Being a mom is hard no matter what. Being a working mom can be even more challenging. Though I’m sure being a stay-at-home mom can be challenging in other ways as well! Spending an 8-hour day at work, the half an hour commute each way, and that seemingly small period of time you have at home with your child. You can often always feel busy and spread thin, with a million things on your to-do list. On my own and through the journey of a new working mom, I have learned ways of making things easier navigating life as a working mom. Here are some tips:
- If you’re on maternity leave, find good child care very early on, before going back to work.
– Don’t leave this to the last minute, you need to think of what kind of setting you want for your child. Day home, day care, having a nanny, or just a few hours of child care while you switch shifts with your partner. You’ll need to weigh the pros and cons of each. Day cares can have very long wait lists, so look around and register your child early, even soon after birth to secure their spot. - Prepare for the week.
– Layout clothes for yourself and your child for the week.
– Prep some meals and pack lunches and snacks. - Make a list of things you need to do the very next day.
- Keeping a calendar of reminders.
– Put reminders of things that you need to do/events/appointments in your calendars. I use my phone calendar and my paper calendar. Continue to add things you need to do anytime something pops up. Such as dental appointments, birthday parties, phone calls you need to make, grocery items needed, etc
. - Spend quality time with your child(ren)/family.
-In this case we realize that it’s not all about quantity but quality. Be in the present moment when you are with them. Playing with them instead of being on your phone too much. Enjoying a family dinner together talking about your day. Going out to play places, the library, playing outside, splash parks, etc. You’re night time routine of a bubble bath and a book. Participate in those special activities and make those memories. - Remember that not everything needs to be done at once.
– As a single person, it can be easy to check of your to-do list all in one or two days. We need to let go of some control to realize that not everything needs to be done at once. Putting away laundry, unloading the dishwasher, etc. can wait a day (or few). Making that phone call can wait until tomorrow. Prioritize your needs because your child’s needs come first. - Don’t rush.
– Don’t rush pretty much goes with the previous point. From my experience, nothing good ever comes from rushing! Some things can wait, especially if you’re too tired and over loaded. - Ask for help.
– Ask for help from your partner. Sometimes it doesn’t come to your partner’s mind to help. And if they are a new parent too, they may not know what to do. Ask for help from family or a trustworthy friend as well so that they can babysit for you if you need to get something done or have some me time. - Outsource help.
– This can include things like cleaning possibly (one to four times a month). It’s not something that I have had yet, but something I’ve heard a lot of families doing, and something I would consider in the future.
– Grocery orders/deliveries! You can either make your entire grocery order online and pick a time slot to pick it up. I know this can be done at Superstore/Walmart. Or you can get groceries personally delivered to your door. This is my favourite way through instacart. Yes, you spend money on the service fee and the tip. But, you save so much time and you actually don’t walk around grabbing just anything. You can also scan your house while you’re ordering and see what you need without forgetting anything. Same goes with the online grocery order and pick up. - Buy some freezer meals just in case.
– I have found these very helpful on days that I don’t have the time or energy to cook. My favourite freezer meals are the healthy choices brand, and from m&m meat shops. - On days off, get chores done early in the day.
– This has been a big one that I’ve learnt. You won’t want to leave things until bed time/or until your child goes to bed. You’ll be tired and need some down time to relax/to go to sleep yourself. It’s nice to get important chores over and done with. Push yourself to get things done early in the day! - Reflect on how you are spending your time. Reduce scrolling time.
– I’ve really learned this from my own bad habits, too. It was a big one for me. For example, your child has went to bed and you spend 30 to 60 minutes scrolling when you could have gotten yourself really ready for bed or things you needed to catch up on. Then you have wasted all that time, when you could have been done and ready to relax and go to bed. This is mindless scrolling on unimportant things. It’s such a time suck for a busy working mom who is already short on time. - Try to put things away (clothes or anything that’s been set in the wrong place) right away or they will pile up.
– However, don’t worry too too much about a messy house. Do your best. One day they’ll be grown up and you’ll have plenty of time to clean. - Downsize/Declutter.
– If you have too much stuff, you can slowly start to downsize/declutter. This will make it easier to keep things clean and keep track of things, as there will simply be less stuff, and less to clean. It’s so so true that a clutter free space gives a clutter-free mind. Again, we can only try our best to accomplish this. - Tackle mom guilt.
– This one is difficult and one that I’m still learning myself. Just remember that you are working for you and your child/family’s livelihood and future. Working is just apart of life. You still get to maximize precious time and moments with your child(ren) and be the best mom ever to them. You are their everything. - Try to eat foods that nourish you.
– Incorporating whole, non-processed and nutritious foods into your life may help you feel better. Of course, everything in moderation. - Stock up on essential items.
– Stocking up on essential items so that you don’t run out right away and don’t always have to make a trip or order these (for example, toilet paper, paper towel, dish soap, laundry detergent). - Get enough rest.
– Okay, maybe I should have even put this first on the list. Getting enough rest/sleep will make everything else in our lives better. This isn’t always possible if your child is still waking up in the night, refusing naps and not having the best sleep schedule, etc. Try your best, and also ask your partner for help to let you rest. If you are very exhausted or burnt out, call into work for a sick or flex day. This can also be just a regular mental health day. We all need these sometimes. Don’t feel guilty. Getting enough rest will help you follow all of the above tips.
Okay, there’s a lot of stuff that I’ve written here. We won’t always get to do all of the above each day or week. We won’t always lay out clothes for the entire week or be on time with grocery shopping, get things done early in the day, etc. But I have learned through my own experience and mistakes that these tips are very helpful. I hope they can help you, too.
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