Part 2: Practical tips for working moms
As a working mom, sometimes it gets difficult to take care of the home and juggle everything. A little cooperation with my family and flexible office hours where I work in social media marketing has made it easier for me.
I have some quick tips that have helped me reduce everyone’s stress level while handling day-to-day activities.
A) Resist the urge to fix and fold every little corner of the house. Let everyone pitch in and applaud their efforts.
B) If you’re the one with house management capabilities, start by delegating chores. Make sure everyone is doing something. Start your morning by checking the calendar, keeping a grocery list, and tracking medical appointments, and also planning work meetings as precisely as possible.
C) Schedule quiet time for yourself. Keeping aware of the latest updates, trends and content is a requirement for my work. My team are a great help with this. Have each family member spend a few minutes alone at their respective home times. This gives you all time to calm down and regroup before gathering together.
D) Don’t let work pressures eat into your family time. Coordinate with your husband and family so everyone can have time for themselves. Working moms tend to put themselves last on the list, but regenerating your own inner strength and peace can ensure better productivity.
E) Make only one food shopping trip per week. Have one home-cooked meal a day with your family. Plan something like a family movie night once a week and a group outing for the weekend.
F) Raising a child should be a partnership. Get a babysitter once every two weeks. Go out with your partner for a dinner date. It will help the two of you remember what it’s like to be together. In my case, I have my in-laws helping me out all the time.
G) Working moms pull double duty on a daily basis. While I work as a social media executive, I have to juggle multiple schedules while keeping track of my son’s schedule. It is tricky to keep it together. Plan, execute, and schedule your work to take breaks at intervals.
Let me know if these tips could help you in any way. I would love to read further thoughts or alternative approaches.
Rashmi Shah is Senior Account Executive at Cicero & Bernay Communication Consultancy, an independent PR agency headquartered in Dubai offering new-age public relations consultancy to the UAE and across the MENA region. | www.cbpr.me