The Working Mom Challenge- Juggling Without Dropping The Ball

Yeah right, you say, don’t drop the ball?!? As a working mom of two very active boys, I will tell you what has worked for me and how I survive each day. At the end of 2010, I celebrated my 1st year as a small business owner. Exciting? Yes! Exhausting? Yes! Losing my mind? Yes!!!

I was a stay-at-home mother to Aiden (4.5 years) and Jake (1 year) and I felt this pressure to do it all. I wanted to have all the crafts lined up for the week, the meals planned out and prepared, everything organized all neatly on the fridge calendar. I also wanted to have something for myself and as my business started picking up, I was losing my mind.

I started staying up till 1:30-2am at night trying to get all my work done and waking up at 7am completely exhausted. It wasn’t working; I had to make a choice to hold off on the business till Jake was in elementary school or find a preschool for Jake so I could work from home a few hours a couple times a week. And so I did…ahhh.

Jake went to preschool Monday, Wednesday and Friday 9 to 1pm. It helped a ton and I felt like I was back on my “A” game! Then 2011-2012 hit, my business took off. Such a huge blessing, I was loving every minute of it! I was meant to be a working mom, I was meant to specialize in newborn & baby portraiture. This was what I wanted and it felt great!  More clients meant more time shooting, editing, marketing, etc.

Fast forward to Spring 2012 and I was back at square one; I was up till wee hours of the morning working late. I still carried around the guilt of sending Jake to preschool full-time but I found myself getting aggravated with the kids easily. I found myself running to the office to work as soon as my husband pulled in the driveway. I found myself working Saturday’s, missing Aiden’s football games, birthday parties, school events. I was getting frustrated because the kids wanted to play board games, puzzles, color…couldn’t they see I had to finish this session before the end of the day? Ugh, I felt terrible!

I had to get things under control and I realized, I can’t do it all on my own. I LOVE being a mom, love snuggling, playing cards, coloring, crafts, cooking with them so I was determined to find a balance for us all. I am so glad to write this blog post today because I have met so many moms in my same situation who feel this guilt to do it all; I’ve been there! Here are a few working mom tips that have helped me this past year. I am finally feeling like I got this…most days anyways 🙂

Have a Set Work Schedule

We decided that Jake will attend school full-time, and this past August he did just that. Monday through Friday, 8:30 to 3pm, he now goes to school the same time Aiden does. Voila–I now have business hours! I no longer work weekends, unless I choose to. This has been amazing, a huge stress reliever!!! Have a set working schedule and stick to it!!! Once 2:30 rolls around, I pick the kids up and we have mommy-kiddo time. I have now found my separation and for me, I feel that I am a better mom, wife, business owner and friend because of it.

Learn to Say “No”