40 hours per week of work and 365 days of being a mom. It’s a tough job for working moms to cope and sometimes guilt will eat them alive. Balancing between paperwork, meeting, preparing meals and being there for the whole family is difficult and all the tasks demand for your time. There will be people who would not see your effort and demands you to perform, either from your work or from your own family.
Every working mom has her own battle to fight and to compromise. They just have to know which and what methods suit the best.
Be organized
Moms are usually the most organized people in the family, but with the work and house workload; they can be a little less organized than usual. If you are constantly leaving behind some tasks because you either forget or you thought they were not important (turns out they are) or your kids constantly searching for their things in the morning, get organized moms!
Set up a place of organization
Create or set a place where you can find everything in the morning, including your car keys, socks, files and cards. If mornings are always filled with kids trying to find their socks, bag pack, books and uniforms then maybe you need to set up a different strategy. Set a place where they can put their things in one place so they can easily find them the next morning. Like at the corner of their rooms or if you have a study room for your kids, even better. And tell your kids to prepare and pack their things the night before.
Create a to-do list
Have yourself a weekly to-do list involving your house chores, your kid’s activities and your work. Having the rough idea of the things you have to do throughout the work could also work for you to manage your time and your family. Know when do you usually go for a grocery shopping and laundry. Manage your time for your kids’ school activities and work so you could be at both events than neglecting them both.
Get Up An Hour Early Than Your Kids
To avoid any morning fiasco, get up an hour earlier than your kids. We know today, most moms do wake up earlier than their kids do and we appreciate you! Indeed, it works best when you wake up earlier than your kids do. You can have time for yourself, have a cup of coffee, have a toast, pack your essentials, pour the cereals into the bowl and when your kids’ time to wake up, you’ll be able to give them your undivided attention.
Plan Your Mealtime
Coming home from a long day of work and meetings just to prepare a time-consuming food for your family will be a stressful task for you. So instead, prepare a simple dinner meal for your whole family to enjoy. And once in a while, takeouts are acceptable. Planning a mealtime the night before or before the start of the week will make your food more satisfying. List all the meals that you want or plan to prepare for the whole week so you can know the ingredients. Prepare the ingredients the night before for you to cook without taking too long. This is the best way to have a meal together with the family without too much work for working mom.
Time With Your Partner
Do not push aside your time with your partner no matter how busy you are for the whole week. Even though being a working mom is difficult, don’t ever neglect your partner. Your partner is important in your life and that’s what keeps your family balanced. Plan a date night, have some day off, send your kids to their grandparents and just enjoy your time with your partner. Nurture your relationship with your partner. You’re busy; your partner’s busy. Have time for each other. It doesn’t have to be expensive; you can just prepare a meal or dinner and just have a talk.
Have A “Me” Time
It’s a rare occasion for moms to have their own time, but moms; please do take care of yourself. Have some time on your own. Recharge yourself. Find time to invest yourself into your own hobby. Have a spa once a month, take a bath once a week, and indulge yourself into your favorite books. These are the little things that moms often forget to do or don’t have the time to do. Let yourself relax and be at ease. Being a working mom is hard enough, don’t push yourself too hard.
Create A Special Family Activity
If you feel like you haven’t had the time to really spend time with your family, create a significant or special family activity that your whole family can enjoy every once a week. Outdoors or indoors activities, it does not matter. As long as you feel you get the time to enjoy your family’s company.