Working Mom Series: Finding the RIGHT BALANCE between Home & Work

We get it!

Your career is important to you.

But what we also know is that ‘getting back to business‘ when you have little ones at home is not easy – even for the most dedicated of workaholics.

Well, let us first tell you that you’re not alone in this struggle to balance life and work.

From the emotional challenges that moms face when leaving their little ones at home to not being able to have the time to do everything they would like to at work, it’s not easy being a working mom.

In this post of the Working Mom Series, we thought let’s have a real conversation about how you can win back sometime in your day with some useful tips that can help you get organized, plan ahead and find the right balance.

TIPS FOR WORKING MOMS

TIP #1

At Home – Have a plan

When it comes to working and motherhood, most moms would agree that something’s gotta give. But it’s up to you to decide what stays at the top of the list — and what falls to the bottom (Or off completely!)

So, here’s the mantra.

Prioritize early & Pre-plan a lot

A lot of anxiety can be avoided if you get your priorities in order BEFORE the decision making REALLY kicks in.

Is tucking your little one in key?

Well, then you know that you need to get to the office early to finish your work faster and be at home before bedtime.

Is it important for you to drop your kids at school?

Well, get your morning routine down pat, almost machine-like. Eliminate anything that takes up extra time in the morning, such as shower the night before or pick your work outfit at night before you go to bed. Eat breakfast and out the door, you go.

Is cooking healthy meals for your kids important?

Well, then you need to plan your week’s worth of menus and grocery shopping ahead of time.

The first step is to do all you can is to plan ahead and adjust your life accordingly. So, schedule your day in advance with specific tasks each hour so you can see what needs to be done now and later on as well. Put a star next to items of high priority or urgency. This will help you see what’s MOST IMPORTANT for the day. For the rest of the tasks, schedule the day in advance with specific tasks each hour so you can do what needs to get done.

Remember to be realistic though with enough lag time since other work tasks or errands may creep up which need your immediate attention. Also, don’t forget to occasionally give yourself a break. You can’t be expected to execute tasks all the time so make sure to add in some self-care time along the way.

Pro Tip: Consider outsourcing some things as well, especially if they are things that you don’t like.

TIP #2

At Work – Be Open About Your Priorities

When you’re a working mom, there are common hurdles moms from all around the world face.

• You’ll get called at the office (and may have to leave) for an emergency at home.
• You may have to choose between working on a presentation or making it to an appointment with the pediatrician?
• You may have to negotiate with your boss about taking time off during your kids holidays.

In such cases, it’s important that you have a good relationship with your manager. One of the best ways to do this is to maintain open communication. As long as you get your job done well (even if it means skipping a lunch break or working extra hours from your laptop after you’ve put your kids to bed ) most Managers understand that Moms are typically the primary parent when a child is sick or has an appointment, and can be flexible with the workload when such a need arises.

Dedication and transparency go a long way. So, let your manager know that your taking some time off for what’s important to you and always keep management informed early for pre-planned absences like doctor’s appointments.

Pro Tip: Don’t have long chats on personal calls at work and be accountable for any work given. Most managers want to know what their employees are doing – and if your being responsible about your work, hitting deadlines and have the right attitude, they’ll be much more flexible with the demands and expectations.

Conclusion

At the end of it all when you look back, you can take solace in the fact that you tried to make it all work, but (spoiler alert) – no mom is perfect.

The only thing to do is continue marching on, and even though you may not have it all figured out or feel like the world’s greatest mom – know that you and your kids are going to be just fine.

The Working Mom Series at Toddle has taken on the challenge of curating content and getting answers from moms who have been there, done that.

For reading the next article in the series, click here.