Working mothers are praised for having their lives together by juggling their professional and personal sides. While supermoms indeed rock, there are fleeting feelings of restlessness. You may be at a loss for how to balance work and family. It generally happens during the earlier years, but it could also occur even further down the road.
Here are a few ways to achieve work-life balance as a mom.
1. Keep Tabs on Your Schedule
Planning and scheduling are two of the most important activities moms should master to balance work and family. About 23% of workers schedule events in their calendars. Keeping a digital record can also help you feel more organized.
While it is good to track everything, avoid overbooking yourself. Too tight of a schedule is hard to keep up with and leaves you feeling stressed. Keeping things a little open can also give you leeway when work or family emergencies come up.
2. Pay Attention to Your Energy Levels
Just like your time, your energy is subject to limitations. Make sure you check in with yourself and how you’re feeling. You can do this by writing in a journal or taking notes on your phone. Write down the fleeting thoughts you have and let them go.
When you feel drained, you may have to choose between focusing on work or family. It’s not an easy decision, and it takes time to reach the acceptance stage. However, recognizing your limits allows you to strive for a healthy level of fulfilling your work and family needs.
3. Consider Flexible Options
When you work 9-5, it can seem almost impossible to keep up with your child’s school schedule. Especially when both parents work full time, it’s difficult to figure out how to get the kids to and from school and other activities. Many parents rely on additional childcare services, but that can be expensive.
Brainstorm ways to make your schedule more flexible. Do you or your spouse have the option to work from home or shift your working hours? If you’re willing to find a new job, look for flexible options. Alternatively, you can consider flexible options for your child’s education. Homeschooling or cyber school can allow you to craft a schedule that fits better with your working hours.
4. Schedule Dates With Your Spouse
Aside from being a mom, you’re also a wife to the love of your life. Scheduling dates is a part of work-life balance, so pick out a night when you’re both free of responsibilities. Remember that you should focus on quality of time instead of quantity. Find an activity you both enjoy and make the most of each other’s company.
5. Don’t Be Afraid to Experiment
Every family has its own solutions that work for them, and change is often required. Experiment to find out what works for you and your situation. Whether getting a helping hand or trying something new, the financial investment will always be worth the impact on your work-life balance.
Here are a few examples of changes to try out:
- Consider a virtual assistant: Are you feeling overwhelmed with work or forgetting school meetings you need to attend? A virtual assistant will help you stay accountable to your commitments and schedule.
- Hire cleaners for the home: Cleaning requires a lot of time and energy, which could have been spent on your spouse and kids. Hiring professionals to take care of it provides so much more flexibility.
- Try meal kits: Cooking is a therapeutic activity for many moms, but there are times when you don’t want to spend hours at the grocery store and in the kitchen. Meal subscription kits provide all the ingredients for the portions you need.
- Call in a babysitter: If you have an important project at work or you’re nearing the busiest season of the year, indulge yourself in getting a babysitter. They could help you free up your mind and hours while keeping your little one entertained.
- Use ride-hailing apps: Moms have some of the busiest routes, shuttling to the office, school and home, among many other places. Ride-hailing apps could save you the stress of driving and let you focus on your motherly duties.
6. Consider Finding Side Hustles
Side hustles are a great way to earn money while having more flexibility with your family. You can become a photographer and contribute to the stock photo market, which is estimated to reach $12.2 billion by 2032. There are also many other lucrative endeavors online, like website design, video streaming and blogging.
7. Adjust Your Work Hours
Balancing your job and life makes overtime undesirable. Instead, you could consider reducing your work schedule. About 42% of mothers have decreased their hours, with 9% even going as far as turning down a promotion. It’s a case-to-case solution, so evaluate and trust your gut when making this decision.
Bonus Tip: Be Kind to Yourself
Mothers can be so hard on themselves all the time, but you must recognize you’re already giving 100% to work and family. Even when you’re not at your best, you still dedicate yourself to what matters. It may be hard to keep things even, but you consistently try. Be considerate of your efforts and give yourself a pat on the back.
Achieve Work-Life Balance
Balancing work and family as a mom takes time and consistency. The result can be a fulfilling career and personal life. While there are a few bumps in the road, keep your head high and know you’re doing your best.