|  Being a Mom Is the Toughest Job on Earth ... But It's Also Rewarding!
Wish you had more free time to be available for your child? Wish you didn't feel like you were sacrificing your family for your own professional ambition? Wish you could balance it all: work, family, and goals? Check out these great tips we collected from Expert Authors and our working moms on the EzineArticles team. 20 Tips From and For Working Moms - It's okay. There's never a perfect balance. While spending time with your kids, you will inevitably think you should be spending more time working. While working, you will likely think you should be spending time with your kids. Set aside these thoughts and be in your present - on your kids, on your writing, or on the task.
- Drop the guilt. You cannot do it all, but you can do your best by focusing on what's important to you. If you have feelings of guilt, consider why, what reasonably can be done about it, and create a plan to alleviate that guilt.
- Don't worry about labels. A mother, a wife, an employee, an Expert Author, a book clubber, a CrossFitter -avoid identifying yourself by what you do or are to others. Being a mother (and any other label) is important, but it's not your only identity. Focus on your strengths that weave these roles together and use them to your advantage.
- To-do lists are your best friend. The night before, create a to-do list of daily tasks to stay on top of things that need to get done. Don't forget to incorporate personal and professional steps to help you incrementally get closer to achieving your goals.
- Find out when you're more productive. There may be 60 minutes in every hour, but not all hours of the day are equal. Discover what time of day you're most productive and then schedule important tasks that need your attention during that time.
- Set time-based boundaries. You, your kids, your spouse, your boss - everyone needs your time. Plan your time effectively while setting flexible boundaries that include your goals, such as writing. Schedule time for your family, your work, your writing, and yourself!
- Be realistically involved. PTAs, neighborhood associations, etc. there are dozens of groups that you may feel inclined or pressured to join to stay connected with your kids and the parents of their friends, but be realistic. Trim it down and focus on contributing based on your strengths, so you can focus on your priorities - your family, you, and your goals.
- Don't forget about you. Moms perform so many supporting roles for others that they often forget to star in their own leading role. Take care of yourself by making sure you eat right as well as exercise your body and your mind!
- Ease your mornings. Set out your kids' clothes and pack lunches/bags the night before. Develop a morning routine with your kids so they will independently get dressed, brush their teeth, etc.
- Integrate your work and life. Pay your personal bills at the office during your lunch hour and check your work e-mail at home while you're waiting for the kids to show up at the dinner table. J.K. Rowling reportedly wrote in cafes because taking her baby out for a walk was the best way to make her fall asleep.
- Or don't. Many moms find it better to not mix their work with their home life by giving it 100% at work doing a great job and 100% at home with their children. What's important is finding which option works for you.
- Develop the office mindset at home. If you work from home, treat it as a "home office" with regular office hours and even perform those "get ready for the office" rituals, such as showering, changing, etc. which will help you switch your gears from the "home mindset" to an "office mindset."
- Delegate tasks. Increase self-sufficiency in your kids by assigning tasks or chores while you work, which will help limit distractions as well as maximize time you can spend with them later. Also, consider what unique value you contribute to your company (such as writing articles chock full of your experiences and insights). Delegate non-essential tasks to others when you can so you can spend more time providing value.
- End the cycle of stomping out fires. Consider what tasks - no matter how urgent they seem - are pulling your attention away from important tasks. Again, focus on those tasks that increase your value output, rather than tasks that seem important, but are confused by urgency or are habitual.
- Embrace (some) distractions. Don't feel bad about allowing in a few interruptions. Treat them like a traditional break as you would at the office - simply watch your time. If it requires more of your time than you currently have or you would like to continue, set up a time to catch up with them later.
- Do your homework while your kid does. Sit at the table with your kid and write outlines, edit your articles, etc., while they do their math or write their own essays. Not only will you get your work done, you'll be a positive influence for your kid.
- Identify needs and solutions. Ask for what you want (such as a specific uninterrupted time to write articles) and propose a compromise that benefits (to some degree) everyone. This saves you from making unwise demands that negatively affect other's needs.
- Cut corners without sacrificing quality. Use voice-recognition software apps, like Dragon Dictation to get your thoughts down on paper at the speed of speech. Take advantage of writing prompts like Article Templates to spark new ideas, invoke old experiences, and share with readers. Try out task-list apps like Choremonster to get your kids excited about the tasks you delegate to them. Find the tools to make things easier.
- Reload your attitude. Anyone can easily get bogged down in the details and want to make everything perfect in their lives - especially when kids are involved. Focus on the delight you and your family has together, rather than planning that perfect holiday get-together.
- Be patient. Understand you won't always get to it right away or get it right. Celebrate your successes and recognize opportunities for growth and improvement. Discuss your home and work goals with your family - get their feedback.
Parents: What tips would you pass along to others about spending quality time with family while still accomplishing writing and work goals? Let us know! Click here to share your comments online with the EzineArticles Blog community.
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