Women play a significant role in the workforce. Gone are the days of mothers at home and only fathers are in the workforce. In turn, there is an increase in working mothers.
Are you a new working mama? Have you been back in the workforce for some time but are feeling overwhelmed? You can use strategies to prevent yourself from experiencing burn out at work or at home.
The following are three tips that you can start using today to better achieve the work-life balance that might otherwise seem impossible.
Map Out Your Priorities
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The first step to achieving balance in any aspect of your life is categorizing the situation. Categorizing the situation helps to prevent an overwhelming amount of stress.
The first step is to map out your needs. Think about what brings you joy rather than what brings you stress first. Then, begin to think about what must happen for you to make ends meet. Take that brainstorm and transform it into a list.
From there, it is time to think about your negotiables and non-negotiables. Negotiables are the parts of your life that are not necessary to your well being. For example, can the laundry that you wash and put away every single day be reduced? Is it possible for someone else in the house to take the dogs for a walk, so you don’t have to? Will the business survive if you leave 15 minutes earlier? Questions like these will guide where your priorities lie.
When you have your list of priorities, start working on the things that matter the most and maybe disregard things that aren’t that important.
Create a Calendar
Going off the cuff is a surefire way to stay stressed and unorganized. Instead, use tools to keep your life in order. Creating a calendar both on your phone, in your home, and at your place of work will help remind you of the tasks that need to be accomplished.
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Forgetting something is happening at work while you are at home, or the reverse creates an intense tension that is unhealthy and often unmanageable. Using a calendar mitigates that stress before it can even occur.
Furthermore, sharing these calendars in your space will help the people around you to realize that you are not one dimensional and have commitments in different spaces.
Ask for Help
It cannot be emphasized enough. You are not alone in finding a balance between motherhood and a satisfying career.
Women are starting to truly dominate the working world, so reach out to other mothers out there. Odds are, you will find one who has been in a similar if not the same position you are in now. They can offer you valuable advice to make this time more manageable.
Friends, family, and coworkers can also be invaluable sources of wisdom and concrete action. Talking to the people in your circles can help you gain a much-needed perspective. Alternatively, speaking with a licensed professional whose job is to literally guide you through difficult times could bring another perspective.
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You can also ask the people in your life for immediate assistance with physical tasks, such as watching your child for an hour while you get work done or clean the house on the weekend. The worst that can happen is you get a no. But the point is, people won’t know you could use a hand if you don’t ask for it.
Being a working mom is basically working two jobs. Of course, you do not view your child as a job. But you use up effort, hours, and energy both as a mother and a career woman.
Have grace with yourself and patience. It is a learning process, and the fact that you are trying is evidence of your strength and determination. There is a reason that the saying goes, “Strong as a mother.”
