Best of Mommy Bloggers Carnival - Balancing motherood and life

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“Work-Life balance” is the new buzzword of today. “Easier said than done”, right? When you have a wailing baby trying to catch your attention every time you sit in front of the computer screen, where does the “work” fit in the “work-life” balance? When the washing machine beeper beeps aloud, just as you are about to complete your big sales call, all you can do is despair, isn’t it?

I have tried to follow these simple golden rules - “easier written than done”, you’ll say, but give it a shot:

1. Communicate, communicate, communicate – Let all at home know your work timings. In case you have help to look after the baby, ensure that the caretaker is aware what your “Do not disturb” timings are. In case you go out to work, be sure to write out all your contact numbers in big bold letters on the wall near the phone, so that they are handy in case of an emergency. I meant on paper and stick it on the wall ok…no messing the wall….set a good example for your baby!
2. SOHO - “Small Office Home Office”…well, it need not necessarily be a separate room in the house…a cozy corner to snuggle up with your laptop or work tools such as a phone, would be good enough. Having a designated work area helps the mind concentrate on the job at hand!
3. To-Do List with a twist –Being a Mom, there are always umpteen things to accomplish in a short time. Try to list down the To-Do’s of the day. What’s the twist, you ask…well, note down the priority or likely timings for the job, next to it. For example, if the store near you gets fresh veggies on Thursdays, buying vegetables would be a Thursday chore. The rest of the week can be gainfully spent on work!
4. Turn off that beeper – Reduce distractions as far as possible. This will ensure that the hours spent at work are productive. That way, one can accomplish an 8-hour day in just 6 productive hours! Your boss is just interested in a complete job…not how much time you took to do it.
5. Stretch your legs, drink lots of water – No…I have not mixed up the points from my article on healthy living! Water helps to stay fresh, cool and generate new ideas…try it and get back to me on the results (if nothing else, it’ll help build my statistics for the healthy living article!)
6. “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” – applies to us as well. If you just work and not take adequate breaks, the productivity suffers. After all, it’s the new experiences that we have, that help us grow as a person, right? What we see is what we learn. So make sure to take vacations and spend adequate time outside the work environment.
7. Use the “turn-on”, “turn-off “ mechanism – At work times just think of work. Similarly, at family/play times “turn-off” the worker switch. It won’t throttle your thoughts, trust me…will ensure that when you switch on the next time, a reinvigorated you will emerge.

On an ending note…the points listed above are in no particular order…so try doing them all at one time and happy balancing!

Brief Bio

I am working mother of a seven year old boy and two year old girl- software professional who loves reading, writing and spending time with my kids. Apart from writing computer programs at work, also write poems/articles for magazines/websites. I love to travel and my work gives me the opportunity to do that… I know how difficult it is for one to try being a super woman – juggling home, work and kids! It is doable though…so I encourage all to give it a shot. It is a rewarding experience and though there are those times when one feels like quitting since the pressure is too much to handle, it takes just a little bit of courage to carry on, as things do change….and soon. Having a supportive family is the key and I have been fortunate to be blessed with that. My loving husband and his family with his parents, brothers and their families, is my backbone and support for taking on the challenges of life.