For The Love Of It: Four Tips For Balancing Work And Motherhood

As a mother who works outside the house, I often get asked how I juggle working 40-plus hours a week, motherhood, and being a doting wife. I used to ponder the question, “How do you do it?”  I had no idea until when I actually sat down to think about it. The answer is — at its core — very simple. I do it because I love it. 

I have found that the key to making life work for you is to love your work. If you don’t love what you do, then why are you doing it? 

Here are some things that I do to help me keep balanced, focused and loving life.

 1. Turn your Passion into a Job

I once heard a motivational speaker say that she gets paid for the parts of her job that she doesn’t like to do—like traveling and sleeping in hotels. The rest of it—speaking in front of crowds and meeting new people—is something she would do even without pay.

If you’re doing what you love, your day-to-day grind feels less like a chore and those extra hours you put in at the office seem to slip away. I found there is a true delineation between a “job” and a “career.”  A career is a position that you feel satisfied in, one that you can grow for decades in, and one that allows you to maximize your God-given talents; whereas a job is something that you do to pay the bills.

 2. Identify What’s Important

Identifying what’s important both work and home is a crucial step to finding balance. Is stability in your role important for work?  Is it advancement and reaching a certain level?  What are the things at home that rank as most important to you?  Is it a clean house or being a chaperone for your kid’s school field trip?

I know that I don’t like to miss my son's hockey games so I try to build my travel and meetings around his games whenever possible. It might mean bring work home with me but if I’ve addressed the point above, then a little work at home shouldn’t be a problem if it means being able to cheer on my son in the rink bleachers.

3. Ensure Your Manager Knows Your Goals

Whether it’s a boss or your spouse, make sure you’re on the same page as them.  Let them know what your goals are at work and what’s important to you not to miss at home. When you’re working together as a team it’s easier to achieve both.

This doesn’t have to be a formal discussion that you need to schedule a meeting for. It can happen through casual conversation. Whatever the mode of communication—make sure that you and your boss come to a mutual consensus on your goals.

 4. Make Time for Yourself

Martyr is a synonym for mother. We feel like a bad parent if we put ourselves before our spouse or children. We need to stop that! I take one hour a week to go to the gym.  It’s not converting my postpartum body into a super model but that’s not why I go—although it’d be nice if that was all it took. It’s giving me one hour a week to myself. And that’s not too much to ask for. The truth is, we can’t do it all and we need to stop trying to. Take time for yourself and the rest of your world will seem much easier to handle. 

And, the most important point. You’re never too old to change your profession. If you are unhappy with your current postition, then there is always the option to back to school to obtain a degree (whether it’s a Certificate, Diploma, Associate’s, Bachelor’s, or even Master’s degree) in whatever area that will help you answer the question of life balance with the answer: “Because I love it.”

About the Author: This article was written by Michelle Keyser, Regional Marketing Manager for Rasmussen College. In this role, she oversees marketing efforts for Rasmussen College Online and the Florida college campuses.