Mom/Mum/Mother/Mama/Ma. To the women with multiple names, none of which they were born with. This post is dedicated to you, the working mom.

In honor of Mother’s Day, we are highlighting the working mother’s role. To bring to light the challenges that you face working two full-time jobs and to offer some ways to help you acquire and maintain a healthy work-life balance. Because, let’s face it, if you’re not in tip top shape, neither is your family.

Motherhood

The state of being a mother. Now, what does that mean exactly? What does being a mother entail? It certainly doesn’t come with a handbook and it doesn’t require a resume or CV to apply. Yet it is full time job and the responsibility level is quite high, wouldn’t you agree?

Each one of us has a different experience being mothered and being a mother ourselves yet there is universal understanding that we are to raise our children to be kindhearted, moral and generous.

The tireless hours devoted to feed, bathe and raise our children are a testament to that. What isn’t universally understood is how hard it is to be a parent.

In a recent study, the National Bureau of Economic Research found that, on average, women declare that parenthood is more difficult than they expected.

It is exhausting and it is full time. Now double that and you are a working mom.

Working Mom

You have started a new, high risk, full time career called motherhood and it is harder than you expected but you long for some adult interaction, stimulation and perhaps more income so you return to your old day job.

The major downfall, of course, is that you don’t get to be with your baby while you’re at work.

Not everyone works for fashion designer Rachel Zoe who built a nursery in the office.

With all of the new territory you have been chartering lately, we have some respite. Listed below are 5 ways to acquire and maintain a healthy work-life balance for, you, the working mother.

Work-Life Balance for the Working Mom

Ask for help

It is okay to ask for help when you need it, and trust us, you do need it. You do not need to do everything all the time. A lot of women feel like they have to; like somewhere there is an unwritten rule that a mother is meant to do it all without any help. You are your child’s mother and nothing will change that. Accepting help is not a sign of weakness. It will give you some much needed rest and allow you to reset. This is essential to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Don’t compare yourself to other women

There is a saying we like — don’t compare your insides to other people’s outsides. Don’t compare yourself to other mothers! Everyone is different and it should be that way. What you see on Pinterest or Instagram is not an accurate depiction of anyone’s life and it is by no means something you should use to judge yourself.

The photographs do not portray real life; they are setups. People spend a lot of time planning and styling their social media feeds. Everything you are experiencing may be foreign to you but it certainly isn’t foreign to other mothers. We’ve all been in your shoes, even when it doesn’t look like it.

Prioritize important family bonding

Just as every mother is different. Every family is different as well. What is important to one family may not be important to another.

Think of what is important to your family and prioritize those things.

Our CEO, Marisa, feels that home cooked meals are on the top of the list so she meal preps every weekend. Family bonding is important and you have limited time together so make it meaningful. Prioritize what your family needs to be happy and healthy.

For more tips check out: 5 Ways To Align Your Professional & Your Personal Life

Learn to say “no”

Just as we suggested to say “yes” to help, you need to learn to say “no” too. Specifically, to things that aren’t priorities.

For example, the PTA is sponsoring a bake sale at your son or daughter’s school. Do not feel obligated to be involved, even if you are a member of the PTA! It isn’t a priority. You do not need to volunteer for every one.

The same goes for volunteering for jobs outside your work responsibility. Women are often roped into stereotypical roles like party planning that take away from their paid work.

Think to yourself — it is time away from your family. What is that worth?

Take time for yourself, hard working mom!

As we mentioned in tip #1, you need to allot time to reset. You cannot sustain a healthy life for you and your family without it. It is not selfish. It is necessary and imperative for your mental and physical state.

Taking some “me” time is very simple. Some of our favored activities include:

• A warm bath at night
• A run or walk with the dogs
• A quiet morning reading or meditating

If you find yourself needing a little inspiration, listen to the podcast Working Motherhood by Dr. Portia Jackson. It highlights a different successful working mother every day and shares the struggles and triumphs they face in their family lives and career lives.

We are here for you and wish you the absolute best in this journey. Join our family of working mothers and career women by signing up for our newsletter. You will be the first to receive more tips like this one as well as other fashion and career useful information. We will also send you news on the development of our vintage-inspired clothing line!

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