SURVIVING AS A WORKING MUM
One of the hardest jobs in the world is - undoubtedly - motherhood. Bringing a life into the world and then raising it into a functional, polite and happy human? That’s a big job. However, it’s hard enough being a mother when you then have to go out and provide for a family at the same time. Working as a mother takes a lot of grit, support and a strong stomach to manage the very fine line between balance and chaos. Let’s be honest; some people really do thrive being at home with their babies. Some mothers are happy to run a house and a family, and they do a great job at it. They’re also in a very fortunate position to be able to run their home as they see fit.
Others? Well, we need to work to survive the world, and we need to survive our kids to work! It’s a fine line, and it's one that you are most likely already bossing. Unfortunately, being able to be in the privileged position of staying at home with our babies isn’t always possible. However, as a mother, you learn to be very resourceful, which means that you learn to make it work. If you don’t want to go out to work in an office for another business, working long hours for rubbish pay, you instead learn to start your own business. Children are one adventure, but a company with your name on it is an adventure that you didn't even comprehend when you had a family in the first place.
Running a business is not for everyone. It’s not kind to you when it comes to the hours you are working, and it’s not going to be easy to balance the budget at first. If you’re lucky enough to have a supportive partner, you can manage along on one wage where possible, but this business needs your all. Finding your all when you have children? Again, not easy, but it’s because of them that you find your grace and you push on. You need to be able to offer them a life that can be exciting and stable, prosperous and filled with time. The faster you build a business, the more you can find the time to spend with your family.
Working and juggling a career is going to be hard. We won’t lie to you. Surviving as a working mother is going to be hard. But you need to choose your hard. Choose to run your business and let your children see you achieve. Choose to find office space for rent and work your guts out to make sure that they have a life they can be proud to live. There may not be enough hours in the day - or so it feels - but that doesn't mean that you won’t find the time and make life easy once more. So, with all of this in mind, you can look at the tips below and learn to survive as a strong, solid and stable working mother who is fierce.
Respect Your Time
You will always feel like you are sacrificing something. If you spend time working on your business, you’ll be worried you’re neglecting the children and vice versa. Instead, start pouring your energy into respecting your time. Work your business hard, but work it in a way that is conducive to family life. The best thing that you can do is be disciplined about the hours in which you are planning to work. Make it work around school pick up and bedtimes, and make sure that you are taking your time seriously. If you only have an hour to work, work for an hour and then turn your attention elsewhere. Your routines are essential, and you can respect them without messing up.
Children First...But Work, Too
Your children need to understand that your new business is vital. You have a startup in the garage, and then you grow into a company with an office. It’s a busy time of life, and it’s all because you wanted to be more in control of your time. Your children must understand that they come first, but they also need to realise that your work is essential. It’s a positive thing for your children to see you achieve, and you can help them to know that you are putting them first by getting them involved in the business from an early age. Show them how hard work earns a decent income, and put that income to good use for their future!
Bring In The Help
You don’t need a childminder or a nursery for the kids if you don’t want one, but you do need a cleaner! You’re a working mother, and you have choices. This is the triangle of choice, and you only get to choose two out of the three options:
Prosperous career
Clean house
Happy children
Choose two of the above. If you want a prosperous career and happy children, you need to bring in the help for the house. There is nothing more important than ensuring that the children know you are there for them at every turn. Instead of hiring childcarers, bring in someone who can get into the corners that you miss while you’re working your business or spending time as a mother.
Routine Is A Must
Children will feel better about your working day if you can make them feel secure. For this to happen, you need to maintain some normality and a routine for you all. Bedtimes are essential as part of the routine for your family, and you can use this time as a way to wind down for yourself, too. Take those moments after work to just be a mother who wants to hold her children and read them stories. Let this be your winding downtime as much as it is for your children, and you’ll be able to strike that supposedly impossible balance.
Hire A Team
As your business begins to thrive, you need people working for you to ensure that it stays that way. You can start recruiting for a team of people to work in your new office to support your business. This can comprise of accounting staff, IT staff and anyone else that you need to run a business of fruitfulness and success. With the right team by your side, you’re going to be able to enjoy your children more and more. This will take a little time, of course, as you have a whole business to build from scratch. Once you do, you won’t look back!
Make Time For You
When you are spending chunks of your time and being a mother, where do you fit into the equation? Before you became a businesswoman and a mother, you were a person with dreams and goals. You had hobbies and friends. If you want to survive as a working mother, you have to make time for yourself, too. This involves ensuring that you take an hour or two every couple of weeks to dedicate to your hobbies. Enjoying your free time is going to help you to stay as balanced as possible.
Ask For Advice
In your new business, you need to have a mentor or two to guide you along the way. You need to think about the fact that you won’t be able to do it all alone. A mentor is going to help you to push your business from home-based beginner to office-based success. With the right words from someone in the same company that you are looking to thrive in, you are going to do very well! Take the advice where you can and make sure that you implement any changes that could be positive. The goal is to build success and then spend more time with the children. Asking for help gets you there faster!
Don’t Miss A Recital/Club/Show
You are going to be busy when you build your business, but that doesn't mean that you should miss out - and neither should the kids. Make the time to go to the recitals and the shows that your children have, and stay off your cell phone while you’re there! Surviving as a mother is just as important as building a business and being a businesswoman. Segmenting your time is vital for success.
Reduce Your Screen Time
If you have screen time in the house, you need to control it. Mealtimes and bedtimes are for you and your kids. You and the kids need time together, it’s not just about you and your time for the kids - they need to have a conversation with you as much as they need your presence in their lives.
As a working mother, you’re already beating the odds and are successful. You can work hard as a parent and still work hard at your own business. Ask for help and segment your time correctly, and this will be everything you need to thrive.