A couple of years ago, I went back to school and found that even as a stay-at-home mom, finding balance in attending classes, doing homework —my kid’s and mine—and managing pickups and drop-offs, as well as extracurricular activities, was no easy feat. This year, I am doing it again as a working mom, and even though my husband is a little more available than last time, I know that it will not be easy and that I will need a few work-life balance strategies for moms if I am to do it successfully.
Between meetings, school drop-offs, and endless household tasks, it already sometimes feels like there aren’t enough hours in a day. The good news is that, with a few intentional strategies, you can create a healthier rhythm that prioritizes both your career and your family — without burning out.
Disclosure: This article is an editorial partnership with adidas. Product was provided for editorial consideration. All opinions are my own.
Work-Life Balance for Moms Matters
In addition to professional responsibilities, the mental load of managing a household often falls heavily on mothers, which can be challenging. I, myself, have an active partner and still find day-to-day life challenging to keep up with at times. Without balance, it’s easy to slip into exhaustion, feel guilty or become overwhelmed. Simply put, women have to learn how to balance work and motherhood, and the train continues at full speed while we figure it out. Habits and routines that prioritize mama’s well-being can make all the difference in this perpetual balancing act.
1. Start with Simple Daily Routines
Work-life balance for working moms doesn’t have to mean dramatic lifestyle changes. Small, consistent habits built into your daily routines do wonders to make things feel more manageable. Prepare the backpacks, clean the shoes, or lay out your clothes for the next day in the evenings and build in uninterrupted time with your little people at bedtime.
Enjoy coffee in peace before the kids wake up, journal during your lunch break, or try to read that mystery or romance novel you’re working through to give your brain some relief before bedtime. (Strangely, the busier I am, the more novels I can read, and I never do audiobooks. I will be a paperback girl through and through.) These rituals help create structure and provide moments for you to recharge.
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2. Exercise Without Guilt
One of the biggest challenges for moms is carving out time to exercise; when I can integrate it into the family’s routine, it becomes much easier to make time for. Integrate exercise into your family’s routine instead of struggling to make it to the gym if you don’t have one at home. For example, lace up your running shoes and run in the morning after drop off or in the evening while your child plays at the neighbourhood park. Not only will you get your heart rate up, but your child will also enjoy outdoor time and socialization. To birds, one stone.
To help make it easier, keep your gear in a duffel bag in your car or by the door. That way, you’ll be ready to move without excuses (which we love, right?)
3. Set Clear Boundaries regarding Family Time and Professional Work
As a working mom and being married to a doctor, I’m all too familiar with the struggle with the pressure of being “always on,” or letting work seep into home time, especially with remote work. You sit at the desk just a little bit longer since you aren’t commuting, and before you know it, an extra hour or two has passed. Work-life balance for moms means setting clear start and stop times for your workday whenever possible. Communicate these boundaries with your employer or clients to ensure that your evenings and weekends are truly family-focused, rather than filled with work or school emails and unfinished tasks. Of course, this means being productive during your “on-times” is paramount.
4. Simplify Household Chores
Household responsibilities consume a significant amount of time each week. A couple of my favourites are meal planning by pre-parcelling and freezing seasoned meats to make quick meals (my family will not eat a meal prepared days ago), keeping a cleaning spray and a Scrub Daddy within reach to clean my bathroom for five minutes during any random use to prevent the need for a big weekend bathroom clean and running a load of laundry durign family movie noght or on remot- work days.
5. Protect Time for Yourself
Self-care isn’t selfish. Whether it’s reading a few chapters before bed, journaling, taking a bubble bath, or even just enjoying silence after the kids are asleep, “me time” should be non-negotiable. A well-rested, recharged mom is better equipped to handle the demands of both work and home.
Final Thoughts on Work-Life Balance for Moms
Work-life balance for working moms is about getting the essentials done by being intentional. Incorporating mastering systems and plugging multiple essential time slots into the family’s routines, and establishing boundaries with your professional self, you can create a healthier balance that enables you to thrive in both your career and personal life.
Even something as simple as a quick run while your child plays at the park, or reading a chapter of a novel, can serve as a reminder that your well-being matters too, amidst it all.
XO, Shandean.
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