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EXCLUSIVE

Mommy & Me - Ashley Jones

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Credit: Courtesy Of Ographr.com

In her real life, the past two years have been very active for Ashley Jones: She managed to get married; become a stepmom to Huck, 5; have her first baby, a boy, Hayden, in May 2016; move to a new home; and take on a new role on GH. Here, Jones shares her thoughts about parenthood and tricks that help her the most.

Courtesy Of Ographr.com

By no means am I a super-efficient person. I’m in awe of the women that manage to “do it all”, showing up early wearing heels with a smile. I’m actively looking to become said woman (minus the heels perhaps, keep the smile). Like the majority of us, I have goals I want to meet every day. The Type A side of me battles with the indecisive, inefficient side of me. Some days are better than others, but I need help. Today, I’m covering: having dinner ready on time, a little (but big impact) organizational tip, more sleep and less bloating (woo-hoo).

The Crockpot
After consciously taking steps to be more efficient, I’m seeing some progress. Example: I often dread dinner time because it means everyone needs to eat. But recently, prior to leaving for work, I threw a few things in a crockpot. If you haven’t jumped on this bandwagon from our parents’ generation (or you have one permanently taking up residence deep in the cupboard), lemme tell you — this changes your life. I walk in the door, smell dinner ready and I feel so accomplished it’s silly. Crockpots make us superheroes. (Check my blog at AshleyAJones.com for easy recipes).

Labeling
How many of you are list and label makers? I’m finding myself making lists for other lists! How I love to check off lists! And even labeling. How many of your kids lose thermoses? Notebooks? Siblings arguing over whose water bottle is whose? We stick Mabel’s Labels on numerous things to help organize. If you follow social media and caught my instastory with Huck, you saw how excited he gets to see his name on things! (#ThisIs5)

Sleep Quality
Truly, these are simple steps, but it does require prioritizing and energy. One thing that no one would argue helps efficiency levels is a good night’s sleep. Some days I feel like I’m walking through molasses I’m so tired. Now that the baby is sleeping, I have no excuse, right? Well, I might. Air quality! Pets, humidity levels, temperature, CO2 levels — they all contribute to your sleep, which contributes to your productivity the days after. [Husband] Joel and I researched tips on how to get a better night’s sleep. It’s empowering to learn little things that make a big impact on the air we breathe and on our productivity. I finally woke up at a normal hour today, as opposed to 3 a.m. groggy and can’t go back to sleep. We chose
a little machine called Awair (getawair.com)to help us monitor our environment (and specifically, baby’s environment). Awair sparked a discussion about clean air with Huck. He’s even more excited to help take care of the plants in his room now because he learned they help him breathe. Do yourself a favor — look into it!

Diet
I’m a fan of Dr. Oz. The tips he has given me in the past are easy and helpful. He recently did a segment on food intolerance/allergies as it relates to your health and energy levels. It can lead to serotonin deficiency, sugar cravings, bloating, lethargy, skin difficulties, etc. It really made me think! I have friends that have been on me to follow their lead and take a food allergy/intolerance test. They have stressed how the results could enlighten me and help me have better skin, higher energy levels and never feel bloated. A girlfriend strongly suggested that I take the Pinner Test. After doing my own research, I realized I wanted to know what might be slowing me down. Now, I’m taking the strides to fix the issues!

Courtesy Of Ographr.com

We’re all a community trying our best. I’d love to learn from you and add in some of your personal tips that help you juggle our lives! Comment on my blog AshleyAJones.com or via SODSound@soapoperadigest.com. Socialize: @ashley aubra (Instagram), @ashleyajones (Twitter), @actressashleyjones (Facebook)

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