Can we really have it all? It's a question many ask themselves. To me, having it all depends on what ?having it all? means to you! As a mother, wife and entrepreneur, it sometimes feels like I am running and running and not getting anywhere! That doesn't feel much like I ?have it all?. How can we juggle our family responsibilities with our entrepreneurial duties and still have time for our own personal development and enjoyment? I've come up with 5 steps that have helped me along in my journey.



1. Set priorities: Define your priorities. Is it time with your children? With your spouse/partner? With your parents? Groceries and meal planning? What about your business/professional priorities? Time for money making activities? Networking? Personal development? What about your personal priorities? Relaxation? Time for things you enjoy? Exercise? Walking? Reading? Sleep? Meditation?

2. Organize: How much time in day, week or month do you need to devote to each of these priorities? Imagine your day as a pie ? how would you slice that pie (or cake if you prefer) to ensure that each of your priorities receives that time you feel it requires. Adjust the pieces to include unstructured time.

3. Put it down on paper: Use a day timer, calendar, computer or handheld device. One week at a time is usually a great place to start. Write down or highlight the time for each priority in a different colour. Remember you will require to have the same energy at the end of the week as at the beginning so leave some time for unstructured/relaxation time. What goals do you for the day, week or month? What tasks?

4. Evaluate and adjust: Evaluate and adjust your schedule as you go through your week. What is working and what is not? Have you scheduled too much time for some things and not enough for others? Is this week different from the last? Are there weekly or monthly appointments included in your next week? Move your unfinished goals and tasks to the next day or week.

5. Give yourself a break! At times we feel we need to do everything - for everyone - all the time. Enjoy and be present for the time you have set aside for your family or yourself. Enjoy and be present for the time you have set aside for professional/business activities. Do not feel guilty or divided by doing one or the other as you have set aside time for each. Find the miracles that occur every day and be grateful for them.

Try these steps and see the difference putting them into effect make to the amount of needless time spent planning what to do next or running from one to the other without completing tasks. Then you can enjoy the time you have knowing that goals and tasks are being completed and your priorities being met.

I believe having it all involves constantly and consistently re-evaluating what ?having it all? means to us and rearranging our priorities. Life is not static so neither should our priorities - personally or professionally. Our priorities change over time as ?life happens? and evolve as our families grow and age, our children grow up, our relationships change and our professional goals develop.

So ? if ?having it all? means I have a great family whom I love, an awesome business and amazing supports in my life along with a constant re-evaluation of time and priorities mixed in with a few mistakes, lessons and growing pains along the way ? I've got it in spades! You can have it too!