Ways To Maintain Work-Life Balance As A Career-Driven Mom With Daycare Support
Keeping a healthy work-life balance is key to preventing stress or burnout. However, most moms who work full-time find that it can be difficult to meet the demands of their career while keeping up with their personal obligations at the same time. As a result, they often suffer from stress and are at risk of developing anxiety or depression.
According to a recent poll, it was found that nearly half of all working mothers were diagnosed with anxiety or depression in 2022. The survey also revealed that working moms take less care of their mental health compared to their male partners. Since poor mental health can have a negative impact on one’s work and personal relationships, it’s important to find ways to cope with stress and maintain work-life balance. One of the best ways to do so is by finding reliable individuals who can look after your kids while you’re at work, such as the people who work in a daycare center.
If you’re a working mom, a good childcare facility can be invaluable since it makes it easier to manage multiple roles. It enables you to participate in the workforce while providing stability for your children, and that can give you peace of mind. But even with daycare support, busy moms can still find ways to further enhance their quality of life. Here’s how career-driven moms can maintain work-life balance.
Find Time to Exercise
Working moms rarely prioritize their own health since they tend to put their partner and kids’s health above their own. However, if you’re a mom, you know that it can be even more difficult to complete your work tasks and take care of your family if you’re sick. This is why moms should always find time to exercise, even if it’s just for a few minutes a day.
Working out is a great way to fight stress, enhance immunity, and have a healthier and stronger body. Fitness experts say that working out for an hour isn’t that much different from exercising for just 20 minutes– it’s all about the effort you put into the workout, and the decision to move purposefully everyday. Some short and low intensity exercises that you can do include stair climbing, cycling, walking, jogging, or dancing. Keep in mind that when it comes to exercise, every little bit counts. You’ll notice a difference in your body and the way you feel if you climb the stairs everyday instead of taking the elevator, or if you walk home instead of riding the bus.
To ensure that your child is also getting enough exercise, ask the daycare center manager if they allow the kids to engage in active play, or if they have exercise time. You may also want to spend a few minutes playing catch, or you can take a walk in the park with your little one after picking them up from the daycare center.
Be High Maintenance to be Low Maintenance
Every working mom knows that it’s important to look as if you’ve got your life together, since doing so means that no one gets to question your ability to balance work and your family life. Many working mothers face employment bias in the workplace. In fact, almost half of all workers believe that moms are less devoted or passionate to their work than women who don’t have children. Overcoming this bias can be a challenge, but one way to show that you’ve got it all together is by looking professional and well-groomed at all times. To do so, you’ll need to employ certain high maintenance routines to maintain your appearance.
Certain beauty treatments or procedures that are considered high maintenance can help to keep you looking good with minimal effort. They also enable you to get ready in a shorter period of time than what you’d normally spend on your beauty routine, so it’s worth considering if you want to maintain work-life balance. Above all, it can boost your confidence, which can reduce anxiety and make you feel happier at the same time.
Certain salon treatments to consider include a Brazilian blowout, which can make frizzy and unruly hair look sleek and shiny, and results usually last for about three months. There’s also lash extensions or lash lifts, which may enable you to skip eye makeup on days when you just want a clean and effortless look. Schedule these treatments so you won’t have to worry about spending too much time to look presentable for the office.
Get Some Help if You Need It
Being a busy working mom means that there will be days when it’s impossible to accomplish certain things since something unexpected may come up when you least expect it. When that happens, you’ll need to have people to rely on who can do those tasks for you. You can ask a trusted family member or a friend for the occasional favor, but in some cases, you may need to hire people or pay for services if that helps you to stay on track.
For instance, if you’re asked to stay after office hours for an emergency meeting, this means that you won’t be able to pick up your child from daycare when it’s time to do so. If this tends to happen frequently, consider asking your daycare center if they provide transportation so you won’t have to worry about pickups and drop offs. You may also want to arrange for a nanny to pick up your child after school and look after them while waiting for you to come home.
Staying on top of housework can also be difficult when you’re already juggling too many things at the same time. To keep your house in good shape, plan on hiring professional cleaners every few weeks or so. These experts will deep clean every nook and cranny of your home, and all you have to do is vacuum and dust every two to three days to maintain the cleanliness of your living spaces.
It can be a challenge to have a healthy work-life balance when you’re a working mom. But by working on your fitness, giving yourself time for maintenance, and asking for or hiring help, you can manage your days better and give your job and family the care and attention that they need.
Sandra Chiu works as Director at LadyBug & Friends Daycare and Preschool.
