The Balanced Mom – Fact or Fiction? Moms are pulled in many directions and their to-do list almost never gets completely crossed off. Lesley Spencer Pyle shares some valuable tips on finding balance – especially if you are a Work at Home Mom.

The Balanced Mom –
Fact or Fiction?
By Lesley Spencer Pyle, MSc. - Founder & President, HomeBasedWorkingMoms.com

It’s a pretty well known fact: Moms are pulled in many directions and their to-do list almost never gets completely crossed off. There’s the kids, the husband, the house, the chores, the errands, the laundry, the meals, the appointments, the kid’s activities, the birthday parties and on and on. It’s an intensive job that requires some great time management and organization to ensure that everything gets done (or almost everything), and there’s still enough time to spend relaxing and enjoying your family.

Being a balanced mom is possible. It does take effort, planning and a bit of flexibility but reducing the stress and enjoying the unique and diverse roles of motherhood are well worth it.

Here are some tips to you find balance as a mom:

- Use a calendar to stay organized. Keep track of home, school and work activities and appointments on your calendar. It may work best to use a desk calendar that you can take with you as well as set calendar reminders in a program such as Outlook to remind you of certain repeating activities, practices, birthdays, bills to pay, etc. Check out the Go Mom planner (GoMomInc.com) which has to-do lists, calls to make, grocery lists, etc. to make our lives easier.

- Be a team. Ask for help when needed and offer help where needed. Perhaps one week you can be in charge of homework or baths and the next week your spouse can. Come up with mutually beneficial plans to help your family function and have lots of time for family fun!

- Plan ahead and use your time efficiently. For instance, plan all of your errands for one day of the week so you aren’t wasting time running around.

- Let go of guilt and know that you cannot possibly do everything. Whether you need to order take out or say no to a volunteer request, know that you are doing what’s best for you and your family but not overextending yourself and putting unnecessary burdens and expectations on yourself.

- Hire help when needed. Whether it’s a babysitter, a virtual assistant, a housekeeper or some other area that you need help with; don’t let your duties overwhelm you. There are lots of great options out there to help lighten your load. Check out HBWM.com for listings of virtual assistants that can help with your business and ask for referrals from friends and neighbors for babysitters or housekeepers.

- Schedule a weekly date with your spouse as well as individual time with your kids. Also make time for yourself. Do not let one area of your life dominate the rest. If you allow it, a growing business can control your time and consume your focus. 

- Use your evening time wisely. Instead of plopping down in front of the TV, go on a long walk with your spouse and/or your kids. Have a picnic dinner in the backyard. Play a game or do something that enables you to really connect with your family.

- Be a smart shopper and meal planner. Buy cookbooks with quick, healthy meals such as crock pot meals that can cook all day or meals that you can double and freeze for another night. No need to do it all every night.

- Know that you can always adjust and change your options. If the choices that were right for you last year are not as good this year, reconsider and re-evaluate all of your options. Talk it over with your spouse and close friends. Then decide what is best for you and your family today. Take life by the horns!

- Stay flexible. Just as your children grow and your marriage matures, your individual, career, family and marriage needs will also grow, change and develop. Stay open to changes and realize that growing with each of these areas will be fresh, exciting, challenging and probably at times, frustrating and tiring.

- If you work, remember in the end it is not going to matter how much you dazzled your clients or employer with long hours if you miss out on treasured moments with your children and your spouse. Remind yourself to check in occasionally on where you are spending your time…. and where you are not.

- Do what’s best for you and your family. Don’t allow others to dictate what the best option is for you and your family.

With these tips and your own tried-and-true ones, you will find that being a balanced mom is not fiction. It truly can be fact. It just takes planning, delegating, flexibility, a positive attitude and some great organization. As a mom, I can proudly say and I’m sure you would agree: There’s no better or more rewarding job in the world!

Copyright HBWM.com, Inc. 2008