As a mom, whether you work, stay at home, work at home, or some other combination, life is tough. You’re always on the go. Thinking about your kids and making plans even when you’re not together. You’re cooking, cleaning, organizing, making appointments, getting to them, preparing pack lunches, running around on school runs and sometimes, trying to fit in a little bit of adult time with your partner or doing something for yourself. It’s hard work. But, many of us are deciding to add even more.
Now more moms than ever before are choosing to go back to work, parents returning to school is also becoming more popular. Taking a course can help you to find a career in a more flexible sector or give you the knowledge that you need to start up on your own. Some moms, looking to return to work, after what might have been a long break, find that education gives them the knowledge and confidence that they need to thrust themselves back into things.
While education is excellent, and returning to school certainly has many advantages for moms, how do you juggle it all? You might find yourself working, studying and being your children’s primary carer, all at the same time. Even without a job, it would at times feel almost impossible. Here are some tips to help you.
Involve the Kids
Kids often behave better, and give you some time to focus, if they feel part of what is going on. So, involve them. Tell them about your course. If it’s something like an education ma, they might even be able to help you. Or, you could study while they are doing their homework so that you are all working together.
Stick to a Routine
Getting into a routine will help you to keep on top of everything, give your kids more security and help you to focus on work. Try to work at the same times every day, keep your job hours the same, and have set times where you can just be with the kids.
Get Organized
If you want to do it all and do it well, you need to get organized. Make yourself daily to-do lists and write absolutely everything in a diary or an online calendar. Make lunches the night before, get everyone’s clothes out ready for the next day before bed, and do as much as you can in the evenings to make your mornings run more smoothly, this will help start your day right.
Give Yourself Time Off
When you’ve got so much to do, taking time off might seem impossible. But, you need to. Take the odd evening off, and full days when you can. You should even take a week to go away. Doing this will help you to relax and recharge, meaning you’ll be much better at getting everything done when you go back to work.
Ask for Help
Remember, there’s always someone that can help, you usually just have to ask. Ask if a relative can pick the kids up from school one day or get your partner to do bedtimes and help out at home more. If you can afford it, you could even find childcare or a cleaner for a few hours a week.
