5 Tips For Mom To Balance Work And Family

It's never easy being a mom trying to juggle a full-time job with a family life. Read on for tips on how you get closer to reaching an ideal work-life balance. Being a full-time working mother can lead to feelings of guilt and stress because of divided attention between work and family. The key is to focus on a plan, get organized, and find the right balance between profession and parenthood. Here are 5 ways to help make sure both your career and your family flourish.

* Let Go of The Guilt

Rather than dwell on how you're not with your child, think about how your role in the company is benefitting the family. Perhaps you can afford certain classes or educational opportunities for your children or you're able to put away savings for college.

* Find Quality Childcare

Ask your network of friends and family for references to nannies, babysitters, and daycare centers. Create a list of criteria that are important and then schedule time to interview qualified childcare providers or to tour local daycares.

* Make Mornings Easier

Avoid starting the day on a frazzled note by . Pack the kids' lunches, lay out their clothes (plus your own), and have everyone shower. You should also decide what to make for breakfast, and repack the diaper bag, backpacks, purses, or work bags to be placed by the door, right next to your keys, so you can grab them and lock up on your way out.

* Create Family Calendar

Figure out your family's priorities. A calendar can include dates when bills are due, , a list of school and family events, extracurricular activities, birthdays, and more. Wiss suggests using Google calendars, which can be easily shared and synced on smartphones, because "they are color-coded and get superimposed on each other, so you can always be on top of scheduling challenges."

* Communicate with Employer

Before talking to your employer or HR representative, construct a written plan detailing what you need. Weinberger suggests "researching whether other employees have flexible arrangements and using this information to your advantage... This information will help tailor your proposal to the terms that your employer has already embraced with your coworkers."