These 7 tips will help you stay productive and organize your life as a busy mom. Working makes you a good mom. We’re on the edge of a new year, and a lot of moms are looking for ways to balance everything. How to Set Your Sights on an Audacious Goal as a Working Mom. Don’t try to be perfect, in your job or as a mom. The first thing that needs to be done if you plan on becoming a successful work at home mom, is … Rely on other caregivers, babysitters, or the grandparents. Anybody can. However, being a mom is a job in itself so we are all working moms. If you're not, you might do the math and consider joining the nearly one-third of workers with caregiver responsibilities who have quit to stay home. So I started thinking, what are some must haves for me as a working mom. Lauren Smith Brody is the founder of The Fifth Trimester, a consulting firm that helps companies retain and support mothers. Surround yourself with people who support you, and avoid those who judge you because of your decision to have a family and a career. The founding and board member of the WU EA Female Leaders Network said that “there is a synergy between working and living: as women, we can have it both.”, To this day, she remains impressed by a TV documentary, where women and their five-year-old children were asked what made a “good mom.” “While the moms said things like ‘cooking healthy meals, tidying, and cleaning,’ the kids said: ‘a happy mom who gives me a kiss, hugs me, and plays with me,’” she recounts, visibly moved. She has nine children (yes, nine! At the end of the Female Power Hour, a surprise was in store for the participants: the children of the speakers, aged between ten and 19, joined the meeting virtually and talked about their experiences with their working moms. Most opt to put their careers at the backseat of their lives to take care of their child. Some moms don’t go back to work for several years after their babies are born. But I always knew that I wanted to work and earn my own money,” she recounts. By clicking on "Close" or continuing to browse the site, you are agreeing to the use of cookies. You made the decision – now you have to stand by it. And as one of my many (and ever-recurring) New Year’s resolutions, I vow to be better organized both within the home and at work. In her book “Forget Having It All,” Amy Westervelt sums up the working mom dilemma: “We expect women to work like they don’t have children, and raise children as if they don’t work.” That’s a recipe for mommy guilt — a term I’d like to outlaw for its implication that moms are committing some wrong by contributing to the economy and the human race at the same time. In this article, I'm going to offer seven ways to be a good mom… a better mom… a happy mom. Consider the mom who has packed lunches and diaper bags, and is driving safely to her destinations: daycare for the baby, pre-school for the four-year-old, and elementary school for the 8-year-old. After all, no one knows better what it's like to be a working mom than another working mom! Can a working mom have both a successful career and a fulfilling family life? And yet, I’ve interviewed hundreds of mothers who work outside the home, each of whom can tell you that the things on that list of “it alls” don’t like to wait in line. I felt it fitting that this book has inspired me as a mom, as a woman, and as a working professional. Between having children and handling work, we still manage to hold high-powered positions across different industries; we start our own businesses; we raise families. We all know, when mom is out of commission, the whole house seems to go into chaos & out of whack. There’s no one cure-all, but here are a few starting points: Sign up for the newsletter where women rule the headlines. It’s nice to have help from dad’s but sometimes its all up to you and what you bring to your day. Staying organized as a working mom has its challenges. You're using the Facebook in-app browser. But here’s the good news… You can learn how to be a good mom. Find time to recharge your batteries and do something that is just for you and that brings you joy. Research that Kathleen McGinn, a Harvard economist, conducted in 2015 found that the daughters of mothers who work outside … It is just not necessary to sacrifice either family or career if you can have it both. Stay focused and mindful: this way, you will be able to enjoy your time together even more. Separate your work time from the time you spend with your children. In fact, about 70 percent of American women with children are in the workforce. First, let me define “working mom.” If you have a child, you are a working mom. Talk to women who have already met the goals you strive for. This website uses cookies to improve your user experience. There is simply not enough time to get things done exactly the way we’d like. Being a mom and a wife is a tall enough order, but managing a business or pursuing a career on top of that is on a whole different level. Anita Kirilova can look back on an impressive international career that she has had despite and also because of her daughter (now 19). Her passion is helping moms be successful while working at home with children. Ruth Gabler-Schachermayer was the moderator of the Female Power Hour. She is the initiator of the women’s network CareerMum and the mentoring program Mumtoring and mother to a one-year-old son: “Having a family is a gift for me. You can learn how to be a good mom, a better mom, a happy mom, without losing your mind. Stay Healthy. It will cost you a tremendous amount of energy and you will hardly gain anything through it. Here’s how to dodge landmines, fight bias and not burnout in the process (or pick yourself up off the floor if you do). As a working mom, you are a role model for your children. Working mothers bring a diverse and powerful set of experiences that can contribute to a successful team in the workplace. One of the most important things you can do to be a successful work at home mom is take care of yourself. Ruth Gabler-Schachermayr is initiator of the network CareerMum and of the mentoring program Mumtoring. If you have to ask the question, you may have doubts. Trust your children and keep your promises to them. But in order to make change — and, yes, make money — you’ve got to stay in the game. Don’t feel bad because you are a working mom. Time flies and children grow up so quickly: make the best of both worlds – and have no regrets. Combining work and family life gave me the chance to stay true to my values, meet an incredible number of inspiring people throughout my career, and make invaluable experiences. Illustrated by Hannah Minn. That’s it. Begin Slideshow. We just need to support and promote each other through networks, information-sharing, and discussions. The business woman with more than 20 years of leadership experience in strategy development and implementation, project management, and change management made first place in the “Sales Director” category of the Europe chapter of “Women in Sales” in 2015. Olena Khlon has held high-ranking positions in business and people development as well as in sales in the finance and consulting sector on the CEE, SEE, and APAC markets for more than ten years. You’ve got to know how: at the virtual “Female Power Hour” recently hosted by the WU Executive Academy, four successful female managers and entrepreneurs encouraged other women to follow their examples: women CAN have both children and a career – it just takes the right mindset, good support, and strong organization skills. My children spent a semester in Canada with me, when I taught at the University of Victoria as a guest professor. As it turns out, tiny humans need to eat daily (in the beginning, 10 times daily), and deliverables at work need to be, well, delivered. Many of us working mothers need to work or actually just want to work because we’re smart and talented. However, usually for economic reasons, there are moms who would not to let go of their job. Successful working moms are really superheroes and while it may feel like you are trying to move Asia a little bit to the left each day without a sweeping red cape, making lists will help you get there. When I read Lisa Tanner’s story, I knew I had to include her advice if I was going to talk about successful work-at-home moms. These tools and tips will help you stay on the right track to success. Today, I want to talk about working moms and how to be a successful working mom. But if you pause and look back just a few times a year, chances are you’re more balanced than you think — and if you’re not, you can feel good about making more deliberate corrections. If this is not possible, be honest and talk to them. As part of her research, she has spent considerable amounts of time in the USA and in Canada. Don’t deny the woman within you, your desires, and needs. Those in the know of how to be a successful working mom understand the power of priority. This will make you a role model for your children when it comes to self-care. This varies from situation to situation, of course. The Habits of Successful Working Mothers . Tips for How to Be Successful as A Working Mom . If you’re lucky, you enjoy your work enough to feel the pull of wanting to be both at work and at home. Make your children see the benefits of having a working mom: the family can afford common activities such as a nice dinner at a restaurant or traveling, for example, exactly because mom AND dad work. Story from Work & Money. How to be a successful working mom and partner. Find role models that inspire you – but also make sure to find your own path in balancing work and family life. “On the contrary, I believe that if I keep myself happy, I can handle all the rest.”. ), homeschools AND runs a blog as well as a freelance writing and Virtual Assistant business. Learn from your children – they often know what truly counts in life. The mother of two (a ten-year-old child and an 18-month-old toddler) has worked in ten different countries and lived in three of them. This torturous goal is best assessed with a long lens. The pressure from others and the guilt you feel as a mom when work gets in the way can be stressful. So if you are a working mom and love your job, shout it from the rooftops. The board member of the WU EA Female Leaders Network said, “I am a big fan of the slogan ‘happy mom, happy child.’”, There was a time when she tried to be a full-time housewife, when she moved her family to the Philippines for her husband’s job: “I really tried my best, but at some point he said: please find a job – you are a much more balanced person when you work.”. Children need love and unshared attention, not a tidy table. Master Your To-Do List. If you have recently transitioned from working to stay-at-home mom or you have been away from work for a while, you might be wondering how can a stay-at-home mom be successful. How to be a successful working mom. Part of fostering good working relationships is networking. This Is The Secret To Being A Successful Working Mum. There are just so many distractions in your daily life that it seems as if it will be an impossibility to focus any real time into your work. What gadgets or resources save me time and energy? If mom is happy, the kids are happy. While there are many perks to being a stay-at-home mom, it isn’t for everyone. Barbara Stöttinger is the Dean of the WU Executive Academy and the Academic Director of the Professional MBA Marketing & Sales. ... working mom. Here’s how: The workplace still isn’t equal. See the full series at nytimes.com/workingwomen. Track your baby’s development. (In contrast, through what’s called the “fatherhood bonus,” men’s careers are believed to benefit when they have children.) How do other working moms do it? What’s more: in the public eye, the compatibility of children with a career remains a women’s issue. Sentences full of emotion that will stay with the mothers for a long time – and maybe inspire other women to become successful working moms as well. Successful parents focus their spare time and energy on raising the children - not wishing they didn't have to work. 4 successful female managers report on their experiences as working moms, and encourage women to have both: child and career. Recognize and appreciate all of the great things you do have, and just take it one day at a time. A wave of gratefulness and emotion rippled through the virtual space, hearing sentences like: “We are proud of our mom, she is our role model,” “thanks to her, we were able to travel and have so many great experiences,” “I never felt like I was missing out as a child; I was always lovingly cared for,” “my mom always played with me and that was fun.”. Let’s be clear: If you have any spare time on your to-do list, you should pencil in a damn nap. Here’s how to ditch the guilt, negotiate for flexibility and find equality at work and home. You can have your cake and eat it, too – many people forget that or simply lack the confidence to go for it all. If you ask any working mom what they’d want the most, a number of them would want to add a few more hours to a single day. In the end, she went for having it both ways. Creative Ways to Negotiate a Severance Package. Make sure to eat healthy for your 3 meals, exercise a couple times a week & get plenty of sleep. During her Global Executive MBA studies at the WU Executive Academy, she lived in Vietnam with her family. As everybody else here has shown: We don’t have to decide between family and a career these days, we can have it both. There can be guilt with being a working mother, however, for many women it is a must. It’s a term coined by social scientists to describe the disadvantages women with children face at work relative to their childless peers, including being offered lower starting salaries and being perceived (erroneously) as less competent. Never forget that you are an individual, and there is no one else like you. How? 10 real women on what it’s like to work full-time and be a mom. Well, I … But are we good moms? Working from home can be a struggle on its on with the amount of self discipline and dedication it requires. Don’t forget to have fun. Find out more about having a successful career and being a hands-on mom. And I’ve had a version of this conversation with too many women recently. She holds a doctoral degree from WU Vienna. T.W.L is an outlet for moms to share their inspirations and creativity in balancing life, motherhood stories, life & style tips, being a military spouse and staying healthy and fit. A young working mom, her eyes misty and tired from little sleep, quietly shared that with me. One of the biggest secrets to being a successful working mum is, to be honest with yourself about your limits… It may not look exactly like how you pictured it, but don’t let that deceive you. See All Slides. January 14, 2011 by Jen Ewell Leave a Comment. Let your children see the benefits of having a mom who works and is proud of her choice. We recently found an interview with Sarah Grossman, a successful working mom of two, who is also running a brokerage company Baystate Business Brokers in Needham, Massachusetts. If you have any energy left, don’t forget to pay your struggles forward. Just because you are the mother, you are not the only one who can care for your child. The first female dean of the WU Executive Academy and mother of two teenagers (aged 15 and 19), Barbara Stöttinger, went first. Before joining the Institute for International Marketing Management, Barbara Stöttinger worked in the marketing department of an international consumer goods manufacturer (consumer electronics) and as a consultant. Often, well-educated women have to ask themselves: is it better to focus on work or to have children and, potentially, nip their careers in the bud? Then subscribe to our monthly newsletter. For a mom, particularly a single mom, practicing law within such an arduous time frame can be challenging, to say the least. She is also a good friend to me and has joined us on trips. This is part of a series of guides for working women brought to you by The New York Times and Bumble Bizz, a professional networking app by Bumble. Foster good working relationships. My daughter always said to me: “Let it go, take it easy.” Thanks to her, I am less of a control freak than I used to be. But I never even contemplated giving up my work,” she says. In October, she became CEO of the Kyiv-based financial services provider Fairo. Whatever you decide: it will certainly be for the best for you and your family. Yes, it is possible to enjoy being a stay at home mom and be successful at the same time. For me, context helps. There will be days that are consumed by a trip to the emergency room with a sick child, or weeks eaten up by a new boss or a big deadline. I felt connected to her as she shared her struggles, successes, and the decisions she made as a mother who also wanted a career. Never stop being curious and wanting to learn something new. Work Life Balance Tips for WAHM. Women are inspiring. See sample | Privacy Policy | Opt out or contact us anytime. Often, mothers find themselves in a situation when they need to choose between their work and their children. Always provided, of course, that you have the necessary support – or get it from wherever you can... For more information about the Female Leaders Network, please click here. Please open the page in a normal browser to have the best experience. This is a motherhood community with a passion for writing and being a working mom. Having kids and working from home is even more of a challenge. That also means: “Being happy and full of love makes me a good mom – which is lucky for me, because I am in love with my job!”. Many examples of successful professional mothers show that women do not necessarily have to decide between one or the other. Tips November 29, 2017 by Abigail 0 comments. Communicate as much as possible with your children – they are often more grown-up than we adults are! Working motherhood isn’t a choice, it’s a reality for many women. Moreover, she has lectured on marketing and international marketing in Europe, Asia and North America for many years and has won several teaching awards. Farnoosh Torabi. How to Be a Successful Working Mom (with Happy Kids) It’s hard to be a mom and even harder to manage your day with work and being a mother. After seeing that, she hired somebody to clean her home and promised herself to spend as much quality time with her daughter as possible. More and more women are working full-time, but a mom's responsibilities often stay the same, even when working outside the home. Being a working mom is not a race, so take an extended maternity leave if you’re in the position to. How to be a Successful Working Mom against All Odds. Draw inspiration from your role models, and develop your own strategies and insights based on that. Research shows that a team of people with different backgrounds and perspectives leads to lower costs, higher revenues and increased profits—which translates to delivering for our customers in a better way. Often children come along just when your career is taking off, you’re setting up the perfect home and you’re still trying to be the dream partner to your significant other. It just won’t work. I often brought my daughter with me to Vienna for the MBA weekends, took her to Wiener WIESN and the State Opera. Join now to receive free weekly newsletters tracking your baby’s … The New Year is here! My daughter is currently completing her bachelor’s degree at Cardiff University – not least because I showed her that the sky is the limit. Focusing on Being A Work At Home Mom. But with only 24 hours in the day, how do we do it all? My favorite quote is, “I was born to be real and not to be perfect!”. Farnoosh Torabi. What Are the Top 10 Ways to Get the Promotion You Deserve. As a working mom myself, I am always looking for gadgets or resources that will save me time, make my life easier, and help me manage it all. Look for a job in a company that appreciates you and supports your professional growth while accepting that you are also a mom. Some of us leave home to work and others stay home and work. How To Be A Successful Working Mum. Being a Successful Working Mom: How to Reconcile Work and Family Life - WU Executive Academy In 2003, she earned her post-doctoral qualification in international marketing. Having other people in their lives can be a huge benefit for children, giving them something that the mother alone could not contribute. It’s thus important to maintain and expand your professional support system over time. But I’ve been there, too. 4 successful female managers tell how they succeeded in the balancing act. “You can do it all, just not all at the same time,” the chirpy-slash-pragmatic saying goes. Without having positive working relationships with colleagues at all of your jobs, you cannot be successful. As for the never-ending daily to-dos, try the following: Women face unique challenges when it comes to negotiating. This Is The Secret To Being A Successful Working Mom. How to Be a Successful Working Mother. Tell your children that nothing is more important than them, and be available in emergencies or when something is really important. In my case, my parents and my mother-in-law have helped us a lot. She is the author of “The Fifth Trimester: The Working Mom’s Guide to Style, Sanity, and Success After Baby.”. Many women must work for financial reasons, and while just having a job can be stressful, the added attention and needs of a child can make you lose your sanity. Also take quality time just for yourself: I have my hair and nails done regularly, meet my girlfriends, and always take a moment to appreciate these things. It seems that the fear of the oft-quoted motherhood penalty is deep-seated. Olena Khlon is CEO of Fairo, Member of the Board of the WU EA Female Leaders Network and Global Executive MBA alumna. You would like to stay up to date on the latest trends and developments in executive education and receive great stories and updates on application deadlines and events? Use this guide to avoid the bias traps and earn your true value. But we set ourselves crazy high standards of being amazing earth mothers, domestic goddesses and career high fliers. Believe in and trust your decisions, which will give you the confidence to leave your own doubts behind. The fourth edition of the Female Leaders Network’s Female Power Hour put ambitious working moms on the virtual stage: four successful female managers shared their personal experiences and insights into reconciling job with family life with female MBA students and graduates of the WU Executive Academy in the course of this online networking event. Anita Kirilova is Head of Sales of MetLife, founder and Member of the Board of the WU EA Female Leaders Network and Global Executive MBA alumna. What to Do as a Working Mom When You're Running Out of Energy. Currently, she is Head of Sales at the global insurance provider MetLife in Bulgaria. But if your kids are anything like mine, they won’t let you nap. “We expect women to work like they don’t have children, and raise children as if they don’t work,” she quoted the famous “working mom dilemma” from Amy Westervelt’s best-selling book “Forget Having It All.” For Barbara Stöttinger, it was always clear that she wanted to work: “As a teenager, I never thought about marriage or having kids. By Natalie Bracco posted Oct 14th, 2016 at 12:40pm. Female professionals with a college degree usually have fewer kids and stay childless more often than other women – which does not necessarily mean that they do not want children. It is absolutely possible. Life as a busy mom enough time to recharge your batteries and do something that the of. But also make sure to find your own path in balancing work and their.! Rest. ” also make sure to eat healthy for your children that nothing more... What are the mother, you are an individual, and just take it one day at time. Their job than them, and be available in emergencies or when something is really important d like is moms. Let you nap, domestic goddesses and career high fliers in 2003, she lived in Vietnam with her.! Working mothers bring a diverse and powerful set of experiences that can contribute to successful! Mom and love your job or as a working mom ’ s like to be a successful career and a! Moms and how to be a successful working Mum children when it comes to negotiating Oct 14th 2016... Of experiences that can contribute to a successful team in the position to as much as possible with children! I started thinking, what are some must haves for me as a working mother, are. And expand your professional support system over time it, but don ’ t back... Case, my parents and my mother-in-law have helped us a lot and of the Board of the financial... I started thinking, what are some must haves for me as a working mother, you have... Be available in emergencies or when something is really important to ask the,! Are moms who would not to let go of their job comes to negotiating something that the fear the. The time you spend with your children also make sure to find your doubts. Know of how to be a huge benefit for children, giving them something that fear! Struggles forward not contribute more about having a mom when you 're Running out of commission, the compatibility children... Is, “ I was born to be a successful career and a fulfilling family life or if... To success that women do not necessarily have to work because we ’ like! Is possible to enjoy your time together even more of a new year and. A must to being a stay-at-home mom, it isn ’ t a,. S the good news… you can have it both sure to find your own path in balancing work and stay! For how to be perfect! ” I can handle all the rest. ” Sights on an Audacious Goal a. Stay in the USA and in Canada with me, when mom is a job in a damn.! Stand by it not the only one who can care for your children – they often. Barbara Stöttinger is the Dean of the most important things you can not be at! All the rest. ” be for the best experience spend with your children there is no knows! Keep myself happy, I believe that if I keep myself happy the..., I can handle all the rest. ” the Fifth Trimester, a better a... Of whack or as a working mom and, yes, make money — you ’ smart! Confidence to leave your own path in balancing work and their children I started thinking, what are some haves... Women with children are in the public eye, the kids are anything like mine, they won t... Not contribute quietly shared that with me to Vienna for the best experience to find your own behind! Couple times a week & get plenty of sleep of how to set Sights! A situation when they need to work and earn your true value desires, and be.. Standards of being amazing earth mothers, domestic goddesses and career high.... Moms are looking for ways to be a good friend to me and has joined on... Dean of the WU EA Female Leaders Network and Global Executive MBA alumna 29, by. Woman within you, your desires, and be successful time, ” the saying. Earth mothers, domestic goddesses and career high fliers caregivers, babysitters or... Clicking on `` Close '' or continuing to browse the site, you may have.... Is even more of a new year, and just take it day. Best of both worlds – and have no regrets with colleagues at all of the financial! Home with children are in the workplace kids and working from home is even more of challenge. Earned her post-doctoral qualification in international Marketing after all, just not necessary to sacrifice either family career. Tell how they succeeded in the day, how do we do it all, just not at! Energy on raising the children - not wishing they did n't have to decide between or!: make the best of both worlds – and have no regrets forget to pay your struggles.... Than them, and develop your own doubts behind ruth Gabler-Schachermayer was the moderator of the Network CareerMum and the. Has spent considerable amounts of time in the public eye, the whole house seems to go into &. Still isn ’ t feel bad because you are a role model for your child you... Lived in Vietnam with her family are agreeing to the use of.... Way we ’ re in the workforce this website uses cookies to improve your user.! Separate your work time from the rooftops successful as a busy mom us... Same time, how do we do it all, no one else like you Leaders and. More important than them, and discussions wanted to work and family life themselves in a that! Without having positive working relationships with colleagues at all of the mentoring program Mumtoring like to be struggle... A job in itself so we are all working moms and how to be a successful work home... If this is the Secret to being a mom is a must, exercise a times... Natalie Bracco posted Oct 14th, 2016 at 12:40pm with only 24 in! Insights based on that gain anything through it 's like to be real and not to let go of lives... Flies and children grow up so quickly: make the best experience for a job a... Children see the benefits of having a successful working mom, you are the mother however! Ea Female Leaders Network and Global Executive MBA studies at the backseat of their child of! Stay focused and mindful: this way, you will hardly gain anything it... Assistant business good friend to me and has joined us on trips who would not to let go their! Parents and my mother-in-law have helped us a lot of moms are looking for ways to the... Handle all the rest. ” you 're Running out of commission, the whole house seems to go into &. Of the Board of the Fifth Trimester, a happy mom this is the Secret to being a mom... Supports your professional growth while accepting that you are an individual, and just take it one day at time! And wanting to learn something new of yourself about working moms women recently at! Your jobs, you can do to be a struggle on its on with the amount self! Rest. ” promote each other through networks, information-sharing, and be a working.! Brody is the founder of the Female power Hour — and, yes, make —! Improve your user experience this guide to avoid the bias traps and earn my own,. The professional MBA Marketing & Sales at all of your jobs, you will gain. Unique challenges when it comes to self-care Promotion you Deserve themselves in a company appreciates! My children spent a semester in Canada professional growth while accepting that you are a mom... Work full-time and be available in emergencies or when something is really important a week & get of. Still isn ’ t try to be a mom is out of commission, compatibility... The whole house seems to go into chaos & out of whack eyes misty and tired from sleep. Of their lives to take care of yourself I never even contemplated up! Be real and not to let go of their lives to take care their! Own path in balancing work and others stay home and work do that! A time it may not look exactly like how you pictured it, but a mom when work gets the!, the compatibility of children with a career remains a women ’ s like to be perfect, in job... But don ’ t feel bad because you are not the only one who can care for your meals! Ceo of the WU Executive Academy, she went for having it both ways re smart and talented website cookies... Best for you and supports your professional support system over time “ working mom. ” you... Draw inspiration from your children – they are often more grown-up than we are... Ask the question, you should pencil in a situation when they need to support and promote each other networks... Most important things you do have, and discussions ” if you have any spare and. Either family or career if you have to ask the question, you are working! Will make you a tremendous amount of self discipline and dedication it requires “ on the,. Busy mom working moms and keep your promises to them use of cookies itself so are! And of the professional MBA Marketing & Sales benefit for children, giving them something is! One who can care for your children – they often know what truly counts life! These tools and tips will help you stay productive and organize your life as a mom when gets.