When you were younger (before kids), you probably thought life was busy and sometimes so busy that it felt overwhelming. Then you became a mum, you went back to work and as your juggle all the conflicting demands of working and motherhood, you realised that you had no idea what the meaning of the word "overwhelming" was when you were younger! No wonder so many working mums in look to online life coaching to help them navigate a path through it all!
There are certain traits that all highly effective working mums share. They have taken a step back and observed themselves with a "wide angle lens" to help them get a different perspective on their challenges and put a plan in place. We have identified seven habits that these highly effective mothers all seem to share. As a working mum, you can make use of services that provide professional coaching for women to take you from overhwelm to "whelm" and build a support and accountability structure.
Habit 1 - Learn and practise time management There are only 24 hours in the day, but we need many more. Unless you know of any plan to change this soon, you're going to have to make do with the 24, like everybody else! We hear during professional coaching sessions that one of the main habits of highly effective people is good time management, and this is goal number one for the working mum. Sit down in a quiet room with several sheets of paper and analyse all your responsibilities. This means everything! Write down how long each task or role takes you, and when you have finished add it all up. Your next job is to realistically condense it all into a manageable timeframe, giving you adequate time for each. Once you have your time management plan in place, you must stick to it like glue.
Habit 2- Set a routine As an extension of time management, it is important to get into a routine. Some of us don't like to be structured in this way, but if you are to become a highly efficient working mum you must do so. If you take one step at a time, complex tasks often feel a lot easier and this is definitely the case here. Turn away from that feeling of being overwhelmed and put one foot in front of the other. Establish a routine, which may take a couple of weeks to do, but once you have done so, your day should be a whole lot easier.
Habit 3 - Focus! Know that procrastination can be the enemy of efficiency. You have to avoid distractions. Hopefully, as part of your time management plan, you will have allocated a small amount of time per day or per week for things that you could classify as "other." Don't expand this time unnecessarily and don't be tempted to run off for a quick cup of coffee with a colleague/friend/ neighbour, unless it has already been built into your time management schedule, of course!
Habit 4 - Develop your productive space Whilst you may be quite productive if you work away from home or at the office, if you are a work from home mum you had better ensure that your working space is very productive, comfortable and remote. Try your best to utilise a room which is not used for any other purpose, which can be closed off if needed, and try not to use your work computer for any leisure purposes. If you work from home you will have to be even more focused on time management, as there will be a whole host of other distractions to worry about.
Habit 5 - Don't forget your fitness All the planning in the world is no good if you find that you're getting more and more "rundown", and you find that you don't have the energy necessary to undertake your daily life. When you're planning your time management, allow for daily exercise routines. Go for a walk or run, dance around the house or get your bicycle out and go for a ride; either way this time cannot be compromised. Look at it as "fuel" for all the rest of your day.
Habit 6 - Maintain a support group While you may know who to turn to at work for help should you need it, sometimes you just need support and help in the act of life itself. If you know someone else who is in a similar position, then you can support each other. Gather together as many trusted friends and/or relatives as you can, and don't be afraid to lean on them during the times when it can all seem to get too much. Professional coaching could give you the support you need during what is a challenging time in a woman's life.
Habit 7 - Reward yourself Remember that you need to look after number one, and while you're doing a great job of balancing your career with motherhood, there must be some time for yourself. What do you really love to do? Whatever it is, plan "golden time" for yourself in your schedule. In this way, if things get particularly challenging for some reason, you will have something to look forward to. It is so important to acknowledge yourself - you're not an automaton - even working mums need a reward!
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Amanda Alexander is the Director of Coaching Mums. She is a widely renowned ICF-accredited coach, who has helped thousands of working moms across the Globe over the past 7 years to get more time, less guilt, bring balance back into their lives, and have more fun! For truly inspiring articles and cutting-edge professional coaching tips, sign up to receive "Inspire", our highly-acclaimed free newsletter at Coaching Mums
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