Being a working mum is like having two full-time jobs. There’s so much responsibility, so many chores and tasks, yet so little time. Read these 6 easy work-life balance hacks that will really make a difference and give you back some time in your busy day.
Sign up for our free Newsletter stuffed full of ideas, competitions and great offers. PS Did we mention it’s free?
With all the things you have to juggle, starting from your work schedule and ending with taking care of your kids, you’re bound to be exhausted and worn-out sooner or later. Or, are you?
Maybe it’s time you cut yourself some slack. There’s nothing wrong with using simple, everyday hacks for work-life balance to help you cope with all that’s on your table and manage to keep everything under control.
You May Also Enjoy My Tips for Balancing Work and Family Life in a Healthy Way
Work-Life Balance Tips for Working Mums
#1. Separate the Two Roles
If you want to find a balance between your work life and your private life, you need to start from scratch. There has to be a line between the two roles you play every day: the working woman and the mother.
It takes a lot of mental strength to achieve this, especially if your job is highly responsible and stressful. It often happens that you continue worrying about your job while you’re at home, or you even bring the work with you.
However, you need to fight against it. Here’s what you need to practice:
- Once you leave work, you leave your work behind you
- Start thinking like ‘mum’ as soon as the ride home begins
- Don’t bring the stress of work home with you
- Focus on the ‘mum’ part of the day, and enjoy it – you can deal with your work tasks in the morning
It takes some practice and possibly some guilt, but you can do it. Once you separate the two roles, you can start rocking each one individually.
You May Also Enjoy Expert Advice: Successful Parenting As You Grow Your Business
#2. Get the Kids to Help
If you have a lot to do around the house and you still haven’t spent quality time with your kids, why not mix the two together?
No matter how big or small your kids are, there are plenty of things your little ones are capable of doing. Think of simple tasks they can accomplish while hanging out with you. These could include:
- Prep the veggies for a meal
- Feed the dog
- Take out the trash
- Water the plants
No matter what you’re doing, the kids can give you a hand. If they are at a very young age, you can even name them your ‘official assistant’. it will make them feel important and more eager to help you.
You May Also Enjoy Chores for Kids Depending on their Age
#3. Partner Up
Just like the kids can help you out, so can your partner. It’s all about setting a plan in place where you can work out a division of chores and responsibilities which suits you both.
Therefore, make sure to:
- Have your partner on board
- Have a healthy communication with him/her
- Organise your duties according to a mutual agreement
It’s best if each of you chooses the chores you like doing best. That’ll help you do them with more enthusiasm.
#4. Save Some Time
Small work-life balance hacks can help you save a little bit of time in different situations, leaving you with more time to be with your kids, rest or do something you love.
Here are a couple of suggestions:
- Cook larger meals which you can freeze and defrost whenever you don’t feel like cooking
- Multitask – chat to your child about their day while you both get dinner ready
- Prepare as much as possible the night before – outfits, school bags, lunches
- Use your commute home to chat on the phone with friends or have a social media fix, so you can then put your phone away when you get home
You May Also Enjoy 10 Tips for Making School Mornings Easier and 10 Simple School Morning Hacks
#5. Write It Down
Trust us on this one, pen and paper are your best friend.
Going to do your weekly shopping can be quite a task which can take a couple of hours from your busy day. And, more often than not, you probably come home and realise you’ve forgotten something!
There’s no doubt that a shopping list will help, so try this great tip for making sure nothing gets missed:
- Stick a blank shopping list to your fridge
- Let everyone know about it
- Have them write down everything you run out of that needs to be restocked
- Once it’s shopping time, just take the list and you’re all set!
This will save you the time of checking with each family member about what they need and scanning your fridge and shelves to see what’s missing.
You May Also Enjoy [WATCH] Using Weekly Meal Plans to Save Money
#6. Treat Yourself
Most mums find it really hard to put themselves first, and we often forget that we deserve a break as well.
Here’s what we suggest:
- Hire a house cleaner once a month to do a blitz and give you a break
- Plan a night in for yourself where you relax with a favourite movie or TV show, pamper with a face mask, paint your nails, or just curl up with a good book
- Make plans for some fun family time together where all the stresses get left at home
- Cut yourself some slack; don’t be too hard on yourself
- Give yourself some space and allow yourself not to be perfect
As a mother, you know how important it is to keep the house clean, the kids and your partner healthy and happy. However, you mustn’t forget you deserve to have fun and enjoy your life as well. Therefore, work on avoiding to be a slave to your own pressures and rules. Instead, give yourself the liberty to break a rule every now and then and simply enjoy the moment.
These little work-life hacks can really help and inspire you to find the balance you need. Use them wisely and don’t look back!
You May Also Enjoy Learn How To Be Happier: 3 Easy Steps You Can Start Today
What are your favourite tips for creating a work-life balance? Leave a comment below and let us know – we’d love to hear from you!