As the alarm goes off at 4.30am, getting myself ready to get into the kitchen to get breakfast ready on the table and pack everyone’s lunch or snack boxes for the day is my way to begin the new day. The next thing to do is wake up the family and then rush to work, asking my husband to do the school run.
Amid all the juggling and mad morning rush, a feeling of mom guilt keeps popping up every now and then.
Do you resonate with this experience as you struggle to balance work and family?
Do you at times judge yourself as a working mom and compare yourself with other moms? Motherhood is precious and takes priority in our lives no matter how occupied we are throughout the day. As you know, every mother’s journey is unique.
As you can’t compare the journey of different moms, you shouldn’t compare yourself with other moms. Not being able to make it to an event at your child’s school or not finding time in the mornings to hug your little one, doesn’t make you a less caring mother.
Tips to Balance Your Life as a Working Mom
Being able to balance work and family helps working mothers to handle the mom-guilt with patience and have a balanced life with time for self-care as well. It helps you get organized and make time for the little precious things in life that make your day and take away all your guilt!
Here are some ways that will help working mothers balance their work and motherhood:
A connected marriage
Make it a point to find quick ways to connect to your spouse. Do not let your stress cause you to drift apart from your spouse. Rather, share your feelings with your spouse, be each other’s support system and carry out your responsibilities as a team.
Share the household chores, express what’s on your mind to each other, and help each other in every possible way. This will make life less stressful.
It is also important that you spend some time with your spouse to connect and engage so that your bond grows stronger over the years, despite the responsibilities of parenthood and your career.
Get enough sleep
Feeling well-rested improves your ability and helps you handle things better. Sleep deprivation on the other hand affects your overall well-being negatively and throws you off-balance.
Have a consistent bedtime routine and avoid discussing anything serious right before going to bed as it can affect your sleep quality or cause sleep disruption. A well-rested mom has better productivity and can cater better to the needs of the family.
I know being a mom is working your butt off all day and then finally getting some me-time at night. I’m here to tell you healthy bedtime snacks really can help you sleep better.
Meal prep
To make your morning routine easier while not giving up making tasty and healthy meals for your family, it is good to resort to meal prepping. It requires planning your meals ahead for the week, which can be done during the weekends, and buying groceries according to your plan.
Wash and chop your veggies and store them in airtight containers in the refrigerator, after sorting them as per your meal plan. It also helps you save money by not spending it on something that you won’t use during the week.
There are many realistic and flexible ideas for meal prepping available on the internet. You may choose the ideas that work well for you. When you’ve had a hard day and you need to unwind, do not hesitate to order dinner.
If you’re new to meal planning and wondering how you can eat healthy while on a budget, I have found another best way for you. The $5 Meal Plan!
This plan is perfect for anyone who wants to save money and time with their meals. You will get one week of recipes that are easy as well as a list of groceries according to your dietary needs or restrictions- all delivered every Friday right in your inboxes at just 5 bucks per month! Sign up now just for $5!
Family Time
Set aside some time over the weekend for family time like planning a family trip or watching a movie with the family. Use planners to organize your work, home, and travel schedule.
Taking a few minutes to plan each week helps you avoid last-minute plans that don’t work out well many a time.
Set limits on social engagements and stick to your work hour limits. This will take away your guilt of not being able to make time for your family and help you enjoy quality time with your family.
To learn more about family bonding, watch this video on my YouTube channel: What keeps families together?
Self-care
Schedule a few minutes every day for exercise, a brisk walk, meditation, gardening or just to relax. This time is to be non-negotiable as it will replenish your energy and help you to de-stress. There are many ideas for moms to destress themselves.
Unless you relax and recharge, it isn’t possible to find joy in all that you do whether at home or work. The burnout that you feel could cause mood swings, anxiety, or negative thinking, if you do not make some time for yourself to unwind and refresh.
After a hectic day of parenting, I like to relax when my kids are asleep to decompress myself.
I understand the importance of Me-Time, though I don’t religiously do that as I am tired of daily chores that I love to simply doze off.
But whenever I get time for myself I follow a good skincare regime and do some reading specifically books for moms to get information on all aspects of life as a mother.
Here’s my article on how to mentally refresh after a tiring day: 8 ways to mentally refresh after a stressful day.
Seek help
You do not have to do everything by yourself when you are too occupied. Doing everything on your own doesn’t allow you any time for planning family time or self-care.
Hire cleaning services, take help with laundry when you feel the need if it’s within your budget. Ask your kids to do some simple household chores.
There are many benefits to getting your kids on board to help you with the chores around the house. Giving the kids age-appropriate chores help them feel wanted, teaches them important life skills, and boosts self-confidence in.
Well some kids will do anything you ask them to do without further questioning, while others rebel against the idea of them getting off the couch.
Here are some great tips on how to get your kids to do house chores without drama!
Set healthy boundaries
Communicate your availability and limitations to your colleagues and friends when you are aware of what’s going beyond the boundary. This helps them set realistic expectations and keeps you from getting overwhelmed with constant phone calls.
Boundaries are not restrictions. They are required to create a work-life balance and to keep their commitments at work as well as at home.
As a working mom, thriving in your workplace without having to give up your precious family life is possible when you work toward creating a balance between your personal and professional life. Achieving this balance helps you cherish your motherhood and find clarity at home and workplace.
Be present
When you scroll through your phone during a family dinner or think of your child’s music class during a meeting in the office, your focus shifts and it affects your work-life balance, causing stress. It could affect your performance at work and the quality of your family time.
Being present in the moment requires faith and confidence in your plans and efforts for your family as well as being attentive and determined at your workplace. This will keep you from mom-guilt and messing up your professional life.
Stay Positive
Although it’s challenging to have a positive mindset at times as a working mother, when you feel overwhelmed and anxious, when things don’t work the way, you expected them to remember to do something that could help you calm down.
Only with a calm mind can you figure out the next step on the journey and make the right decision. Being negative and giving up hope doesn’t take you where you want to reach.
Practice gratitude, focus on your priorities, and know that you are not alone. Stay positive and be an example to your growing kids.
Still feeling overwhelmed with kids screaming, plus general household responsibilities, and you have a recipe for extremely high levels of stress. Here’s my FREE E-Book that teaches you “How to become a Calm And Happy Mom” when everything drives you crazy.
Positive connections
Prioritize connecting with people or moms who inspire or motivate you. This will make you stronger and help you navigate better through challenges.
There are people who help you expand your perspective with their positive mindset. Foster connections that help you balance your work and family well and keep you from negativity.
As a working mom, thriving in your workplace without having to give up your precious family life is possible when you work toward creating a balance between your personal and professional life. Achieving this balance helps you cherish your motherhood and find clarity at home and the workplace by investing in yourself as a mom and working woman.
Despite having a busy career, make time to enjoy the little joys of life with your kids and husband, have a chat at times with your closest friends, meet your extended family and never compromise on self-care dear mommy.
Final Thoughts
You have a purpose in life that shapes your journey and it’s not the same for every mother. So, try giving your best without comparison to another mom.
Amid all the juggling and balancing, do not forget to support and encourage other moms and make the world a better place by spreading goodness around, no matter where you are on the journey of motherhood.
Related Articles:
Unlocking Stronger Bones: 12 Essential Nutrition Tips For Women’s Bone Health
13 Affordable Stress Relief Ideas For Moms
7 Best At Home Workouts For Busy Moms To Look And Feel Great
10 Ways To Boost Your Family’s Immune System
13 Ways To Invest In Yourself As A Mom
15 Top Foods That Help You Sleep Better
10 Health And Fitness Tips For Busy Moms
Mommy And Me Exercises: Fun Ways To Bond And Get Fit With Your Baby With Videos
Don’t Forget To Pin IT For Later!
How to balance work and family as a mom?
Rancy D'Souza
I’m a working mother of a 10 year old child. I enjoy sharing my knowledge and experience about raising self-reliant, happy kids, and tips to care for your overall well-being by managing stress, choosing a healthy lifestyle, and embracing life.
I find happiness in enjoying the little things in life, learning from my experiences, using life experiences positively, exploring my capabilities, and spending time with family.
I started my blog when I found people being extremely curious about healthy living and taking care of kids, during the pandemic, as all of us have gone through different kinds of stress and learned a lot of life lessons during this period. I hope to spread goodness and positivity with my blog.