Hands Free Mama is an amazing book and Rachel has a way of writing which is very emotional and very raw. The book starts with turning off your gadgets so you can spend more time with your children and partner. However, it goes into more depth and just turning off your mobile phone is not enough, you need to connect and be present for your kids.
Connecting
It considers how to make life more simpler. By having lots to do and not spending quality time doing things with your kids is not good. You need to consider what is really important, create a life list and review your daily to do list with this in mind. The book gives you ideas and ways to connect with your children, like letting them get involved with the housework you are doing, even if it takes you longer to get things done.
Finally, it tells you to let go of how you see yourself and for striving for perfection, to be authentic and to forgive yourself for the lost time that you could have spent with your children. The last couple of chapters looks into having compassion for others and for being grateful for your life.
It is filled with lots of little personal stories and lovely poems. There are 12 chapters, one for each month with about 4 grey boxes in each chapter giving you your weekly intention. At the end of the chapter there is a short paragraph with questions to reflect on how your month went.
Chapters
The chapters in the book are:
- Acknowledge the cost of your distraction – Awareness
- Make Purposeful Connection – Connectedness
- Choose What Matters – Deliberateness
- Recognise the Gift of Today – Presentness
- Take Pause – Serenity
- See Life Through Undistracted Eyes – Clarity
- Say Yes to What Matters – Simplification
- Silence The Inner Critic – Acceptance
- Reveal Your True Self – Authenticity
- Let Go – Forgiveness
- Seize the Callings of Your Heart – Compassion
- Remember Life Is Precious – Gratefulness
I didn’t go through methodically and take a year to read it but I have so many folded over corners for the things that I liked reading and some things that I want to go back to and read again. I’ve also made notes in my notebook, summarising the chapters and what I want to do and get from it. There are also amazing quotes and poems from Rachel and from others. I would truly recommend this book to any mum or dad or anyone who is becoming overwhelmed by lists and gadgets and a lack of time to do things.
“You can do anything but not everything” David Allen
You can this book here:
I originally posted this blog on 2nd September 2016 but have been feeling overwhelmed again and so I revisited this book again. It has reminded me to remember what is important and when to ‘switch off.’
You can find out more about Rachel and visit her website here: https://www.handsfreemama.com/about-me/ and I love this Hands Free Pledge:
An accountant and a Mum 
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