Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there. We officially honor moms on one day of the year, but it really should be year round. There are so many amazing women who do an amazing job of balancing work and home all of the time.
So on this day, we honor the best multi-taskers in the world (hint, hint: moms). I thought, why shouldn’t I collect some advice on how to pull off a balancing act between work and home life. Here are a few of the tips from some of my favorite family and friends, who happen to be moms:
- SET A SCHEDULE – Juggling a small business and a family is no easy task. Sometimes problems arise at work and things get thrown at you at the last minute. The best working moms I know say setting a schedule is a great way to learn to juggle those last minute issues that come up at work or at home. Having appointments, important dates and your work schedule written down for not only you but for your family to see is a good way to keep balance in your life. Whether you’re the boss, an executive or a member of a work team, talking about upcoming events and scheduling them is a good idea.
- UTILIZE TECHNOLOGY – Now that you’ve scheduled your work and home commitments, try to use technology to share important dates with both your employees and family members. There are lots of apps, like Google Calendar and Cozi, for families and others like Teamup for communicating and scheduling with your employees or members of your team.
- HAVE A SUPPORT SYSTEM – You know the saying, “it takes a village,” well if you want to truly balance work and home life you need to ask for help. If your parents or family aren’t around to help, then don’t be afraid to ask parents in your children’s class or neighborhood moms for a helping hand. Having people to lean on or help you out will make tough times or scheduling predicaments easier to deal with.
- ENJOY YOURSELF – I know this is a hard tip, especially after a 12-hour day at work and then having to cook or clean up after your family. Well, the key to a great balancing act is to enjoy yourself. Everyone has a hard day, but for the most part, you should experience joy at work and at home more than misery. If you don’t, it might be time to re-evaluate what you do for a living or how you’re doing it. If you’re feeling overwhelmed at work it might be time for you to hire someone to help you with the housekeeping, cooking or why not include your family in chores. Bottom line: time goes by quickly, so enjoy your family while you can.
Balancing home and work life isn’t easy. It does take a lot of planning, but women and men have been doing it for generations. So the next time you feel overwhelmed, remember your mom or the best mom you know and remember the good examples they set. Oh yes, and don’t forget to thank a mom for all she does, not just on Mother’s Day, but every day of the year!
