7. Focus: Avoid newspapers or news programs and just focus on what's right in front of you. If you have a busy day ahead, this is the time to breathe and prepare. If you take the time to line your schedule out, you can work smart-not hard. Try to think of ways to minimize your work or things you can say to encourage your children. These subjects are often overlooked but valuable to you and your family. Without taking the time to focus, you may miss out on some great opportunities to combine chores, trips, or other tasks that could be done in less time.

8. Emotions: No matter what, don't allow yourself to become numb to your surroundings in your fast-paced, demanding life. A mother's love is all encompassing, and if you're spreading yourself too thin, great opportunities to show it are missed. Many times after the occasion is passed, we think of the things we should have said or done. As mothers, we must make time for our emotions or we will miss out on a great deal life has to offer. We are emotional beings, so it's important to embrace that and make time for those emotions.

9. Resourcefulness: Some days it takes a great deal of acrobatics just to get everything done, but when you take time out for regular me-time, suddenly you're able to create solutions in places where all you saw were problems before. If you can't shake the guilt of leaving your children behind to pamper yourself for a couple of hours, find ways to do other chores outside the house.