On Balancing Motherhood, Business, and Wellness
We're excited to share with you our first ever Parker Clay Q&A! Our goal is to highlight individuals who are exemplifying our company values and inspiring us to live well. For our first installment, we chatted with our friend Robin, who embodies balance, wellness, and minimalism: all qualities that Parker Clay strives to cultivate. Read on to learn more about Robin’s holistic approach to life.
Robin was born in Colorado, but now lives in Santa Barbara, CA with her husband and two little ones, ages 4 and 2. She’s a Pilates instructor and creator of The Balanced Life, a website dedicated to helping women love their bodies by providing quick & efficient Pilates workouts that can be done from home. Robin’s passion is helping women break free of unhealthy relationships with diet and exercise and find freedom on their path to wellness.
On running an online business: Right now, everyday is different! But it always includes a lot of juggling. Most days I drop my 4 year old off my school while wrangling the 2 year old in an out of the car (his least favorite thing). While she's at school I juggle a mix of spending time with my son and working from home. The Balanced Life has a team of women who work remotely all over the country, so there are lots of video calls and emails throughout the day. By the time the afternoon rolls around, it's time for preschool pick up, dinner prep, dinner, and bedtime routines! The days are full but I am grateful that I am able to mix motherhood and work - something that women haven't always had the privilege of doing.
On balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship: Balance to me is always changing. It means remaining flexible, embracing the fact that seasons change, capacities change, and our needs change. I used to try to be perfectly focused with my diet and exercise ALL THE TIME. But since becoming a mom and running a business, I now know that there is an ebb and flow. There is freedom in the ability to embrace that ebb and flow and trust that it all balances out, as long as you stay focused on the little things and the big picture. More specifically, it means big salads and dark chocolate, days spent in PJ's on the couch and days spent being outside & active, it means seasons of growth and seasons of rest.
On living minimally: We don't buy a lot of toys for our kids. We try to keep their toys focused on things that promote imagination (less batteries, flashing lights, and commercialized products). We also have a handful of meals on rotation and don't try to reinvent the wheel with menu planning each week. We don't have our kids enrolled in a lot of extra activities. So right now we focus on preschool, play-dates and trips to the park and zoo. I have a pretty small closet (as my friends know because they see me in the same clothes on a weekly basis) and every time a new piece comes in, I give an old piece away. Ultimately, we just try to remember on a daily basis that less is more.
On using business as a force for good: My husband and I have BIG giving goals this year and I am so excited about it! The Balanced Life has always donated a portion of all proceeds to charities and nonprofit organizations - and this year's we are shifting our focus to building schools. I can't wait to see how much of an impact our Balanced Life community can have! I'm also continuing to grow The Balanced Life and want to impact as many lives as possible through our online programs.
On purse essentials and Parker Clay faves: Ooh good question! My top 5 purse essentials are: EO Lavender Hand Sanitzer, protein bars for on-the-go snacks, a bright and cheery lipstick, my phone, and baby wipes. My favorite Parker Clay product...it's a tie! My Merkato Signature Tote and Rincon Backpack are both used on a weekly basis.
Thanks for sharing a little bit of your life with us, Robin! Now, off to get our pilates on...