Who were you before kids? It is an interesting question and one that I had never really thought about. But what did you want to achieve before you became mum or dad? Are there aspirations, hobbies, or things you truly enjoyed, that you have stopped since becoming a parent? Today I chat with the inspiring Lauren Branson, a fun mother of five and start-up business owner. I am fascinated by how Lauren manages to run her business and five kids under eight, while still making time for herself. There is often this parent’s guilt that we place on ourselves if we are spending time doing something for ourselves. But as I discuss with Lauren, you need to carve out time for yourself, so that you can look after others. And even with five kids and a business, Lauren still manages to do this. How? Lauren prioritise what is important and makes time for what she values. Lauren is passionate about eating healthy and local food. Her business, Your Food Collective, is an online farmers market that connects busy parents to local growers. And meal time with five kids was a hot topic on this episode, and Lauren explains how she is quite regimented when it comes to meal time. There are set times for meals with one option for everyone. Lauren explains that she needs to be strict like this so that she isn’t feeding little humans all day and has time to give to other areas of her life. As you would expect, Lauren has learnt a lot since child number one—to enjoy and not sweat the small stuff, that stress doesn’t change the outcome, and that you need time each day for yourself. I hope you enjoy x www.liveimmediately.com