In this day and age, working moms are no longer frowned upon, and are in fact well-celebrated. We could be in it for different reasons – pursuing our passion or career, or just trying to make ends meet. Yet we all have one thing in common – that is finding the ever elusive work-life balance.
Being a mom and a wife is a tall enough order, but managing a business or pursuing a career on top of that is on a whole different level. How do other working moms do it?
We recently found an interview with Sarah Grossman, a successful working mom of two, who is also running a brokerage company Baystate Business Brokers in Needham, Massachusetts. Here are some of her real-life advice to working moms who struggle with finding that work-life balance and being productive both at home and at work:
- Outsource as much as you can
Sarah stresses that her most significant resource in striking that balance between her career and family duties is to outsource as much as possible. Learn to accept help wherever and whomever you can get it – your husband, friends, relatives, the cleaning lady, or laundry shops!
The great challenge in managing both career and family is the constant overlap and accepting help from others is not a sign of weakness or not being in control. It is merely making room in your schedule for things that really matter such as being able to read your kids bedtime stories instead of scrubbing your kitchen sink after a family dinner.
- Schedule regular me-time
Sarah Grossman emphasizes the importance of self-care and self-love to be able to function properly both as a mom and a career woman. Exercise daily to sweat off the stresses of everyday life. Go get a mani-pedi session at your favorite salon. Change your hairstyle or haircolor. Meet up with friends. How often you get to do this is up to you but it is essential you do this regularly to fight burnout and ultimately keep yourself and your family happy.
- Focus on what’s important
This is probably where every working mom struggle the most. Everything feels important. But there are things that have more lasting value than some. Think – “If I take on this new project, sure it will pay me twice more than what my client does now – but will driving for an extra 2 hours a day to the location be beneficial for me and my family? Which do I prefer? Which is more important to me?”
Sarah says it is important to give more attention to what matters most to you – in both career and family life. Be selective with the work you take on, prioritize, and learn to accept help.
Read the full interview of Sarah Grossman as well as two other successful working moms on this article by Thrive Global.
What tip from this list did you find most useful and relevant to you? Let us know in the comments below!