Work-Life Balance for Busy Moms

It never seems as though there are enough hours in the day. You have deadlines, appointments, meetings, sports practices, homework, and a million other things taking up your day. Sometimes it feels like you are falling behind. You probably are not! Most people think they are more behind than they are. Sometimes, though, people forget things. It happens. They feel bad, and it feels that the world is out of balance. Here are a few things you can do to maximize your work/ life balance.

Set Priorities

You do not have to do everything. Decide which things are most essential and which are optional. If you have more important things than optional, consider why that is? Are you making more promises than you can keep? Are you a “yes” mom? Decide what is necessary by making a list and ranking it each week. If there are optional things that you cannot get to, do not fret. Let them go!

Say No

Do not agree to more things than you can handle. If you just cannot plan the church bazaar this year, you might have to resign. This does not mean that you cannot attend the bazaar, help with other aspects, or support it. What it does mean is that you have set your priorities, and this is not one you can maintain. LET IT GO!

Get Help

Delegate the things that you need help with. Even if you are a single parent, you may have to ask your friends and family to pick up the slack. If you are a single mom, but dad is active in their lives, he can take them to the doctor, dentist, meet the teacher night, or the PTA meeting. Do not try to be super mom! You are a super mom, but you do not have to be magical.

Calendars

Use a planner, calendar app, or other scheduling technique to keep track of all of your priorities. If you find that there is a conflict, use the methods above. Sometimes the simple act of putting an event or task in your schedule or calendar will help you remember it. You do not have to follow any specific format, but if you like formality, consider some of the fantastic planners that are available. If not, a simple pocket calendar or app can be useful.

Let the Kids Help!

Get the kids into the kitchen to help with dinner, let older kids mow the yard, or set up a chore list. Even if they cannot do all of the things on your list, there are often things they can do. They can stuff envelopes, sort mail, or just help you carry stuff to the car. Arts and crafts are fun for kids, so if you are doing a project that requires signs, posters, crafts, or something to be made, let the kids set up an assembly line. They will enjoy the time with mom, and you will enjoy the completion of your tasks.

Bottom Line

No one is perfect. Your kids, spouse, partner, friends, or other people will understand when you cannot do everything. Do the things you have to do and recruit help for the rest. Tell your boss that you cannot take on that new project because it interferes with your child’s needs. Do not try to do more than you are capable of handling.