Working mothers are constantly juggling the demands of their professional lives with the responsibilities of motherhood. They face a unique set of challenges as they create their version of work-life balance. As research for my two books, I had the privilege of delving deep into the lives of more than 110 professional working mothers, uncovering their secrets to success. I’m sharing 7 habits that I saw time and time again as inspiration for working mothers everywhere.
Know your priorities
These modern moms define and maintain priorities. As a working mom, it’s helpful to know your priorities at work and at home. These drive how and where you anchor your time and energy. It’s even more the case to do this in the moments or seasons when things might get busier. This allows you to have laser focus on what really matters to you. Keep in mind that your priorities can and will change over time. And it’s OK if those priorities are different than your BFF or colleague.
Define and maintain boundaries
Successful modern moms know their boundaries. It’s hard to say yes to things if you’re not saying no to other things. Say YES to your specific priorities and goals. If you let other things get in the way, you might not achieve your goals or have time and energy for your priorities. As the next step, mark off time on your calendar, so you have time and space to get things done.
Childcare emergencies don’t go away when you’re a working parent, so how you deal with them largely depends on what you do before the emergency. Tips from my latest article in @HarvardBiz on how to prepare for childcare emergencies. #workingmom #workingdadhttps://t.co/ZPx3GBjgWK
— Suzanne Brown/speaker & author (@mompowerment) August 4, 2021
Take intentional action
These modern moms take intentional action. It starts with planning your time. Keep your priorities and boundaries in mind as you plan your week. I like to plan my time on Sunday for the week, but some women who I interviewed plan their week on Friday as they’re wrapping up their week. Take 15-20 minutes to consider your priorities, goals, deadline, and big blocks of time. What blocks or big tasks do you need to keep in mind (e.g., big work deadline or meeting, child’s performance, etc.)? And then take 10-15 minutes each night to plan the next day. That’s when you dig in and figure out what you must work on and how you’ll get things done during the day. This way you’re intentional with how you spend your time and energy and you get going in the morning instead of taking time to plan your day.
Create a network
The network. Successful modern moms modern moms create a network at work and at home. At work they engage allies, mentors, and sponsors. Allies are at your same level, although not necessarily in the same role or department. They are able to speak to your skills when others ask. Mentors are your own personal board of directors. They are a sounding board to help you make better decisions in your life. And sponsors advocate for you when you’re not in the room. They open doors for you as you look for a new role or client. On the life side of things, these modern moms create a personal network to help them as well. They carpool. They look at what they can outsource, keeping in mind their budget and preferences. Modern moms recognize that they don’t need to make things happen alone.
Ask for what you need
Modern moms ask for what they need. Don’t think of asking for what you need as a sign of weakness. You must be thoughtful to understand what you need and confident enough to ask for it. It starts with partnering better with your significant other. Create a personal network that you can lean on as necessary. Don’t worry, your personal network will lean on you too. And then consider what you need at work to be successful. Articulate what you need. Create win-win scenarios so you and your team can be successful.
Keep going
They stumble but they don’t stop. It’s not uncommon to have a bad day, but that doesn’t mean that you’re doing it wrong. If you measure your results by what others are doing on social media, it’s really easy to think you are taking the wrong steps. Successful modern moms know how they want to measure results and recognize that definition is personal. They don’t say everything is terrible when they have a bad day and break their habits. They are constantly taking small, consistent steps to get closer to their goals. And they recognize that it’s OK to have a bad day or moment.
Take time for self-care
They carve out time for self-care. It is hard to thrive in all the things you do when your cup is constantly empty. Before you say you don’t have time for self-care, keep in mind that self-care doesn’t have to be a day at the spa. Small, daily moments of self-care help you be at your best. Things like stretching, meditating, having a mindful moment, or even reading a book are great options for a self-care moment. And keep in mind that self-care starts with the foundation of sleeping enough, getting enough exercise, and drinking enough water, and fueling your body.
Being successful as a modern working mother doesn’t simply happen. It takes small, consistent actions over time. Taking intentional action and creating habits make it easier. So, to all the modern moms out there, may these 7 habits empower you to continue to thrive and excel in the roles you play both at work and at home.
