What if you could work outside the home and still have a healthy, functional family life without the chaos and mess? Sounds like a dream, doesn’t it? I have great news for you... you CAN achieve that dream in 2020.
We all have responsibilities both inside and outside the home. If you’re considering a return to paid work after a career pause, adding new responsibilities may seem impossible without dropping a ball or two somewhere in the transition. The trick is to strike the right balance between the two, for the good of both you and your family. Here are a few tried and true methods that not only work for me personally, but also dozens of working moms that have gone through the transition period, just like you.
The Best Work/Life Balance Tips For Mothers
Plan, Plan, Plan! Being organized is a priority for any working mom. If organization doesn’t come naturally, there are many resources you can use to help. For example, choose a paper planner, like Planner Pads, that you love that will outline your busy schedule. Use your phone’s calendar to set up reminders for upcoming appointments and to-dos. Plan ahead as much as possible.
Look for opportunities to synergize. Download this worksheet to identify your responsibilities at work and home and find ways to synergize the two. For example, if you have to run your child to a doctor’s appointment, but also have a report deadline coming up, you can work on the report in the waiting room. Or, if you find yourself checking email throughout your time with family, maybe activity batching emails first thing in the morning will help you focus on family when you’re home. By finding creative ways to be efficient with your time, you’ll be able to get more done in less time, without sacrificing family priorities.
My friend Dave wrote a helpful article on productivity and mentions one particular service worth mentioning: followupthen.com. By bcc’ing an email address from their service, you can send yourself a reminder to follow up on emails so that you can send it and forget it until it’s time.
Set boundaries. If you work from home, designate a space to work where you can shut the door. Seeing your open laptop or paperwork during mealtime, for example, reminds your brain of all you have to do and will distract you from your family and home life. If you work in an office, do what you can to always make it home for dinner and silence your email notifications when at home. Keep work at work while you are at home so your family doesn’t feel that your time is divided.
Share what you are working on with your family. This sounds contrary to the last tip, but it’s not. Set boundaries to keep work at work, but don’t be afraid to share your work with your family so they know what is going on with you. Explain what you do at work, what projects you have going on, and any pressure you may be feeling. Being open with your family will bring you closer together and allow them to be a part of this new part of your life. This gives you the opportunity to model values for your children such as persevering through a challenge, making mistakes and working through them, doing work that you feel adds value, courage in trying new things, independence, etc.
Take time to show gratitude to those who support you in pursuing your dreams as a working mom. Your children and family are a great place to start. Write them a letter or have a special evening out and tell them how much it means to you that, even though it means change for them, you are able to work or start working.
Share your family with your colleagues. Within appropriate boundaries, don’t be shy about sharing your family life with colleagues. As a proud momma, telling cute stories, showing photos, and bragging about the latest family development is a great way for you to bring a bit of home to work, leaving you more relaxed and comfortable. I personally keep a note that my daughter wrote me when she was first learning how to write. It says “I love you mommy.”
Finding work-life balance is essential for moms returning to work after a career pause, and once you have it, it’s something to be grateful for! If you’re struggling to strike a good balance between work and home, we’d love to help you. Check out all of the great resources we have available for you, including coaching support, here.
