Let’s be real: being a mom is a tough job, no matter the circumstances. Whether you work or are a stay-at-home mom, motherhood is just overwhelming many times. However, for working mothers, it can feel even more daunting, as they have to balance work-related tasks with their parental responsibilities. There may be days when you feel like you simply don’t have the will and energy to be a good employee and a good mom at the same time.
Or you may even feel guilty about either not giving 100% at work or not spending enough time with your children. While you may feel like you’re falling short, it’s important to give yourself some grace, mama. After all, you aren’t a superhero, and it’s perfectly normal not to do it all perfectly. If you’re looking for ways to balance work and motherhood (without losing your sanity), you are in the right place. Check out our survival guide below and learn how to tackle job and family responsibilities without burning out.
Have realistic expectations
It’s easy to get notoriously optimistic about your time as a work-from-home mom. You may think you have time to do it all – keeping up with the laundry, finishing a project at work, helping the children with schoolwork, picking up groceries, and so on.
The reality, however, is that it won’t likely happen. If you’ve set goals that were completely out of reach, you know how bad you feel when you aren’t able to reach them – that’s not a great place to be in. Instead, ensure that you are realistic when planning your schedule. Look at your available time and set achievable goals, as this way, you will be able to enjoy small wins rather than feeling like you’re always falling behind.
Get organized and focused
As a work-from-home mom, it’s essential to use your time as effectively as you can. Ensure that you let your coworkers know what to expect and commit to reasonable deadlines. Also, communicate often about requirements at work: if you are asked to do too much but have only a little time available, consider offering trade-offs. For example, you could tell that while you can take on a particular project, it will take you longer. And once you make a commitment, make sure to follow through.
Additionally, you can also improve your efficiency at work by grouping your tasks and performing work like setting up meetings and responding to emails (which require more coordination) in a specific block of time, and those requiring more concentration, such as writing and developing ideas, in another block of time. Speaking of efficiency at work, it’s a good idea to use a password manager because this tool automatically fills in login credentials, eliminating the need to remember complex passwords. This helps reduce errors and saves time.
Have a dedicated home office space
The last thing you want as a work-from-home mom is to work at the kitchen table every day. In fact, you won’t even be able to do so, because you will get distracted easily and not focus on work. Instead, turn a room in your home into an office, as this will allow you to be productive and take video calls or conference calls comfortably throughout the day.
This area can be anything from a nice corner in your master bedroom to your basement or even unused attic space. Whatever works for you is great.
Set clear boundaries
Boundaries are crucial when working from home as a mom. When you want family time, it’s important not to let yourself be dragged into late meetings or work tasks. If possible, set up your schedule in a way that prevents others from scheduling meetings before you want to start work or too late in the day.
Suppose your children are old enough; you may want to explain to them that you are working and what you need from them during this time. If you have younger kids, this will obviously not be easy, but setting clear boundaries like not going into mom’s office when she’s having a meeting is something you can ask of your older children.
Share the load with your partner
We cannot say this enough: you don’t have to do this alone. And to be honest, you shouldn’t even try to. You can ask your partner to share responsibilities, which will help lighten the load and create a more harmonious household. For example, consider dividing chores like cleaning and cooking, and take turns with the more challenging tasks, such as shopping and kids’ doctor’s appointments.
Talk openly with your partner about the mental toll of managing every single task, because this can often be invisible, so they may not understand exactly what you’re going through. When sharing this load, it’s essential to let your partner do things their own way, which means relinquishing control. This may be challenging at first, but it will help strengthen trust and balance in your partnership, and simultaneously relieve you of the mental burden of doing everything yourself.
Take care of yourself
Self-care may be the last thing on your mind when you’re a working mom and have so many responsibilities, but it’s something you need, and not a luxury. And the good news is that it doesn’t have to be anything fancy.
For example, you can take a few minutes to meditate in the morning before you check your emails, as this will help you start your day with a clear intention and a clear mind. Or, you may also want to spend time reading a book or taking a bath. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed as a mom, but prioritizing self-care will be very beneficial and support you as you balance work with motherhood.
Celebrate your wins, no matter how small
Celebrating wins as a mom is extremely important -and we aren’t talking about the big ones only. Sometimes, the fact that you’ve made it through a challenging day is enough and should be celebrated.
Some ways you can celebrate accomplishments include:
- Planning a weekend where you get to have fun with your family;
- Ordering takeout during one evening rather than cooking, so you can have more time to spend with your children and partner;
- Letting your children choose a dessert, meal, or a fun activity that everyone loves.
The bottom line
Balancing motherhood and work can be tough, but it’s not impossible. What matters the most is to remember that you don’t have to do this alone, and it’s okay to ask for help. There’s no such thing as the perfect mom, and trying to be it all is a recipe for burnout. So, let go of the “supermom” myth, practice self-care, and appreciate all the small accomplishments.
Read Next: Summer Survival Tips for Busy Moms
