My secret to maintaining personal friendships is strategic use of my lunch hour.
Truth is, it’s my secret to survival as a working mother in general. I use lunch hours to buy diapers, to get a quick haircut, and to keep up with all of the powerful women in my life.
When I’m home at night and on weekends I like to be present with my children, so I am strategic about what I commit to. I try to eliminate miniscule adult errands that soak up my kid-time by buying online or getting errands run on my “me time.” What’s left in the equation are my friendships.
Whether I need to meet a new mom to discuss an upcoming Des Moines Moms Blog event, see a work colleague to talk about the Beautiful Bulldog Contest, or just to keep up with an old friend, I set up a power lunch.
I scoured the internet and what I found on power lunches are more related to married, non-working, well-off women who gather over $20 salads and white linens.
That is not my power lunch.
I’m here to redefine what a power lunch means to the modern-day-mama.
What is a power lunch?
Simply put, a power lunch is time spent with another human being to advance your life. I struggle to define it because there are no restrictions. Need to breastfeed your infant across the table? Go for it! Important business meeting with formula slobber on my shirt. Check!
But I don’t have time!
Sometimes planning an outing with another mom is like planning a wedding. Even if we say, “I could only do the Wednesday afternoon three weeks from today,” I still get it scheduled.
We could all work through lunch. But, it’s up to no one else but yourself to make time for yourself. A colleague shared this quote from the book Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less: “If you don’t prioritize your days, someone else will.”
Find the time, set a plan, and if your kiddo gets sick and you’re stuck at home for a power lunch, just reschedule it and commit to another time.
Where should I power lunch?
My lunches usually happen at Gateway Market or Palmer’s Deli. They sometimes involve a mama breastfeeding across the table. They also sometimes involve stacks of notes for official business. My lunches also happen outside on a picnic bench while shouting at my four-year-old to listen and not throw rocks, please. They happen at any time that two people can find a way to connect. I have a power lunch planned over FaceTime soon, for example.
Remember, only you are in control of your time. Determine what your priorities are in life – what fulfills you – and fill that time with what makes you a better person.
