Wife. Mom. Boss. How to Manage it All.
Being a modern woman can require having a very full plate. It can require juggling between work, kids, and having a healthy relationship with your partner, not to mention managing the household (Let’s be honest here, you are the woman of the house). In the mix of this, you also have to find time for yourself. By having so many things on your plate, it can be hard to find a balance between it all. You want to be a good mother, a great partner, and a productive employee/ boss. However, sometimes it’s hard to find that perfect balance and end up finding yourself struggling in one or more areas. This raises the question, how can you find the balance to manage it all?
Boss
Work is an important aspect of anyone’s lives. The hours you put into your employers provides you with money to put food on the table, pay for rent, and afford the fun things in life. Not to mention it can empower you, everyone wants to make great accomplishments in their career. In order to create these accomplishments, it requires women to be so involved in their careers, it can cause them to give up more than they need too. An essential step in creating a balance in your life starts with managing your work time. Only working during your set time frame is one of the most significant things. Once you are in your designated work time, put your focus to only that. However, once the whistle blows, pack up your belongings and put work to the corner of your mind. Once you are off the clock, try not to think about tasks you didn’t complete or assignments that you’ll need to start. Don’t even think about working on them during your time off or checking your email. Push it all from your mind. I know, easier said than done, but if you put your focus towards it, you will be able to do it.
Wife.
Marriage is hard, amazing, loving, and great. But, still hard. Maintaining a happy marriage with a full plate can make it even more difficult. Once you’ve said “till death do us part,” it can be tempting to set your relationship on a back burner in order to deal with everything else in your life. However, that just creates a recipe for disaster. A partner is someone who supports you in everything that you do. By setting them on the back burner, you risk losing that support system. Not only is a partner there for support and helping you manage your life, but creating a sense of intimacy. This intimacy is why you got married in the first place. A trick that I’ve seen many couples use is the two rule. Every two weeks, have a date night. Every two months, a weekend away. Every two years, a week vacation with just you two. By following this two rule, you’ll be able to keep a healthy and intimate relationship by treating each other as if you’re still dating. Another important aspect is caring about your partner’s life, being involved with theirs just as much as they are with you. In addition, don’t let all the responsibilities of children and the household fall on your shoulders. Make sure your partner understands the extreme schedule you keep, and have them help you where they can. Even if it’s only to watch the kids for a few hours, so you can enjoy a glass of wine in peace.
Mom.
Most likely, one of the most indispensable and rewarding aspects of your life is being a mom. Due to this, it can also be one of the most overwhelming and stressful parts, despite all the happiness it brings you. There is absolutely nothing wrong with having an abundance of time with your children, it’s your goal after all. Just sometimes, being a mom can be a lot. It’s critical to have your children understand your boundaries. Don’t draw a line in the sand and say never to disturb me during my work time, that is not the healthiest solution. Instead, create a soft boundary. When you are working, with your partner, or enjoying me time, let your children know this is a time to play with themselves. Let them know if there is an emergency or an important reason that they need you, that they can cross the boundary. But if it is something that can be fixed once you’re done, it needs to wait until then. Now, for some households this might not be an option, either your children aren’t old enough to watch themselves or don’t do well on their own. This is a good opportunity to start setting up play dates, a babysitter, or drop them off at an after school club. Not only will this give you the time you require, but allows your children to make new friends.
By creating a time management between all aspects of your life, it will become easier to manage your full plate. This plan might not work for everyone, but maybe give it a try and see how it works for you!
How do you manage being a wife, mom, and boss?
