Meet Rachel!
Happy SPRING (finally!) and we are pumped to introduce Rachel for our April monthly feature. Rachel is a Movin’ Mama residing on the South Shore, MA with her husband and 10-year old twin boys. Amidst tending to her family & her own personal wellness, Rachel is a full-time Entrepreneur who operates her own Digital Marketing agency (go girl!). We asked her how she’s juggling it all, and here’s what she shared…
How do you typically start your weekdays?
I wake at 7AM, get the kids ready for school, get them on the bus, grab my green juice and squeeze in a quick workout before I start working. Most days, I am at my desk at 9:30AM and ready to start my day feeling energized and refreshed!
As a working mother running a business, how often do you make time for exercise and what’s your favorite workout today?
I make exercise a priority. I can’t take care of anyone else until I take care of myself first. Typically, I try to do one workout a day if my schedule permits. At the moment, I am obsessed with 3 things: Bar, Yoga and Spinning. I’m a big fan of the Bar Method, I love the results. It has helped me get rid of my muffin top!
SIDE NOTE: Check out an at-home Barre workout to try via Shape.com
What crossed your mind when you first found out that you were expecting twins?
I was ready for it! Honestly, it made things easier because we always wanted two children and we got it done with one shot!
What has been your biggest challenge with wellness since the birth of your twins and how are you overcoming it?
Time is my biggest challenge. I recognize the value of time and try to spend it wisely. I have to allocate a portion of time to my kids, husband, friends, work and my own personal wellness. Sometime, priorities need to be shuffled around and it’s a challenge to maintain an appropriate balance.
What do you love most about being a mom so far?
Everything! I have enjoyed and loved every age of my children. You can’t help but reflect upon your own childhood when you experienced the world as something new. I enjoy listening to their perspective on everyday matters in life from such an innocent and naive perspective. They sometimes say the funniest things like, “why does everyone call Houston when they have a problem?” They keep me laughing all the time.
I am getting a little more anxious as my kids approaching their “tween” years because my maternal instincts to “protect them” are increasingly at odds with practical side of me that says, “let them go”.
What has been your most effective best practice for relieving stress?
Yoga, it’s life changing! I try to fit this into my schedule at least twice a week and when I am stressed out with a work issue I always resort to my yoga breathing. I also find that when I am facing a work challenge, spending time on my yoga mat helps me find clarify.
What are some things you’re doing to ensure balance?
I always have a game plan. I know what I want to accomplish within my work/life balance and I do my best to stick to the plan. I build the balance into my schedule and is achieved if I stick to the game plan.
What do you do when you want to have “Me Time”?
My husband and I work together and give each other “a lift” when we need it. He understands that there are occasions when I need to get some “Me Time” in order to maintain my sanity. I’m also lucky to have my mother leave nearby and she truly enjoy spending time with her grandchildren and they love being with her. I’m fortunate to have a really good team to support me.
What is one piece of candid advice you’d like to share with other new moms who are expecting twins in particular?
As cliché as this may sound, time with children passes by so quickly so enjoy every moment and don’t take anything for granted. The first three months with twins is difficult.
It is overwhelming enough to have a newborn but when you double the workload it seems even more daunting. It’s good to just take a step back and enjoy them because it doesn’t last very long. Accept that you will not be able to get all of your household chores completed every day. There will be times when the dishes and the laundry will just wait.
The most important thing in those early months is to establish a sleep schedule for the babies – It took about three months for us. Once that’s accomplished, things start to become more routine and normalized.
What Makes You Move, Mama? 