It’s never easy being a mom trying to juggle a full-time job with a family life. Sometimes, life can give a mommy an extra dose of intensity because we try so hard to be good mothers, wives, students, employees, supervisors, entrepreneurs, and the list goes on. But have you ever thought that as a mom you may be more successful in one area while another/other area(s) that are a part of your life lack or suffer? According to the Center for American Progress, “women now make up half of all workers in the United States, with nearly 4 in 10 homes having a woman that is also a working mother.”
Being a full-time working mother can lead to feelings of guilt and uncertainty because of the demand of time you have to give to both home and work. I have experienced being an at-home-mom and currently a working mom. When I was at home full-time I had to cater to the upkeep of the home, cooking, and entertaining my children and my husband once he got off from work. I was always exhausted at the end of the day. During that time I began to feel incomplete. I realized that I focused on Angelique the mom and Angelique the wife, but I neglected to make time for Angelique the woman. As mommy’s get so wrapped up in all the other hats we have to wear, we easily forget about ourselves. When we work full-time in conjunction with the other hats we wear; it is easy for us to feel guilty and worry about whether or not we are dividing our time in a manner in which every area of our lives is receiving an ample amount of our time.
For more insight read A Date with Detox: Taking Care of Me
Most recently I learned that the key is to focus on a plan, get organized, and find that balance between parenthood and your professional life. In order to execute these three simple tasks I learned that the first step to success at this is to not dwell on the guilt. Understand that everything that you are doing now is for the betterment of your family. Secondly, accept that there will be good and bad days. Know that you are not alone and discuss your feelings with your spouse, partners, and close friends to prevent from keeping these emotions bottled up. Thirdly, create and organize a family calendar along with a personal planner that you can carry with you. It is important to figure out your family’s priorities including school and family events, extracurricular activities, birthdays, etc. In your personal planner include work meetings, projects, school assignment due dates, and time allocated to yourself. Never forget yourself.
Being a mom is not an inconvenience, nor does it prevent you from obtaining the goals you have set for yourself. Being a mom, as my husband has poured into me on several occasions, offers us more bragging rights. Now let me qualify that, being a mother does not make you any better then anybody, however obtaining your goals alongside raising a family takes God, tapping into your God ordained strength, and a plan. In Habakkuk 2:2 it says: “And the Lord answered me, and said, write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.” Make your vision plain so that it is easy for you to read and execute your plans. Remember… YOU GOT THIS!!!!!
