic productivity or high functioning depression going on for me. I’ve learned to slow down and value a day spent at the park rather than doing something. For a while after I had kids I was plagued by a sense of frustration at not being able to get things done, but I am much better at accepting that now!

We have a cleaner. Life changing! You need to split the load equally with your partner or it won't work. I love cooking but usually just do quick simple dinners in the week. I go for an hours walk on my lunch break most days and manage a work out once or twice a week int be evenings via Zoom. I don't feel too hard on myself if I didn't manage it. Can't do everything!

I have a smallish house, and we're minimalist with our decor, so between DH and I we manage to keep it clean and tidy. We only have 1 DC and I work 3 days a week, so keeping on top of work and nursery isn't too bad, although they're 2 and it's hard work.

I dunno about everyone else but I find I can just about keep on top of everything by being fairly organised most of the time, but the second you throw in illness or a stressful week at work, I find I get really stressed out and I question how long I can do this for...

Can someone tell me, does it get a lot harder when you have 2 DC? Especially when 1 goes to school whilst the other still at nursery?

You don't. I had a cleaner for years, otherwise the house would be a tip.

I ignore some things, do take a weekend every now and then, shove DH and DD out of the house for a day and sort out everything not urgent.

I love cooking and it relaxes me, so I don't mind doing it when I come home.

DH is often the one ferrying DD around to her activities.

But tbh, only working 4 days is also a bit advantage.

I'm a single parent to teens. I work 40 hours a week. We have meals cooked in the slow cooker and I make bigger portions and freeze it. Eat out / takeout once a week. The kids have to put their own laundry away. The only thing I outsource is cleaning - cleaner once a week is the best money I spend!

Get a cleaner. Helps if your husband is handy in the kitchen.

I don't have a partner. Can't be arsed to cater to the needs of a grown man any more. Divorce was the best thing I did. So now when DS's needs are met, I can focus on myself.

Not possible.
Get everyone to help clean the house on Saturday or Sunday morning for an hour. Strip beds, hoover, polish and dust. Bathroom, kitchen, empty bins etc. Not just you. Even small children can wipe a surface with a cloth or sort dark and pale laundry.

Have at least four nights a week where the food is zero effort: e.g.
filled pastas with pesto and salad; chicken pieces chucked in the oven with baby potatoes, chunks of carrot and peas on the side; roast salmon with sweet potato fries and steamed broccoli - all these take 5 mins prep. Buy ready meals once a week for Friday or Saturday nights.

Go out with partner at least once a week if possible. If not, make an effort at home instead of just slumping in front of TV.

Chat to DC at meal times every day - breakfast and dinner, and as you tuck them in; if they are small while they're in the bath, on the school run and driving them to activities.

I have a 4 bed house, 1 DC who is 9 and myself and DH both work full time primarily from home. I try to go for a run 3 times a week, I do this either on my lunch break or when my son is at martial arts (we are not allowed to stay and watch)
My DH works about 50 hours a week so I do the majority of the cleaning, shopping, running of the house etc. I do a menu each week for meals and do click and collect for food shopping. I try to clean a room a day but I do have to accept our house doesn't always look immaculate. DS does help, he has to keep his bedroom tidy to get his pocket money and will happily dust his room too.
Meals wise I do a lot of slow cooker meals (Bolognese, chicken chasseur) and we may have takeaway or eat out once a week.

Not possible. House fairly untidy most of the time, but clean because we have a weekly cleaner. And I have almost no time to watch TV or read.

I have no idea. I don't even work and I still can't manage it. I think my mistake it I don't use the "dead" time productively and I'm always going up and down stairs empty handed.