46 Nuggets Of Everyday Wisdom From Working Moms: How They Make It Work

A Mother’s Day special: Every working mother has ever own secret mantra to juggle the work life roles. Here are 46 real life pieces of wisdom from working moms.

Ever since I have become a mother, I have a newfound respect and admiration for all working moms; because they possibly and probably endure more than what anyone would ever know or imagine every single day – juggling the many roles and expectations from self, family, friends, workplace; doing a balancing act everyday and hoping that it will all be OK!

Ever since I have embarked on this journey, I have recognized and realized that all working moms find a way to make it all work. After all, where there is a will, there is a way! So whenever I meet any such mom, I ask her what is her tip, trick, mantra or best practice. I always go back wiser from these interactions because I learn some little insight that I can apply in my daily life.

1. I remind myself of my priorities every morning and evening – so I know who/what is the most important for the day– my kids, my boss, my work, my spouse, my maid, my family or myself
2. I plan my day meticulously – so I know what needs to be done and when and for how long
3. I have realized over the years that health is wealth – so I try to eat right, take some vitamin supplements and walk at every opportunity that I get. Good food and exercise have to be integrated into everyday life; else it does not work
4. Whatever I can’t/don’t want to do at home – if there is a way to outsource it and I can afford it, I just hire help
5. I don’t drive. Driving adds to my stress. So either private transport or company transport is what I opt for
6. I don’t cook. Cooking is a waste of time. So I have employed a cook
7. I have a fixed time-table/routine for the working days for kids and myself. I don’t entertain or approve of deviations, unless there is a compelling reason to do so
8. I meditate everyday twice – morning and evening
9. As soon as I enter the home, I lock myself in my bedroom for 30 minutes. I don’t talk to anyone. This is my time to unwind
10. A hot cup of tea or coffee as soon as I step in to work/home gives me the thrust to keep going
11. Before I get back home, I ensure that I take a nap in the bus or car. A power nap always energizes me
12. I do a quick round of deep breathing before I enter home. Nothing calms me like conscious breathing
13. I make sure I eat something before I leave and enter home, so I am not hungry. An hungry tummy is the cause for anger and irritation many a times – both at work and home
14. I take a walk or do some form of exercise every day. It energizes me
15. I give myself days/ time to do nothing. Idle time rejuvenates me like nothing else does
16. I have outsourced the house maintenance work completely. It comes at a premium, but it is worth it for my sanity
17. I have made peace with the fact that I will never get a certificate for the most beautifully maintained house. I can sleep with mess/clothes/toys on the floor, cutlery on the table and unfinished work at home
18. Sleep is non-negotiable. I have a fixed time for going to bed and waking up. Adequate physical rest is vital to keep me going
19. I say No to people or events which I don’t enjoy, and take me away from where I want to do. I realize YOLO (You Only Live Once), so why bother about what I don’t want to do!
20. I have a glass of alcohol every day after the kids go to bed. That is my personal way to unwind
21. I clean my house for 15 minutes in the morning and evening to organize things. That relaxes me. I can’t think straight when the house is unkempt
22. I let free advice or feedback or suggestions fall on deaf ears
23. I let go of things which don’t add any value to my life or my kids’ life
24. I don’t watch TV
25. I time-box social media time – Facebook, Twitter are for a fixed time slot everyday. When time is up, I log off
26. I take parenting advice only from my mom or mom-in-law. They know best, and it appears that children’s personality is 80% based on genes from mom/dad, right? And nothing like real-life experiences to handle personality-types, so these two women are my goddesses. Whatever they advise always makes sense and works wonders
27. I disabled notifications for Whatsapp messages. It is a big distractor
28. I do my grocery shopping once a week; that saves me time and effort
29. I stopped living up to everyone’s expectations
30. I have accepted that I am imperfect, and am Ok with it. Perfection is not my goal in life
31. I give myself 1 hour every week to do things I love – it can be something different every time, but it is just my time to myself
32. I meditate for 30 minutes every Sunday. That is non-negotiable and my private sanctuary
33. I’m selectively blind, deaf and dumb – based on need, situation or circumstance
34. A poor memory makes sure there is no time to remember what I don’t need to remember
35. I ensure I spend time with people who make me feel good about myself – happy and positive
36. I talk to my mother for 10 minutes every day. She is my lifeline and keeps me going
37. I never do my children’s home-work. I made it clear from Day 1 that home-work is not mummy’s work
38. I encourage independence in my kids, so they own up their tasks and also help out with domestic responsibilities at home
39. I practice the “silent hour” everyday; No talking / noise at home. Everyone can do what they want, but in silence
40. I am generous with praise when I interact with others. I realize there is no greater motivator to enlist support than well-meaning appreciation
41. I don’t stress/sweat about how I look or dressing up. When you don’t bother or care about the need to look good, you spend less time and energy on external frills
42. A few moments of prayer and gratitude everyday keep me going
43. Weekly menu planning is done every weekend. I can’t think about what to cook on weekdays. It is a big operational hazard!
44. I keep expectations of others very low
45. I use technology and my mobile for everything  – lists, payments, organizing stuff, etc.  It saves time, energy and brain-power. So I don’t have to think or worry about operational stuff
46. I plan for the worst and hope for the best. That makes it easy for me to deal with anything!

What is your mantra? Leave a comment to let us know.

Mother and daughter image via Shutterstock

Nischala Murthy Kaushik

Working Mom • Marketologist - Digital Artisan - Brand Storyteller • Ideapreneur • Writer - Blogger - Columnist • IIMB Alumni • Mentor • Horizon

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