The Single Working Mom’s Quick Guide To Balancing Life And Work by Eula Skiles
Being a mom can be a great privilege. You have a little one to take care of, or you have many to care for.
However, being a mom and having a job will give you more on your plate. Did you know that 32% of employed women in the United States are single moms? That’s 23.5 million working moms, as of 2018! With that said, you might have these questions:
How can I balance work and childcare?
How can I ensure that my kids will be alright when I’m at work?
How can I ensure that I’ll still have a job whenever I take time off to take care of the kids?
While these questions are legitimate ones, being a working mom doesn’t have to be stressful. In this quick guide, we will share 5 great tips on how to make the best of being both a loving mom and a hard-working woman.
Set Realistic Goals
First, think about your goals as a mother, and your goals as a worker. Perhaps you can find a way to combine goals? Perhaps you can scratch off a goal in favor of another one.
The important thing here is to make sure that you’re setting realistic goals. Unreachable and unreasonable goals can cause stress in your day-to-day life as a working mom. Therefore, be sure to set achievable goals and have better expectations for yourself.
Create A Good Schedule
Next, have a quick look at your schedule. If it seems like a moving target, then that can cause stress on you. In other words, you don’t want to be thrown off by schedules that change constantly.
Instead, create a schedule that’s both flexible and consistent. If you have to create a distraction-free space during your work, then do so. If you need to have your work phone on “Do Not Disturb” when you’re at home with your children, then do so. You when you should work, when you should be with your children, and when you need to set some boundaries for both sides.
Make Your Mornings Easier
Now, when you start your mornings, make it easy for yourself. That all starts with the day before. The day or night before, do the following:
Make yours and your kids’ lunches the night before.
Set out yours and your kids’ clothes the day before.
Shower before bed.
Set out bowls, plates, and utensils for breakfast the night before.
Set alarms for morning tasks and stay on track.
Doing these things beforehand can lessen the number of tasks that you have to do in the morning.
Don’t Feel Guilty
Guilt can be a harsh thing for a mom to bear. You feel that you’re not doing enough as a single working mom. You feel that you’re doing too much. You feel that you might be doing it all wrong.
The important thing to remember is that you’re not alone, when it comes to being a single working mom. Therefore, don’t ever feel guilty of that title.
Understand that you’re doing what’s best for your children by providing the care and financial stability that you can. While times can be tough for both motherhood and work, know that things will get better in due time.
Have A Support Network
Finally, don’t ever be afraid to ask for help. Whether it’s from your family, friends, or even a counselor, ask. In this way, you’ll create a good support network – one that will stay with you as you work hard as a mom and as an employee. Plus, you won’t have to feel alone when raising your children and working to provide for the family. Thus, you won’t have to deal with stress in your life from having to care for children and work.
Ultimately, being a single mother is a blessing. While there are many sacrifices and tough decisions to be made, it’ll still be worth it.
Remember: Being a single working mom is possible. By following these special tips, you and your children can live a great life without the stresses. While no mom is perfect, understand that you’re not alone. Learn to accept your shortcomings and move on. Plus, be sure you have a great support network to lean on. And, remember that you know and love your children more than anyone else.
Eula Skiles is a writer at Term paper writing service and Gum Essays. She is also a contributing writer for Research papers UK. As a content writer, she writes articles about digital marketing strategies and entrepreneurship.