The name of this holiday is kinda funny to me as all moms are constantly working (for real, though), but hey, we’re gonna go with it because apparently it’s a thing!
On that note, here are five things that help me as a working mom.
1. Prepping as much as I can for the next day
I like to do as much as I can the night before so that my morning goes as smoothly as possible, which usually means making lunches for the next day, ironing my clothes, packing my work bag, and getting all my writing done.
I do have to say, though, this is something I strive for but don’t always achieve. There’s usually something that doesn’t get prepped, and I’ve learned to just go with the flow as best as I can.
2. Wash lunch boxes and water bottles immediately when I first get home
I don’t know why this helps me so much, but it does! Right when I get home and walk through the door and start putting down bags and settling in, I try to get this task done as quickly as I can.
If I have the time and/or energy, too, I’ll also pack the next day’s lunch before I make dinner. If I can’t do it then, then it happens immediately after dinner.
I think that something about completing this task early on gives me momentum to do all the other things. It also makes my brain happy and calms my nerves. I know, it’s weird. But it works for me so I go with it!
3. Accepting that I’m never going to get control of the laundry
A mom friend who also works and I were joking the other day about how laundry is so devoted to us and will never break up with us. LOL! I’m always doing laundry, ya’ll. I’ve come to accept that it will forever never be done.
4. Focusing on my biggest priorities
Right now my biggest priority is to spend as much time with Connor as possible as she moves through childhood and her teenage years, so I recently took a very stable job with part-time hours and good benefits. It’s not really in my usual lane, and I kinda miss writing every day as a job, but at the same time, a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I feel more present and less stressed in my non-work life, and I’m available to watch and parent Connor right when she gets out of school.
5. That said, I still try to find space for the things that fill my cup
For me, it’s writing and doing creative things, like MBB! I’m really looking forward to being more comfortable with the new job, so I’ll have even more space mentally to pursue the fun creative endeavors that make my heart sing.
Kudos to all the moms out there, especially those who are balancing family and job life at the same time, today! Happy Working Mom’s day. 🙂
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
I worked from the time I was 16 until I retired at age 70, (3 years ago), with 2 kids and a husband, and I totally agree with you. Prepping for the next day/days is essential. And the kids have to come first, I was lucky, I was a registered nurse. I could work pretty much anywhere and the uniform can’t be beat (scrubs are wonderful). And you will never get control of the laundry (I still don’t, but I don’t sit around, I’m busy most days). I have been making soap and other body products for the past 20 years and it really helped me, both with creativity and space (leave mom alone, she’s making soap!).
Aww, I love that! 🙂
Happy working moms day! I agree about washing the water bottles. If I get up in the morning and my Stanley cup is still sitting there with ice from the day before it literally seems like such a chore to have to wash it out in the morning!
It makes such a difference, doesn’t it?
Whether I’m (ahem) working or not I find it helpful to make a list the night before and to put stars next to the priority items. Sometimes I’ll make things A. B, C priority.
Sorry, but you will never catch up on laundry unless you stop wearing clothes. Even though it’s just Dear Husband and me I still find myself doing a load or two almost every day. Sheets, towels, comforters, kitchen towels, clothes. It breeds in the laundry basket.
Seriously, laundry will never break up with me! It’s so devoted.
I sometimes do those lists, too. They’re very helpful! I need to make it a habit.
I realize I need to make a list for the next day when I can’t fall asleep because I keep thinking of all I need to do the next day. I have a 4×6 lined post-it pad on my nightstand and I’ll just lean over and write things down. It’s amazing how much easier it is to fall asleep after that.
For sure! It always helps me to get things out of my head. I often use the reminders feature on my phone to nag me to do things, LOL!
Totally unrelated, but I saw this comment on an article about cat behavior in The Washington Post.
“Cats have proven that the earth is not flat. If it was they would have knocked everything off by now.” 😀
LOL! I love how cats have such a crazy reputation. If you’re on Instagram, you have to start following Mr. Milo the chonk, if you haven’t already. He calls his human his “butler.”
About laundry – lately I’ve seen articles recommending that people wear clothes more than one time before washing them. This saves energy and helps keep clothes from wearing out so soon. I do this with some clothes, but since I live in an area where it’s easy to sweat into your clothes, I can’t do it as much as someone who lives in a cooler climate.
I started watching “Bluey” several months ago after I saw an article in the Washington Post about it, and they have an episode in which Bandit, the dad dog, is doing laundry and says, “it never ends.” Which doesn’t make that much sense on that show, as they don’t wear clothes. The laundry would just be towels and sheets, in their world. Do you and Connor watch “Bluey”? While supposedly for little kids, it’s actually pretty funny and well-written.
Yes! She found it on her own about a year ago and is obsessed with it. I’ve cried a few times watching it with her. LOL! It’s really good.