5 Tips on Balancing Being A Mom + Your Career

Whether you’re a single parent or doing it with a partner – adjusting to your constant load of responsibilities at home or in the workforce is a forever struggle. Some days are tiring, some days are rewarding, while other days flow effortlessly. As a single mom to a young child with a demanding career, I am always aiming to maneuver life in a way where I can prevent burn out and sustain a level of enthusiasm while balancing both motherhood and my livelihood. Here are 5 things I do on either a weekly/daily basis to ensure that I can keep up with this funny thing called life.

ROUTINE. ROUTINE. ROUTINE. Having a regimented day makes all the difference in the world. I have had a relatively consistent schedule for the last few years that through trial and error, I was able to perfect. Again – my day may not work for everyone – but it definitely does for me. I’m an early riser – lately, it’s been later (as Raaya is off) but when her school picks back up this upcoming week, her and I both rise around 6am and it’s go go go. The days I lay in bed after my eyes open are never as productive as the days where I peel out of bed right away the instant my alarm rings or Raaya knocks. I start her breakfast, make her lunch, get my prayers and journaling in before getting ready for the day. In my journal is where I state my intention for the day. Seeing it on paper helps me internalize it. I drop her to school, gym on the way for an hour to the office then spend the entire day working till I have to pick her up. We get home, she eats, has her extracurriculars and is in bed by 7pm. Once she’s asleep is where I resume working for a bit, eat dinner then unwind. Sleep early and do it all over again. Having a schedule where her and I both know whats coming next makes life predictable and simple. Of course, every single day can’t be like this but the consistency helps.

Lucky or unlucky for me – my daughter spends a couple days out of the week at her father’s house. While she’s there, that is my time for errands, groceries, meal prep, laundry and deep cleaning my home. Of course I clean every single day to maintain the home but I save my deep scrubs for once a week. On those days, I’ll also order my groceries, pick them up, complete my laundry, and any other pending errands. I love for my daughter to come home to a cleaned, well aired out home with a full fridge. It’s rewarding for me. Aiming to do these tasks during the week really throw off my momentum with work and getting in quality time with her.

Although undiagnosed, I’m convinced I suffer from ADHD. This makes doing tasks efficiently extremely difficult for me. I am from the generation that manually wrote everything out. That helped us process information better. I have a physical calendar. I write out my daily, weekly, and monthly goals or to do list in there. I have it open all day to reference, should a task slip before me. I look at the monthly goals on a daily basis and make sure I do something everyday to work towards reaching those goals. Having a calendar on my phone or an app doesn’t sit as well as having it right in front of me. Try it – it’s a game changer.

Support is everything. As mothers – we often want to take on every possible role we can because we know we’ll do a good job at it and get it done. Although this is okay – it’s important to rely on your support system to make sure that you offload when you can. I lean on Raaya’s dad and my family when I feel overwhelmed or have a work commitment that conflicts with being available for her. Having a reliable support system gives you a next level of peace of mind that you feel comfortable leaving your child in the care of someone who will give them as much love and attention as you would if you were there.

The final and most important tip you’ll get out of me to maintain a good work life balance is making ME time. Life often flies by quickly so it is very important that we find ways to insert joy in our day to the best of our ability. Every night before bed, I unwind. I put my phone away, I sit with a good read or a good treat or a good watch and just disconnect. It helps me turn my brain off and just relax. I’ll also find time on weekends to go out with my family and friends to eat something yummy or do an activity that I enjoy. Finding time to make sure you partake in your interests and hobbies regularly will give you a real zest for life.

Keep in mind – you’re allowed to have off days where nothing goes according to plan and thats okay. The key is consistency and that will tremendously contribute to the quality of your life. =)