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Maintaining a career while you are a mom can be a struggle at times. It doesn’t matter if you are back to working in an office or still working from home, there are so many different things you need to manage. Here are some tips for creating a balance that will leave you feeling empowered instead of depleted.
Preventing Burnout
- Create a positive workspace by adding personal touches such as color, plants, and pictures.
- Maximize functionality by keeping your desk clear and organized with designated spaces for necessary items.
- Separate work and home life by designating a separate room as a home office.
- Take regular breaks and prioritize self-care activities like exercise and hobbies.
- Set realistic goals and prioritize tasks to prevent feeling overwhelmed.
Designated Workspaces
Having a designated workspace is the first step to success when it comes to your career. This step is a little easier if you leave your home to go to work each day. If you work in an office, then you already have a space in which to work.
Transform your workspace from a dreaded place to a pleasant one by adding personal touches like color, plants, and pictures. Maximize functionality by keeping your desk clear and organized, and designating a set place for necessary items.
Working from home can present a challenge, as household tasks can easily distract from work. To minimize these distractions, designate a separate room as your home office. This separation helps to focus on work tasks and allows for a clearer separation between work and home life.
Maintaining a career while you are a mom can be a struggle at times. It doesn’t matter if you are back to working in an office or still working from home, there are so many different things you need to manage.Click To TweetIf you do not have an extra room that can be turned into an office, then you should still find an area that can be set aside just for work. Having this space that is only used for work will help your brain to know when it is time to switch between work and home.
Work Towards Goals
Sometimes you may get so caught up in the daily grind that you forget to go after your goals. Sometimes we may have dreams and goals that we delay and wait for a time when we have more time. If we are honest with ourselves, we know that there is no such time as the perfect time to go after your dreams.
If there is something important to you, then you need to make it happen. You may want a promotion at work that requires additional training. Ask your supervisor how you can get enrolled in that training.
You may be looking to switch careers. You can find online nursing programs or Religious Degree Programs that you can pursue in your extra time after work to get ready to make the switch. Most of these degrees are geared towards working adults, so the schedules are flexible.
You may also want to finish a degree or go back to school to get more education. Getting more education can be edifying by itself, but it can also prepare you to go further in your current career or open up more possibilities in other areas of work.
Share the Load
A lot of times, working moms bear the brunt of all the work for the family. This is not fair and will eventually lead to burnout. It is important to delete some of the work from others which makes it possible for everyone to feel fulfilled and work together as a
Your spouse and children should be helping you with the household chores. You can talk to them about how you need help and come up with a system to get everything done. Some people may be comfortable choosing one job to be in charge of while others may want to rotate through jobs to add variety. It doesn’t matter how you set it up as long as you are not doing it on your own.
Delegating chores for children is an excellent way to help prepare them for the future and help them take accountability for their homes. Small children can even help in small ways. They can put their dirty clothes in the hamper and pick up their toys before bed. They may also be able to set the table at mealtimes and take their dirty plate to the kitchen. While these tasks may seem small, if everyone is doing a little bit, it will take a burden off your shoulders.
Older kids can take on more responsibility as they grow. Learning to do laundry, load the dishwasher, clear the table, clean the bathrooms, and vacuum are all important life skills that they need to learn eventually.
Prepare for the Next Morning
Mornings are hectic. You are getting ready for work. Your kids are getting ready for school or other activities. You are trying to find backpacks, get kids dressed, and make breakfast and lunches. Everything is in chaos. Does this sound familiar? This is very common, and spending a little time the night before getting ready for the next day can help make it better.
You can check homework and put backpacks by the door each night. You can also pack lunches after dinner, or even have the kids each pack their own lunch. You can also set out clothes for the next day for each child or have them do it themselves. Doing these little things each night will make mornings less chaotic.
Create a Schedule
Because you are balancing so many different things, it is important to create a schedule for your day. Be sure to schedule when you are going to work. Especially if you are working from home, you need to make sure you are not working all night when you should be focusing on other things.
You should also schedule time for your family to spend together to strengthen your relationships. You could go for a walk or play games or watch a movie. And finally, you need to make sure that you schedule a time to unwind by yourself to get ready for the next day.
Rooted firmly in social science research, Pfeffer’s 7 rules provide a manual for increasing your ability to get things done, including increasing the positive effects of your job performance.
