Time management for a mother with 3 children. Time management for a mother of many children

How to manage everything?

A working mother comes as no surprise to anyone. A working mother of many children is such a surprise. A working, beautiful and stylish mother with many children who manages to take care of herself, the house, the children and work causes wide eyes, raised eyebrows and a question "HOW?"

And this is the most "How?" and will be the topic of today's conversation.

So that you can understand whether these techniques are for you, I’ll tell you a little about myself. At the time of writing. I am 28 years old. I'm married. To my kids 6 years, almost 2 years and the youngest 6 months. I am developing two of my projects kontrastudio.ru And wedding platinum– stylish weddings, I act on television, I do social projects, such like a website. My house is clean, I do crafts with my children, and I cook delicious food. I look great and feel good. If you want the same, then this is an article on time management for a mother of many children for you.

To write this article, I used personal experience and information from the book “TIME Drive” by Gleb Arkhangelsky.

1. Determine what your life consists of. This is the most important thing to understand where your time is spent.

2. Define priorities and goals.

• Important and ongoing (daily child care, rest, exercise, cleaning)
• Important and urgent (Preparing documents for a meeting, going to the doctor, fixing a leak at home)
• Important and not urgent (Chat with relatives, submit reports, give photographs to the customer)
• etc.

Make sure that there are no distortions in your life, so that you don’t have to make up for lost time later. It's faster to clean your apartment a little every day. Doing general cleaning once a week - which will take several hours. Instead of not touching anything and spending the whole day clearing away the rubble. This applies to communication with loved ones, to sports and to work.

Big tasks in time management are usually called Elephants , A Elephant in one day, few people can handle it without overload, so these elephants are divided into beefsteaks . And if possible, eat these steaks every day or every other day. (For example, to teach a child to speak, you need to talk to him every day)

Small ones are frogs . They are not very fast, but they are necessary and it always seems that we have time for them. And at some point there is a whole bunch of these frogs the size of an elephant.

We make lists of our frogs And elephants , we split the elephants into beefsteaks and we work. We make a schedule. For example, I wipe off dust every other day, and wash the floors every day. And I write articles to my mother once every three days. If I can do it, I'll put it up V, it doesn’t work, I put it - , if there was nothing to do that day, I leave the field empty.

For completing each task in Gleb Arkhangelsky’s book, they recommend rewarding yourself. For example, you complete the “frog” and get a piece of chocolate. Eat a few steaks, treat yourself to shopping, and so on. You can create a table of daily tasks, with a list of rewards for execution.

In my life, I encourage myself on a schedule, I make time for self-love and, of course, I please myself with spontaneous things, otherwise it wouldn’t be me.

To make it easier to switch from one to another I use "Anchors" for example in mode "Mother"- I put on colorful dresses, and immediately you can play around with me, splash me with food, lie on the floor. To conclude contracts Wedding Platinum And Contra Studio I have stylish white shoes and a white jacket, my favorite “snickers” for filming and comfortable trousers in which I immediately become the best photographer. I use clothes because it’s easier for me. Sometimes, when there is no way to change clothes, I use music, for example for filming on television, to be active and cheerful, I listen Zooey Deschanel- “Who are you?” from the movie "Always Say Yes". You may have your own chips, something that returns you to the state that you need. This effect makes me laugh a lot, sometimes I call it “Pavlov’s Dog” but it really works. As soon as I open my creativity box, a bunch of creative ideas start pouring into my head.

For those mothers who really want to get everything done, there is one more secret ingredient. Calendar - Pinarik, the author of this simple invention is Dmitry Litvak

He looks like this

I’ll put an ellipsis on this... and continue this topic next time. Tell us what are your ways to save time? How do you switch? If you want to ask or clarify something. Or share your review with many children, write [email protected]

Somewhere in the background, sports, work, favorite hobbies are lost, friends’ numbers are still saved in the phone... But there are only 24 hours in a day. What remains for a woman? Is there a chance to have time to be an ideal mother, a wonderful wife, and just a happy woman?

Many-armed many-legged

It would seem that the more children, the more worries. All children are different, each wants attention, each has their own interests, aspirations, and whims. One for school, football, music, English; another - to the garden, dancing, acting; the third - to a speech therapist, to drawing and yoga; fourth baby overall...

But there is also a husband who would also like to see his wife. And once upon a time there was a job that I would like to do. Somewhere in the background, sports, my favorite hobby, are lost, my friends’ numbers are still saved in my phone... But there are only 24 hours in a day. What remains for a woman? Is there a chance to have time to be an ideal mother, a wonderful wife, and just a happy woman?

An accurate hit gives an advantage

What do we spend the lion's share of time and energy on? For doubts, torment, procrastination, the search for inspiration, an unloved job, attempts to improve painful relationships, attempts to re-educate obnoxious children, to fight one’s own fears or depression, bad habits or obsessive thoughts, to resentment and dissatisfaction with one’s own life, and so on...

We spend half our lives solving problems that simply would not exist if we had the necessary knowledge of human psychology. Just imagine having all this time freed up! So you can have time to live one more life, at least.

If you know exactly your own desires. No, not those about chocolate or a new dress, but those very subconscious roots of all aspirations that shape priorities, values ​​and outlook on life in general. Then, for example, you unerringly choose a field of activity in which you are not only like a fish in water, but which gives you satisfaction and fills you.

If you understand how relationships between a man and a woman are built, you create these relationships for years. You choose your partner (yes, it’s you who chooses, not His Majesty’s chance) according to your principles and views on family life. And this person is not a mystery to you - you know exactly at the first meetings what you can expect from him and what not.

If you accurately observe the psychological characteristics of your children, you can easily determine their interests, their capabilities, their inclinations and develop them exactly in the direction in which they are talented and move at the greatest speed. And if not? We are capable of inflicting great psychological trauma on children without meaning to.

Your productivity today depends directly on your awareness of human psychology. The effectiveness of any knowledge is assessed solely by results that are stable over time. Only the training “System-vector psychology of Yuri Burlan” has such a result. More precisely, .

Systemic multi-mother sees right through the child

Knowledge of system-vector psychology for a mother is the key to the effective development of all children and her own balanced state. This is what she can give to all of them at the same time, regardless of their number. And this is exactly what solves many problems associated with education at once, and gives it to all children.

This is not about armored doors or home security. We are talking about that very subconscious feeling of a happy childhood: when Mom is nearby. A person who exudes an atmosphere of calm confidence, peace of mind, warmth and kindness. The feeling that you are at home where your mother is, because nothing threatens you, because there is no and cannot be violence around her - neither physical nor moral.

Children can only get this feeling from their mother and when she herself is in a balanced psychological state.

The very presence of this feeling in children is already half the battle for the successful upbringing and development of each child. After all, it is on this basis that his natural talents develop.

And then it’s even easier. Distinguishing the vectors of the child, that is, the characteristics of his psyche, the mother easily understands who is in front of her - an obedient, thorough and patient baby who should be entrusted with cleaning the nursery, or a dexterous and resourceful fidget for whom a sports corner is the most necessary thing in the house.

It is thanks to understanding the characteristics of the baby’s psyche that an emotional child with a wild imagination (the owner) goes to an acting studio, dancing or singing. A silent, quiet and focused child (with) goes to music, swimming or an astronomy club. And the talkative and outgoing joker (c) goes to a public speaking school or a culinary studio, depending on his desire.

Because all this exactly corresponds to their innate mental properties, that is, vectors. And because all this CAN be developed in each of them. This is why there are no disappointments in children - because there are no false expectations. Moreover, when they are comfortable, when they feel a sense of security, they willingly develop - you will not have to force them, there will be no behavior problems - hysterics, theft, resentment and stubbornness. By systematically understanding the psyche of children, you prevent the emergence of any behavioral deviations.

Over time, thanks to systems thinking, a certain operating system is built in the mother’s head, which automatically and accurately distributes responsibilities among the children.

Going to the store for groceries with mom’s card and shopping list is best done by the most responsible and honest: a child with.

The most rational and resourceful person will be able to draw up a schedule for the week, including all activities and a plan of entertainment for the weekend: a child with.

This system of competent delegation of authority allows everyone to make their own contribution to strengthening the family and feel their own importance for the common cause. Such a skill creates the right direction in the development of each child. Today he does this for his family or class, tomorrow he will be able to better succeed in society.

Having time for the main thing - you have time for everything

The main thing for an individual is full realization. Otherwise, dissatisfaction accumulates, the internal state worsens: everyone suffers from this - the children, the spouse, and the woman herself.

However, with a house full of children, it is unrealistic to go to work with a strict schedule and office routine. Okay, let’s define priorities, select options that allow you to maximize the properties you have been given. Here, a deep systemic understanding of one’s own psychological properties, which require constant and complete implementation, comes to the fore.

Part-time work, remote work, freelancing, handicrafts, home kindergarten, private lessons, entrepreneurship and the like. The modern world provides a lot of opportunities in this regard.

Many young mothers successfully combine work with motherhood, practicing consultations on breastfeeding, baby sleep, nutrition, massage, early development, and so on.

Often, it is during maternity leave that women discover their creative abilities - they begin to write a book, draw pictures, sew, knit, and become interested in cooking, photography, and design.

The full implementation of innate psychological properties brings the biochemistry of the brain into a balanced state, which is felt as satisfaction, internal balance, meaningfulness of life, and fullness.

A fulfilled woman is always in a good mood. It is difficult to make her angry, she is not burdened by household chores, she remains desired by the man she loves, and provides her children with a strong feeling of security and safety. Such a woman lives with enthusiasm, inspiration, joy, generously radiating positivity, kindness, warmth and tenderness.

A mother with many children feels the fullness of her fulfillment especially acutely, because immediately there is a multiple reflection of her internal state - everything manifests itself in the children.

When a mother suffers from her own dissatisfaction and does not see the results of her work, then the children do not receive a sense of security, which means they begin to be capricious, sleep poorly, do not listen, quarrel among themselves, turn away from their parents, move away in their studies, and lose interest in hobbies.

Added to this are household chores that I had never even thought about before. They turn into a heavy duty, a meaningless routine hard labor, since everything irritates and enrages everyone.

The relationship with her husband deteriorates, which further pulls the rug out from under her. Problems roll in like a snowball, and there is no way out of the impasse. But everything can be different! If we start with the main thing.

Let's make our day

Everything that can be combined is worth combining!

Cooking with homework is fine, cleaning with games is great, jogging with a walk in the park is great, delivering to kindergartens and schools followed by a run to the store is great. It’s best to wait for the child to finish the music with handicrafts in hand (laptop on your lap), and it’s just great to meet your husband in a coffee shop near the kindergarten half an hour before the time when you need to pick up the children.

A systematic understanding of priorities helps you devote time to what is really important, pushing into the background what can be put off.

Listening to a child's story about a matinee in kindergarten is more important than answering the phone, since constant interruptions and jerking of a child with an anal vector result in stubbornness, resentment and intestinal problems.

Postpone your trip to the pediatrician for a certificate because today your child is doing a warm-up in physical education and he has been waiting for this for a whole week. After all, it is so important for every child to gain organizing skills and feel like a winner.

Children can take a walk in the yard themselves if you and your husband want to have lunch together, because an emotional connection with your loved one is the key to mutual understanding in a couple.

You can still order pizza once a week, but read your favorite book to your children. Steam cutlets cannot replace the education of feelings and instill a love of reading.

And yes, the elders may well take care of the younger ones when mom needs to finish work, because then mom can play with them, and not worry about an unfinished project.

And here it is worth remembering gratitude and reasonable systemic incentives. For a child with an anal vector - praise and recognition of his skills (in front of his dad as well), for a skin baby - additional time or educational entertainment (maze, zoo, attractions) and so on.

The same thing with penalties - everything is according to the vector nature. Kozhnik for deception - restriction in space or time (deprivation of walks, entertainment, gadgets), an anal baby - to express his mother's grief and scold his behavior at the family council. Systemic rewards and penalties are precisely the targeted hit that DOES work, which means that conclusions will be drawn, which means that it will influence behavior, which means that there is a chance that misconduct will not be repeated, but deeds are just the opposite.

Parents with many children, who seem unable to do everything, can accomplish much more than anyone else. They are simply forced to be psychologically savvy. They are forced to understand themselves and their partner. They must be excellent students. After all, this is the only way to immediately and without errors write a clean copy of the happy life of your large family.

The main thing is to live your desires, realize yourself, understand others, consciously build relationships, and raise children competently. Then everything is a joy. Then there are no sticks in the wheels and no unsolvable problems. There is no boss who is a tyrant, no husband who is a jerk, and no difficult children. And there is no psychological garbage in the head, which wastes time, energy, life...

In a large family, any mistake is echoed multiple times, so they have no opportunity to experiment. What is needed here is an applied, effective and truly effective methodology that works immediately, such as that provided by the “System-Vector Psychology” training by Yuri Burlan.

Free online lectures are coming soon. and do everything!

Korolev resident Elena Dmitrieva is a mother of many children: her youngest son is 3 years old, her middle son is 8 years old, and her eldest son is 10 years old. She never complains about difficulties and always looks her best. Elena told RIAMO in Korolev how she manages to keep up with everything and take time for herself.

Plan every day

GIPHY website

Elena says that you need to plan your every day carefully. You can keep a special notebook and literally write down by the hour what needs to be done. There are also special applications for smartphones. But a mother with many children does not even spend time keeping a diary - her family only needs a simple schedule that hangs on the refrigerator.

The schedule indicates the children's activities: who needs to go to school and kindergarten when, what time does the English lesson start, when do you need to free up time for the football section, what time do guitar lessons start. All three boys lead a fairly active lifestyle, and the mother’s task is to make sure that they don’t forget anything. At the same time, it is important not to overload them with activities.

“Everything is balanced now. The older children are quite independent - they go to school and to football themselves. Last year my youngest went everywhere with me, and this year he goes to kindergarten. Thanks to this, I can devote more time to work. The main thing is to debug the mechanism. When there is an action plan, everything in the house obeys this plan,” says Elena.

In parallel with taking care of her children and husband, Elena is successfully running her own small business - she opened a children's room. The woman works while the children are in class and the youngest child is in kindergarten.

“Of course, I get tired too, I also want to cry, be alone, stop serving everyone - sometimes I’m in such a mood. But I understand that without me this whole complex mechanism will work poorly, just like without each of us. If the husband “fails”, it becomes difficult to go somewhere; if one of the boys is sick, their usual rhythm is lost. In general, our family is like a clock: all the cogs must move and work, otherwise the clock will stop,” emphasizes the mother of many children.

Do several things at once

In order to keep up with everything, Elena advises doing several things at the same time. For example, while the children are doing their homework, keep your youngest son busy with some quiet game or book and cook dinner.

The same goes for work. Elena opened a children's room just to combine business with pleasure. Her older children grew up in this room while their mother took care of business. Last year, the youngest son went to work with his mother: he got up at 6 in the morning, took his brothers to school with her, and then went to the children's room.

“There are things that can be combined, and I try to do that. It has already reached the point where doing one thing seems boring to me - I want to occupy myself with something else. I also find time for hobbies: for example, while the children are reading, I sit next to them and knit,” shares Elena.

Follow the plan

Elena assures us that we can’t stop. You can’t feel sorry for yourself and say that the button can be sewn on tomorrow. If you plan to sew on a button and tidy up the boys' clothes today, you need to do it today.

“Otherwise worries and problems will grow like a snowball! And when someone needs a clean shirt for school, there won’t be one - they’ll have to give up everything they’re doing and urgently work on the shirt. To prevent this from happening, you need to force yourself to do all the planned activities on time,” notes the mother of many children.

Prioritize

Giphy.com

Elena warns: in order to get everything done and have time for yourself, you shouldn’t burden yourself with unnecessary work. If there are a lot of things to do, then you shouldn’t take on even more and promise something that is difficult to fulfill, for which you physically don’t have enough time.

“I don’t burden myself with unnecessary problems and set priorities. I understand that at the moment it is important to do homework and help my eldest son prepare for the test, and the unwashed dishes can wait. Or go to the youngest child’s first matinee, and the middle one will come home from school to the football section. Moreover, at such moments the mothers of his classmates always help - they look after him when I can’t take him,” says Elena.

Boys grow up, and each one develops his own character. Elena believes that her mother’s main skill here is to be able to find an approach to everyone and explain that she loves everyone equally, it’s just that at some point some of them need her help more than others.

“It’s absolutely the same with my husband, he’s just an adult and understands that I cannot belong entirely to him. He helps me a lot. “I, of course, also try to be beautiful for him and still a wife, and not a housekeeper,” Elena emphasizes.

She adds that she always finds time for herself - for example, to go to a beauty salon or just be alone and relax.

“My boys don’t let me forget that I am a woman first. My men are my pride, my support and support. And it can’t be difficult or difficult with them. Temporary difficulties can always be overcome if there is a desire,” concludes the mother of many children.

Korolev resident Elena Dmitrieva is a mother of many children: her youngest son is 3 years old, her middle son is 8 years old, and her eldest son is 10 years old. She never complains about difficulties and always looks her best. Elena told RIAMO in Korolev how she manages to keep up with everything and take time for herself.

Plan every day

GIPHY website

Elena says that you need to plan your every day carefully. You can keep a special notebook and literally write down by the hour what needs to be done. There are also special applications for smartphones. But a mother with many children does not even spend time keeping a diary - her family only needs a simple schedule that hangs on the refrigerator.

The schedule indicates the children's activities: who needs to go to school and kindergarten when, what time does the English lesson start, when do you need to free up time for the football section, what time do guitar lessons start. All three boys lead a fairly active lifestyle, and the mother’s task is to make sure that they don’t forget anything. At the same time, it is important not to overload them with activities.

“Everything is balanced now. The older children are quite independent - they go to school and to football themselves. Last year my youngest went everywhere with me, and this year he goes to kindergarten. Thanks to this, I can devote more time to work. The main thing is to debug the mechanism. When there is an action plan, everything in the house obeys this plan,” says Elena.

In parallel with taking care of her children and husband, Elena is successfully running her own small business - she opened a children's room. The woman works while the children are in class and the youngest child is in kindergarten.

“Of course, I get tired too, I also want to cry, be alone, stop serving everyone - sometimes I’m in such a mood. But I understand that without me this whole complex mechanism will work poorly, just like without each of us. If the husband “fails”, it becomes difficult to go somewhere; if one of the boys is sick, their usual rhythm is lost. In general, our family is like a clock: all the cogs must move and work, otherwise the clock will stop,” emphasizes the mother of many children.

Do several things at once

In order to keep up with everything, Elena advises doing several things at the same time. For example, while the children are doing their homework, keep your youngest son busy with some quiet game or book and cook dinner.

The same goes for work. Elena opened a children's room just to combine business with pleasure. Her older children grew up in this room while their mother took care of business. Last year, the youngest son went to work with his mother: he got up at 6 in the morning, took his brothers to school with her, and then went to the children's room.

“There are things that can be combined, and I try to do that. It has already reached the point where doing one thing seems boring to me - I want to occupy myself with something else. I also find time for hobbies: for example, while the children are reading, I sit next to them and knit,” shares Elena.

Follow the plan

Elena assures us that we can’t stop. You can’t feel sorry for yourself and say that the button can be sewn on tomorrow. If you plan to sew on a button and tidy up the boys' clothes today, you need to do it today.

“Otherwise worries and problems will grow like a snowball! And when someone needs a clean shirt for school, there won’t be one - they’ll have to give up everything they’re doing and urgently work on the shirt. To prevent this from happening, you need to force yourself to do all the planned activities on time,” notes the mother of many children.

Prioritize

Giphy.com

Elena warns: in order to get everything done and have time for yourself, you shouldn’t burden yourself with unnecessary work. If there are a lot of things to do, then you shouldn’t take on even more and promise something that is difficult to fulfill, for which you physically don’t have enough time.

“I don’t burden myself with unnecessary problems and set priorities. I understand that at the moment it is important to do homework and help my eldest son prepare for the test, and the unwashed dishes can wait. Or go to the youngest child’s first matinee, and the middle one will come home from school to the football section. Moreover, at such moments the mothers of his classmates always help - they look after him when I can’t take him,” says Elena.

Boys grow up, and each one develops his own character. Elena believes that her mother’s main skill here is to be able to find an approach to everyone and explain that she loves everyone equally, it’s just that at some point some of them need her help more than others.

“It’s absolutely the same with my husband, he’s just an adult and understands that I cannot belong entirely to him. He helps me a lot. “I, of course, also try to be beautiful for him and still a wife, and not a housekeeper,” Elena emphasizes.

She adds that she always finds time for herself - for example, to go to a beauty salon or just be alone and relax.

“My boys don’t let me forget that I am a woman first. My men are my pride, my support and support. And it can’t be difficult or difficult with them. Temporary difficulties can always be overcome if there is a desire,” concludes the mother of many children.

Interview with mother of many children Natalya Snitkova, author of the blogs “Grafomama” and “IMHOmama”.

I am a mother and... a mother, and 4 times a mother. Yes, yes, I have six of them: 3 sons and 3 daughters. So there is no time left to be anyone else. In fact, I realized my plan, which goes back to childhood. When I was 9 years old, I had a brother, and 3 years later - a second one. It was during that period that I realized: nothing makes a woman’s life as rich and meaningful as giving birth to children. And even then I made a decision: I will have a lot of them.

My first-born Yura was born when I was in my 6th year of medical school, and although I planned not to interrupt my studies and resort to the help of my grandmothers, I took an academic leave. I returned from the academy after 4 years, being the mother of 3 wonderful babies, I completed the required year of study. When I was awarded the long-awaited diploma, I was pregnant again.

Now Yura is 13 years old, Lena is 12, Lisa is 10, Natasha is 8, Vita is 4 years old, and the youngest Philip is 2. Each of them is a separate story, with its own character, hobbies, with its own shortcomings and advantages.

I am aware that I belong to that endangered species that considers having many children not as an atavism that disappears in the process of evolution, but as a good, useful phenomenon, necessary in modern society.

In my opinion, dealing with 2-3 is much more difficult. Today I feel like I’m on some kind of well-trodden rails and I’m riding almost effortlessly. Many elements of my activities as a mother have been practiced to the point of automaticity. Plus, as correctly noted, the contribution of older children to household chores is becoming more significant every day.

Of course, I can’t say that I have time to do everything. Over the years, I have developed an immunity to failure. I don’t worry and I don’t beat myself up if something remains undone. I have a blog post about just this.

I am constantly searching for a balance between useful and necessary. What is more important: reading a book to a child or knocking out a rug? What is more necessary: ​​play with the kids or wash the windows? There are things that seem to have no immediate benefit, but bear fruit over the years: for example, children regularly see me with a book - they themselves are drawn to read; The girls see me doing needlework and ask me to show them how to crochet and embroider. Therefore, I try to moderately, but allow such “less useful” things into my life, which sometimes distract me from pressing concerns.

School is a separate issue. Lessons are sometimes more exhausting than a couple of screaming babies. I gradually teach students to be independent. Almost got used to it. Pack a briefcase, fill out a diary, prepare clothes for school - all by yourself from the 2nd quarter of first grade. My mission: difficult math problems, untranslatable English texts and essays. In these cases, I help, and often sit for hours trying to explain to the child something that I myself barely understood.

And my main secret is my faith. I believe that the Lord, who gave me so many babies, will definitely give me enough strength, knowledge and means to give them everything they need for every day, including care and affection. I clearly see that a day that begins with prayer is much more fruitful than a day that begins with vanity.

Honestly, I am far from clear planning. There are so many force majeure events in my life that you never know how you will start the day and how you will end it. Although, in addition to everyday chores (cooking, washing, cleaning, activities with children), I keep in mind a couple of tasks that need to be completed if I have a free minute. So, today, I went through the box of toys, got rid of all the “debris and remains,” and took some of the boring toys to the attic. Already good! But yesterday was a failure. The youngest was capricious - I had to give him exactly as much time as I had planned to spend on cleaning the bathroom. And nothing. We survived.

I try to plan my stay on the Internet. My time on the computer is very limited: from the moment the children fall asleep until the moment I fall asleep myself. As a rule, this is 2-3 hours. By the time I go online, I try to have a clear idea: where I need to go, what to write, who to respond to, etc.

Honor and praise to my husband! Sometimes he gives me the opportunity to be alone: ​​he takes the children for a walk or lets me go to a friend. But I notice that the further I go, the less I need it. Even a short loss of children from my field of vision fills me with anxiety and does not allow me to relax. I understand that this is the “mother hen syndrome” that needs to be gotten rid of, otherwise it will be difficult to let go of them when they are older.

Quite recently, I discovered that my elders cope well with the younger ones in my absence: this freed my hands a lot. But the most blissful thing is that my husband and I began to periodically go out together. Rare, but so wonderful. We see this as retribution for the hectic years that we have behind us.

And recently, my husband went for a walk with the children and met an old acquaintance. He, having surveyed the entire brood, asked Sasha: “Are these all yours?” Hearing the answer, he whistled and said: “Yes, you live in paradise!” And now, when it’s hard, vain and hopeless, I repeat to myself like a mantra: I live in paradise, I live in paradise, I live in paradise. Really, it helps!