As a working mother, it may seem that the days of peace and serenity will never come again. Whether it’s packing lunches, rushing kids to the bus stop, rocking your day job, or making dinner and putting kids to bed, you are constantly on the go, and you are amazing. But you may not always feel amazing. In fact, you probably feel like you can never do enough for your kids, and you never get enough time or yourself. Well, here’s a few tips that can hopefully save you some trouble.
1. Keep mornings as stress-free as possible
The morning is probably the hardest time of your day. It can be hard enough to get ready and get yourself to work on time, but add a bunch of little people can make things exponentially more difficult. Do as much as you can the night before including setting out clothes, making lunches and packing up diaper bags and backpacks. It can take away a little from your relaxation time, but it will give you an opportunity to focus more on your kids the next morning than the tasks that accompany them.
2. Don’t be afraid to enlist your husband
As much as your husband does to provide for you and your family, this parenting business is a two-person deal, and it’s just as much his responsibility to help around the house as it is yours. You may not be overly impressed with his cleaning skills, and may be times where you need to exert patience, but having his help can keep you from burning out.
3. Compartmentalize
When you finally make it to work every morning, hopefully your boss will be empathetic about you having to stay up with your five-year-old throwing up all night. But chances are he doesn’t care. Do everything you can to make sure that when you’re at work, you have your game face on. Throw yourself into your work, and keep the home drama at home. At the same time, when you leave the office, leave it behind completely so that you can give your whole self to your family.
4. Take some time for you
Unless you want to lose yourself completely, make sure to schedule time for you. Maybe it’s just a night away to read a book, or a night out with your friends. Regardless of what helps you stay sane, self-care is extremely important for someone who is constantly giving so much of herself to others. And don’t for one second think you don’t deserve it.
5. Remember the goal
We all want to be perfect in some degree, and you may want that perfection to spill over into all aspects of your life. But if you’re constantly trying to be the perfect mom, the perfect wife, the perfect cook and have a spotless house, your head is going to explode. When in doubt, remember the goal: to provide an environment for your children to be happy and healthy, and to help them reach their full potential. Kids don’t need a gourmet meal every night for that, nor do they necessitate a mom who never makes mistakes. They want and need you in all your glory—just how you are.
You rock
Being a mom is hard work. Adding a job on top of that puts you at rock star status. Taking the time to work through some of these and like-minded survival tips can not only help you become more efficient with your time, but they can also give you the opportunity to see the worth of what you’re doing.