Attempting to balance work and life can be challenging for everyone, but it can feel almost impossible when you are a parent. With so many demands on your time, it may feel like you are constantly chasing your tail. Feeling like you are always working but never getting anything done is something many working mums face. This can leave you drained of energy and full of frustration. While knowing how to balance work life with homelife without the dreaded mum guilt may feel impossible, it is possible to make life a little easier for yourself.
Protect Your Health
Being constantly busy is something most mums accept, but it can take its toll on your health and wellbeing. When you are rushing between work, school pick-ups, and the million other things you need to do, life can feel like it is whizzing by at one hundred miles an hour, leaving you with no spare time. Feelings of exhaustion can creep in slowly, and you may find you start picking up every bug doing the rounds. Being tired all the time can also put you at a greater risk of having an accident at work and putting yourself out of action while you recover. So, protecting your health is vital. Trying to take care of your basic needs by getting as much sleep as possible and eating foods that nourish you is a great place to start.
Ask for Help
Many mums feel like they need to be superhuman and do everything for everyone. However, asking for help when you need to is essential. Everyone needs a helping hand now and then, so you should never be afraid to ask for one when you need to. Whether you need a friend to collect the kids from school occasionally or need your mum to babysit during the school holidays, getting some help can take a massive weight off your mind and make life that bit easier for you.
Don’t forget that getting help at home is just as crucial as getting help from your friends and wider family members. Keeping your home clean, running errands, doing laundry, and cooking does not need to be your sole responsibility. Setting some age-appropriate chores so everyone can help out at home is an excellent way to share the load and help the kids to learn life skills and responsibilities.
Let Go of Perfection
Trying to ensure everything is perfect all the time can be incredibly draining, especially when you are trying to pursue a career while raising kids. Attempting to keep your home looking immaculate, being the perfect employee, and putting pressure on yourself to be the best at everything can put you under intense pressure. Reducing the pressure you put on yourself is a useful way to ease the mental load you feel and should help to prevent you from becoming run-down. So, letting go of the need to make everything perfect and keeping everyone else happy will help you protect your health and wellbeing.
This is a collaborative post and may contain affiliate links