Diary from a Busy (Boss) Mom

The scene every weekday at our house since Covid started has been all too familiar to working parents everywhere. It takes the utmost balance, sometimes literally hanging on tentacles to keep everything organized and together. The common background noises -- kids crying, dogs barking, lawns being mowed --constant parenting while juggling professional demands and distractions, and  running really low on bandwidth are what constitute "mom life" these days. A recent New York Times article from last month reported that moms are paying a heavier price than any other group during this pandemic. Having kids at home means competing priorities: family versus the rising expectation from our professional careers to have adjusted and be performing optimally!

Overwhelmed with all things that come with a new baby (sleepless nights, breastfeeding supply/demand problems, and so much more), continuing to stay on top and manage your business can be extremely challenging. How are we coping and managing these priorities? It’s really simple (kinda, sorta, not really)… Accepting that we can't do it all, asking for help, and showing up when needed. That's great as a big picture idea, but what about day to day? Keeping to task helps not becoming overwhelmed even when the situation really is that. Sharing some tips below!

1. Create a schedule

Have you heard of the 5 Ps? Here it goes - Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance. We live on this stuff! Planning is key. Do not underestimate the power in planning, whether it's for a meeting, presentation or meal prep. What do we mean by that exactly? World domination (ha)! No, more like pick a day to organize and plan the week. Sundays are used for planning the week ahead – day by day. We all know that baby ‘plans’ don’t always work out – so you need to be flexible to move your schedule around as needed. We try to stick to our schedule by shifting things around in the day to make it work. Our thing really helps with that:

2. Create or join a community for yourself

This is the bread and butter. You know the saying, "it takes a village to raise a child?" Well it’s true. We would not be where we are without our support systems, family and friends. Our husbands not only ‘take over’ mom duties whenever we need, but they also do some of the cooking and cleaning around the house when we get busy. Teamwork makes the dreams work! Having extended family and friends nearby helps immensely. Join a mom group, a virtual happy hour, a yoga class -- the community you create will help you allocate time towards your goals without the guilt of 'overworking' or ignoring family needs. Meeting like-minded people solidifies your confidence and conviction in your own goals. 

3. Utilize that baby nap time

Sure, we could hit the sack with our little one during nap time, but realistically that won’t help move things along. Finding time during babe's nap time to check things off can be very satisfying. Not only will it free some time when they're awake to be with them, but you also save yourself late nights and evenings catching up on things you didn't accomplish earlier. 

4. Stay Organized

Planning is a deliberate approach, which helps all of stay organized. We have created spaces for ourselves where we can focus and get in our zone. Of course, a clean and dedicated workspace is more inspiring than clutter and disarray – we all know this. But I can say from personal experience that this is also reflected in your work and performance in meetings and high priority projects. And (shameless plug) I actually use our ShoreBags to keep us organized! Not only do we use our bags for different uses but I also utilize our accessories pouches for a ton of little things! 

5. Focus and Believe in yourself