Welcome back to November Notes: A Month in the Trenches — my daily journal through the chaos and calm of work, motherhood, and finding fulfillment in the middle of it all.
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We kicked off our Monday back to school and work with something spilled all over our bed and two dentist appointments for the kids. The silver lining? Washing the sheets was already on my to-do list for today. After a successful dentist visit (complete with a thorough reminder about flossing), my husband took the kids to school while I rushed home for my first meeting.
I’m grateful to work from home on Mondays and Fridays — it gives me space to focus deeply on projects and save my in-office days for collaboration and relationship building. But today was one of those “back-to-back” kinds of Mondays, filled with high-priority, high-impact meetings that barely left time to breathe.
When I finally came up for air at lunch, I listened to the newest episode of the Clutterbug podcast, where Cas was interviewing Chris Guillebeau about his new book, Time Anxiety. The conversation was fascinating — so much so that I immediately ordered the book and started reading. (More to come on that later!)
Self-care anyone?
Somewhere between meetings, I also realized just how much my self-care has slipped again. I’ve been trying out the Finch app with a few friends — a cute little self-care companion that gives you daily reflection and goal prompts. I only squeezed in a few minutes with it today, but the intention is there — and that counts for something.
The rest of my day was packed with meetings until it was time for school pickup. We grabbed dinner out as a family and then came home to start the bedtime hustle. Getting the kids’ evening routines back on track has been a big goal for me, so I’ve reinstated our magnet system on the fridge. With our dry-erase family calendar already updated with key dates, I spent some time refreshing each kiddo’s visual schedule — morning and night — to help bring a little more predictability back to our week.
Let’s Focus!
We have a super busy week ahead, so homework for Big E was a must tonight. I sat next to her at the table, hoping to draft this blog post while staying close enough to help. That’s when she looked up and said, “Mom, can you please give me your full attention?” — my little Fulfilled Hustle accountability buddy. I couldn’t have been prouder. We’ve been working on giving and receiving feedback, and this was the best kind: gentle, honest, and exactly what I needed. I closed my laptop and focused fully on her. We got through homework together — and I got a quick algebra refresher in the process!
After the kids were settled, I wrapped up the night with a few final “reset” tasks: clearing the main areas, putting things back in order, and preparing for a smoother tomorrow. It wasn’t perfect, but it was progress — and it felt good.
Reflections
Today reminded me that focus isn’t about doing it all — it’s about choosing what matters in the moment. The spilled sheets, the meetings, the math homework… it all had its place. Slowing down long enough to give my full attention — to work, to family, to myself — that’s where the fulfillment is hiding.
Fulfilled Hustle Tip: When everything feels urgent, give your full attention to one thing at a time — that’s where presence (and peace) begin.
#thefulfilledhustle
Tomorrow’s focus: working ahead where I can, balancing productivity with presence, and carving out a few minutes of self-care that actually stick.
Read Yesterday’s Post: Day 2: The Reset Continues
Check out the next post in this series: Day 4: The Power of Transitions (and Pizza!)
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