I’m not your “typical” blogger. As a matter of fact, this is the first blog I have ever written!
Yay yay yay, clap clap clap…yeah, we’ll see if they let me back on here for the next one.
I get asked pretty frequently about how I juggle being “a good mom” (whatever that means) and a successful business woman. To be honest, I know you already know this, it is not easy! Let me tell you, I’ve let the mom guilt sink in far too many times, just like you have.
I used to tell myself, it’s all about finding “that work-life balance,” over and over and over. I lived by it. But at the end of the day, I would spend my nights feeling anxious because this so-called “system” I had created for myself wasn’t working. I was left feeling stressed, constantly running through all my checklists, and I didn’t dare put my phone on silent.
Then it hit me, it’s not about the work-life balance or the 50/50 split. It’s about finding a way to blend my work life and my home life together in a healthy and manageable way. Blending my worlds together allowed me to feel that balance I was searching for.
Now, this does not mean I bring my work home every night. I just learned that I needed to be okay with making calls from the car, planning meetings around my kids sports games, and you bet I’m there for breakfast and home by the time they get off the bus. I’ve also learned that it’s okay to miss sports practice if a meeting requires a late night.
Planning ahead became the first and most essential step for organizing my life in this new found direction. I started making lunches ahead of time, or get this, actually letting them eat lunch at school…mind blowing, I know. As my kids got older I was able to start giving them more responsibilities, like matching up socks so that I could get to a couple important emails before the evening ends and we can all cuddle up to watch a movie together with no worries.
It’s not rocket science, just a conversation starter. Here’s a few points that helped me get started:
1) What are my priorities?
2) What do I do that someone else could do instead?
3) Is there a way to enjoy more family time and not sacrifice work?
4) How can I get creative with my schedule?
5) Most importantly, set real boundaries.
Being a mom is the most valuable, challenging and equally rewarding role of my life. I don’t want to miss a minute but I also have a goal to be the most kick-ass boss babe out there which means there must be balance!
Thanks for reading! Les
