How do busy parents keep it simple?

After being on a 10-day vacation recently -- half of which was spent in the middle of the woods with no cell phone or Internet access -- I remember why I need to simplify my life.

I tend to forget that I moved from Los Angeles to the Austin area a year ago to slow down and spend more time with my family (that, and the housing prices, of course).

It's easy to get caught up in client jobs, email, blogging, research, news, laundry, yard work, cleaning, home improvement, child care, cooking, errands, and all of the other activities that fill up my day. But then, I miss out on the important stuff, like giving my husband and daughter my undivided attention just because they deserve it.

So I'm glad to be home, and I'm back online. But, I'm resolving to turn off my computer within the next few hours and trim unnecessary activities from my to-do list. Of course, the next trick will be doing the same thing tomorrow.

Needless to say, I may need some help getting rid of the bad habits. How do you keep it simple?

Parenting Advice for Newbies

I saw a tweet yesterday from dadorbust asking what other parents wished they could go back and tell themselves during their first week of parenthood.

Boy, do I remember those days.

We were so excited to get our daughter home, but we didn't really know what came next. My husband had to talk me out of a meltdown more than once because I thought I was doing everything wrong and was convinced I was a bad mother.

I hadn't doubted myself like that before, ever.

In fact, I almost just wanted to go right back to work at my corporate job. At least there, I felt like I could handle everything that came my way and I had the experience I needed for any situation. At home with my daughter, I felt like I didn't have a clue.

Mealtimes seemed like they should be easy, but they were actually a real challenge. Our doctor basically told us our daughter would eat when she was hungry and we should just make sure not to let her to snack and snooze, but instead make sure she was fully awake to eat.

I also remember getting stir crazy. It was a shock to be out of commission after my c-section. Being cooped up our house and unable to move around or do much - or drive, especially - made me feel claustrophobic and helpless. By the time we finally got out of the house and walked down to the coffee shop on the corner, it might as well have been a marathon.

So what advice do I have to offer to new parents? Here goes...

Expect the Unexpected

Anytime someone asks me what it's like to have a new baby, I tell them you can't really expect what's coming. Your feelings may surprise you, but most of them are completely normal.

In a few weeks or a month, you'll remember this time and laugh. My husband and I still crack up about those first few weeks. We were sleep-deprived, unsure of ourselves, and afraid of everything. But, we made it through and it got so much easier.

Relax, and Re-prioritize

• Remember to sleep and get out of the house when you can.
• Take a walk or even sit outside just to take a break.
• Sleep when the baby sleeps. Everyone needs the rest, and the laundry and kitchen and yard and everything else can wait.
• Take turns staying up with the baby when necessary.
• If you're too tired, get someone to come over and help so you can rest.
• Talk to other parents.
• Invite nearby family members or friends to come visit for an hour each on different days. Short bursts of company can do wonders for your state of mind.

Trust Your Instincts and Take One Day at a Time

You and your baby will learn something new about each other every day, and after enough days go by, you'll have a routine that works for you.

Your baby will start eating more normally. She'll get used to the sounds and smells and probably find a comfy spot that she likes to nap in and a position she likes to sleep in.

You'll see that you have really good parenting instincts that are stronger than you ever thought they could be.

And, the first time you tell a doctor or nurse that you know what's best for your baby better than they do, you'll realize that somehow along the way, you settled pretty comfortably into the role of a parent.

Then, the first time your baby smiles at you - and the first time she giggles - you won't know what hit you. You'll just know with every cell in your body that the whole process was worth it.

There are just a few more feedings, sleepy nights, and diapers to get through between now and then.

Ultimately, becoming a parent is a lot like starting any other new job. There's just more riding on your success. Trust your instincts, get used to trial and error, and ask for advice from others who've been there.

So, that's my two cents. What other tips do you have for new parents?

Are Work at Home Moms (and Dads) Green?

In a post on her blog today, my friend Allison asks for a Hybrid Minivan Please.

"PLEASE, can we have a hybrid Minivan option? They have been selling a Toyota hybrid Minivan in Japan for seven years now. Seven years. It gets 40 miles to the gallon, versus the 16 I get with our Caravan."

This got me thinking about a comment I received on my post about the Changing Perceptions of the Home Office.

Talking about those of us who work from home, RCA said:

"It is time for public and corporate policies to embrace telecommuting. Those of us who do it, at least part of the time, have learned how to make it work, and we are in the forefront of cultural change that is inevitable."

Good point. I agree that the times are changing. Are we work-at-home parents and professionals leading the change?

Like Allison, I wouldn't consider myself "green," but I'm proud of the fact that I work from home and stay off the freeways. With the exception of one client meeting this week, I haven't driven more than 10 miles for about 10 days. This is a stark contrast to the 50 miles a day I drove while living in Los Angeles.

I'm certainly more concerned about the environment because I'm a parent. But I'm also more vigilant about my spending on gas and commodities because I have the luxury--and the challenge--of bringing in my own revenue every month.

It forces me to be more thoughtful about the choices I make for my business and my household.

What about you? How are your choices different now than they were in the corporate world or pre-kid days?

Do You Tweet?

I did it. I joined the ranks of all the "social media" folks and signed up for Twitter.

It's been an interesting experiment so far, and, as I wrote on another blog this week, Twitter has become my water cooler.

I've learned a few lessons that have made me analyze my writing habits and the way I communicate with different audiences. I have lots to share as soon as I finish up the urgent projects on my desk, but for now, I encourage everyone to try it.

Whether you're looking for other like-minded professionals, moms, dads, or any other interesting people you'd like to hear from (or talk to), you'll find us there.

Yes, I Need Weekends

After my previous post about Saturdays, I ran into this one by Tammy Erickson at Harvard Business Publishing, asking whether we need weekends:

"I’d like to see companies re-think the idea of a pre-set “week day” and a “weekend” and look instead at which jobs actually need synchronous activity with what frequency. If the job doesn’t require it, why not let the worker decide his or her own schedule?"

Although I have to admit that I like the idea of rethinking the traditional work week, I still take some comfort in the fact that weekend days that are socially accepted as "days off."