How To Plan Your Time Well As a Working Mom
Posted Under: Tips
Motherhood may be only one of the many hats you choose to wear in your life. You may be a wife, a sister, a friend, your family’s chef, housekeeper, chauffeur, event planner and therapist. On top of all that, you may choose to work outside the home as well. In order to successfully navigate through all these roles, you must be particularly skilled in planning, coordinating and organizing.
The first item on this agenda is to purchase a calendar … one main place to write everything down. Success requires documentation of all things important: hair appointments, doctor’s visits, scheduled exercises, getting to the dry cleaners, fun activities, social events, birthday parties and even downtime. If something is not written down on your calendar, something may get lost in the shuffle of your life.
The second item on the agenda is to schedule time for planning. A half hour to an hour of planning time once a week will go a long way toward achieving immediate and long-term goals. Plan the week’s menu, who will carpool or chauffeur to special events, plan birthday parties well in advance and holiday gatherings.
The third item is to recruit help from your husband, family and friends. Delegate responsibilities and work as a team. A good support network of family, friends and perhaps church or social organizations is one of the best resources a working mother can draw upon.
The fourth item on your agenda is to create a schedule. Develop a routine at home and all responsibilities will be taken care of. Running a family is like running your own business. Many, many chores and responsibilities that cannot be shirked need attention. One way to ensure that everything gets done is to create a routine whereby there is a place and time for everything on your “To Do” list.
The fifth item to keep in mind is to always have a “Plan B.” In life, nothing is a sure thing. Daycare providers get sick, kids get sick or hurt, and you or your husband may have to work late on some evenings. Always have a backup plan.
Finally, decide whether full-time work outside of the home is the right choice for you. Some mothers opt for part-time positions so that they can spend more time with their families. In today’s world, some employers offer alternatives such as telecommuting or working from home and flex time. There are a lot of choices out there, but the only one who can make the decision about what kind of lifestyle is right for your family is … your family.
