7 Powerful Ways to Balance Life as a Working Mom

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Being a working mom is many things. It is rewarding because you are providing for your family.

However, it is also tough because you spend less time with your children. And balancing work and motherhood is so very hard. That’s when the real mom guilt decides to settle in.

So from a mom of 5 who works full time, here are some of my best tips for balancing life as a working mom.

1. Involve Your Children

One of the most important things you can do as a working mom, trying to balance everything, is to include your children in the things you need to do. Now, hear me out. I know sometimes it’s easy to want time to yourself, even if it’s to cook dinner. But sometimes involving them fills their cup, and then you didn’t realize that you needed that too. So, your cup gets filled up too!

There are so many ways to involve your kids!

Help you cook dinner
Help around the house with chores
Go with you on errands
Have open conversations about the things that need to be done

As busy working moms, we try to do it all. And it’s really hard when you know you need to clean the kitchen or start a load of laundry, and time slips away. So involve them! They will love it! (And you know deep down that you will too)

2. Involve Your Spouse

Does anyone else have trouble asking their spouse for help? Maybe it’s just me, but I sometimes struggle with asking for help. Sometimes the most basic things, I won’t ask for help. But it is a great feeling when I do, and he offers without me asking.

But your husband should be a partner in your life, not someone who “helps.” So sit down, have an open and honest conversation about how much each person has on their plate, and work to make it a little fairer.

3. Create a Schedule…and Stick To It!

Creating a schedule and sticking to it is so beneficial for everyone. It is beneficial for you, so you know visually what needs to be done, but it’s also good for kids because they are seeing first-hand responsibility and what needs to be done and when.

This also creates consistency which is (in my opinion) one of the most powerful tools that you can use in your life. If you’re consistent with your schedule, your kids will see that, and they will be consistent too. It may take a while, but it will happen.

Also, going over it with them helps. Some schedules we have around the house are:

School schedule and important events
Doctors appointments
List of chores
Sports leagues and extracurriculars

4. Make Good Use of Your Time

Have you ever heard your Grandmother or teacher say, “Use your time wisely?” I have multiple times. And it’s one of those things that didn’t click at all until I became an adult. So I slowly learned that the more I get done now, the less I have to do later.

For example, if everything gets done the night before, there are fewer things I have to worry about in the morning. I don’t have to rush around and get any of those things done.

To balance life as a working mom, making good use of your time is so crucial.

It kind of goes along the same lines as the popular saying, “Work now, play later.” It’s the mentality that instead of leaving things behind, take care of them right away, and then when the time comes to spend time with your kids, or husband, you have just a little less to worry about.

5. Take Care of Yourself

You have to take care of yourself to take care of others. So, take the time to take care of yourself. This will look so different for everyone; you really need to dig deep and find out what that means. Does that mean a shower? A walk by yourself? Exercising?

However, it looks for you; make sure you do it. As busy moms, we can get so lost in taking care of our children we forget to take care of ourselves. But we really have to, even if it’s just 30 minutes a day- you deserve pampering too!

6. Make Time for Yourself

Making time for yourself is crucial, too. All of us moms need time to recuperate from the day and gather our thoughts. Maybe you like to watch Netflix. Maybe you like a glass of wine while watching your favorite TV show or a new movie (this is my favorite thing to do), or maybe you want to spend your time doing what you’re passionate about.

Do those things! Do those things that you love doing. Sometimes this requires a bit of sacrifice, but your sanity will thank you.

7. Remember the Work Will Always Be There

This is a hard thing to remember. But it’s true. The work will always be there, but your kids are only this age for so long.

“You will never have this day with your children again. Tomorrow they will be a little bigger than they are today. This day is a gift. Breathe and notice. Smell and touch them; study their faces and little feet and pay attention. Relish the charms of the present. Enjoy today, mama. It will be over before you know it.” – Jen Hatmaker.

That quote brings tears to my eyes just reading that! But it’s true. The work, the mess, it will always be there. So enjoy your children; sometimes it is okay if there is a big pile of dishes!

Balancing Life as a Working Mom

Balancing life as a working mom is hard. There’s no way around that. However, there are many things we can do to make it a little better and a little easier. Some of those things require faith, asking for help, and leaning on your family.

Let me know how you balance your life as a working mom in the comments!