Your Guide to Being a New Mum While Working
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Thanks to the advancements of modern society, it is no longer expected that new mothers must stay home to take care of their babies at the expense of their careers, especially with hybrid working models available.
Not only are fathers and partners more responsible for the raising of children than in previous centuries, but there are also many more childcare options available than there used to be.
Of course, there is still a long way to go in terms of equality in the workplace for working mothers, but society has definitely seen progress in recent years that makes it possible to both raise a family and enjoy a fruitful career.
This lifestyle doesn’t come without its challenges, of course, so here is your guide on how to manage the balance between taking care of your baby and excelling at work.
What Are the Common Struggles of Being a Working Mum?
There are almost countless ways that being a working mum, particularly a new one, can interfere with your goals and plans. Many of these issues can be categorized as either financial or time restrictive.
The cost of raising a baby is extremely high and working, especially if you are single and live alone, is often essential to coping with these costs. However, bringing in enough money to sustain your lifestyle while raising a baby can have a negative impact on your time, too.
New mums understandably want to spend as much time as possible with their babies; however, going back to work can make it much more difficult to enjoy this quality time. Hopefully, some of the tips below can help you manage these challenges in a way that suits your individual lifestyle.
Prioritize the Essentials
It might sound overly simple, but it can be incredibly helpful to take the time to write down your priorities and what order they fall in. People are often surprised by how many activities take up their time each day despite not being a top priority.
If looking after your new baby and progressing at work is at the top of your priority list, you will most likely have to sacrifice a few of your lesser priorities to make the most out of these. For example, if you usually take a holiday abroad at the same time every year, you might have to forego this so you can concentrate on saving money to care for your baby. Of course, this is all dependent on your personal situation. Figure out what your priorities are and don’t worry about the rest. You’d be amazed at how helpful this can be.
Become Skilled in Time Management
Since time is so tight for a working mum, learning how to manage it well can make all the difference. Time management comes easily to some people and not so easily to others. It is all about building strong self-discipline and healthy habits to guide you through the necessary parts of your day. This will allow you to savour the moments when you can relax and spend quality time with your loved ones, including your new baby.
Take it Slow
Apart from becoming more adept at time management, it is important to learn how to take it slow and breathe before making rash decisions. The stress of caring for a young baby and working hard in your career can make you more likely to rush into choices that aren’t necessarily in your best interests. Instead, focus on learning how to stay calm even in stressful situations so you can react in a measured and practical way.
Embrace Timesaving Tools
Despite the innate difficulties that come with balancing work and family life, there are plenty of ways to overcome the smaller struggles. For example, if you are trying to save time on cleaning but your baby is going through a transitional phase in their eating, you can use a weaning bib to prevent mess and avoid having to spend valuable time wiping up baby food.
You could invest in an automatic vacuum cleaner that vacuums your floors while you are out or find software to automate as much of your digital activity as possible. Being a working mum is much easier when you take advantage of the help that is available to you.
Accept Assistance
Speaking of help, some people in your family or friend group may be kind enough to offer you assistance when it comes to taking care of your baby while you are busy. Although you might feel too proud to accept, remember that allowing other people to help you isn’t a weakness. Often, your loved ones are eager to help you out because they want the best for you and your new baby. It’s important to remember your own wellbeing when working hard to raise your child.
