Working Mom? These Tips Will Help You Balance Home And Work

Mark Wealth

Being a mom is a full time job already. It requires being hands on physically, mentally and emotionally. However, the economic reality and the inner wiring of some moms compels them to get a job or get involved in some sort of business. But then, conflict arises: how to balance the demands home and work place on them.

This is not a new “problem”. Mothers have been doing this since the family came into existence so there’s no reason why you can’t do it and get it right. Let the drums roll as we present to you nine ways to achieve an enjoyable work-home balance.

1. Work At Home?

If you don’t already have a job that’s paying you well, one that you’ll rather not leave, perhaps you could consider working from home. There are some freelance jobs or remote part-time jobs that don’t require you coming and staying at the office from nine to five, Monday through Friday. This way you could keep an eye on the home front while taking care of business.

You’ll need to be disciplined though. That brings us to the next tip.

2. Draw Out The Lines

There should be a clear line between work and home demands. Usually, you come home still at work mentally. You’re thinking about what happened at the office or what is going to happen. This makes you sort of absent minded with your home concerns. You may not be giving your family the attention they need and this may put a strain on family relationships.

Conversely, you may carry your “home work” to the office with the result that you’re not as productive or efficient as you ought to be. Try as much as possible to focus on work when you’re at work and when you close, switch to mom/wife mode. This way you won’t be looking and acting like a woman on steroids.

3. Divide The House Chores

You don’t have to carry the home on you chest alone in order to be a super mom. Ask your hubby for some help. If you have children that are old enough, pull them in too. You and your hubby could prepare meals together or take turns carrying out the thrash or minding the baby. School runs could also be divided so that each partner is pitching in without any one being overwhelmed.

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4. Talk To HR

Or your upper line manager if there is no Human Resources personnel. Let them understand your situation and ask if there’s anything they could do to help you cater to home needs while also fulfilling your duties at the office. It could be doing overtime on some days so you could resume late or close earlier on other days. If it’s a job where you work shifts, ask for shifts that will enable you to be at home when it’s needed. Just hope you’ve got understanding employers or managers because some of these guys seem to come from the pits of Hell.

5. Prep Ahead

This could be on a daily and/or weekly basis. Get the kids breakfast and school uniforms set the night before they’ll need it or cook meals and prepare the clothes you intend to wear for the week ahead on weekends. This way, you free yourself some much needed time and mental energy so you can be efficient at work and at home.