Secrets Working Mums Must Know for Work-Life Balance

Maintaining work-life balance means that working mums need to be great multi-taskers. However, pressures through social media, dealing with career challenges, and caring for children can take its toll. Achieving work-life balance is essential for every working mum’s physical, emotional, and mental health.

If you are a working mum, what do you need to know to keep work-life balance? In this article, you will learn secrets that have helped other mums.

What is work-life balance?

Work-life balance is a concept designed to maintain a healthy balance between family or personal life and the workplace.

Researchers say that work-life balance is setting priorities between career prospects and aspirations and lifestyle factors.

One study into the effects of working too many hours on surgeons found that the latest technological advances mean that it is very easy for work responsibilities to ‘spill over’ into personal life.

The importance of work-life balance

One of the reasons that working mums need to maintain work-life balance is the effect that it has on their well-being.

The previously mentioned study noted that professionals who fail to maintain a good balance between lifestyle and work-related tasks often suffer from depression, lack of sleep, poor physical health, and job dissatisfaction.

How Mums Can Keep Work-Life Balance

The good news is that setting the proper priorities can help to maintain a workable balance between your job and personal life.

Here are some ways to do this.

1. Priorities help maintain work-life balance

To be a successful working mum, it is essential that your personal and professional priorities are in order. This can help you to realise what responsibilities and tasks are non-negotiable. For example, thinking about the most important commitments in the family and at work can help you get your priorities straight.

2. Keep lines of communication open

To help get and then maintain work-life balance as a working mum, it’s is essential that you communicate openly with your employer and your family.

For example, if it’s not possible to get to the office because you have to drop kids off at school, could our employer be more flexible with your hours? Are there alternative solutions that will make sure that other arrangements don’t impact on your productivity?

It is also important to have open communication with your partner. Is there more that your partner and children could help out with around the home? Could others, such as babysitters, help reduce your stress at home?

3. Learn how to focus

For working mums, it is essential to make sure that minutes during the day aren’t wasted. This means being able to avoid distracting instant messages, casual internet surfing, or idly chatting with friends during work time.

To focus at work, it is good to set aside specific times throughout the day when you will answer emails, return missed calls, or casually surf the internet.

4. Take advantage of technology

When it comes to technology, the latest innovations can be a fantastic tool for working mums. However, as with any tool, technology needs to be used correctly to be beneficial.

Staying connected throughout the day with loved ones should also be a priority for working mums. You can schedule time during your breaks to text or video call your partner or children. This can also help to keep you in control of situations and reduce your stress.

Another way that you can maintain a better work-life balance is to shop online. This can alleviate much of the stress of looking for products, gifts, or essential items for the home. However, it is necessary to put a time limit on this as online shopping can quickly use up valuable time.

5. Keep work and personal life separate

As a working mum, it is even more important to draw a line between work and personal life. Juggling work responsibilities and family life can be one of your biggest challenges.

When you leave your office, you should also leave your work there as well. To avoid tension between you and your employer, it is good to communicate boundaries with your employer. An understanding boss should know that you will be unreachable during certain hours. However, you should also give guarantees that any work-related issues will be dealt with when you return to work.

Some working mums have a policy that they don’t check their email or phone messages while their kids are awake. After the kids have gone to bed is their time to catch up on anything or get ready for the next day.

It is also good to set boundaries with those people who create negative energy in your life.