12 Survival Tips for Working Moms

Do you cringe when you hear work-life balance? Is there such a thing? Of course, when you’re just trying not to run a red light in the sea of cars, you’ve got to grapple with surviving—working as a mom comes with sacrifices and priority resets. So working moms are keen on knowing survival tips to stay on top of work-life and motherhood.

What does it look like in your life right now? 

Do you ever feel like hours of the day aren’t even enough? No, downtime, maybe? How about getting to the school drop-offs early so you can clock in on time at work? 

Your mind is constantly on the go, planning, remembering, and maybe fogging too.

I walked on this path every day when working 36 hrs/week as a nurse. My work may not be the typical 8-5 Monday to Friday; nonetheless, it all comes down to the remaining hours of each day. 

Finding your rhythm amid parenting and working is a struggle. But, you’ve probably thought, that’s why I’m here. 

But is there such a middle ground between your home life and work?

It all depends on you. What you’re willing to let go of, happy to reset, or comfortable to keep in your life to make it work. 

I’m sharing with you what I’ve learned from being a working mom and the survival tips that you can try in your life today.

Tips for Working Moms on Survival and Thriving

Boundaries.

Be prepared to say a hard no. When it feels like it will be a tight schedule this week – breathe in and say no. Suppose there’s another invitation in the mail. Politely decline. There’s no need to be present in all extra activities involving going outside the home. 

If someone has dropped a bomb on you by calling you about an unannounced out-of-state trip that involves hosting in your home – be that NO without explaining yourself. 

When the boss wants you to stay later after informing them that you’ve got an anniversary dinner for your parents, take that exit when the clock rings closing time – no overtime.

Remember, you are in survival mode this week. You can barely wrestle your activity lists. Set your healthy boundaries to save you.

Admit Your Limits

Moms are limitless when given a chance to do it all. However, when you struggle to survive the days, learn to step back and accept that you can’t be everything. 

Sometimes you miss a school lunch program because you can’t get a day off from work. 

You may extend a work assignment because you had a sick kid this week. 

There’s no shame in admitting when the top of your bucket is full. However, surviving doesn’t equate to drowning in the abyss of work and home life. 

Putting a halt once you’ve felt you’ve reached your limit. Slow. The. Drive. Down.

Work on Routines

Working moms can benefit from routines. Attempting to get everybody ready in the morning can be a stress point for you. Take time to create a solid morning routine for your kids to follow to offset some of the chaos expected when everyone’s trying to be on time.

Getting organized with your kids’ activities and your work schedules will aid you in planning and making sure that nothing gets missed.

Setting up your routines can help you not get overwhelmed throughout the week.

Control your Time

Time is a precious commodity to all working moms. Yet, it can be pushed down to only two to four hours tops before bedtime. 

I don’t know about you, but that’s a narrow window for everything to get done, spending quality time while doing household chores and errands.

Planning out your day can help you block time for each area that you need to accomplish. Of course, family time is non-negotiable, so it goes top on the list. Then think of 3 top priorities you want to be done before you go to sleep and do just that. Remember, you are in survival mode here.

Manage your Guilt

Guilt will poke around when you’re struggling. But is it pretty much every day for moms? 

Mom guilt is hard to shake, and it lingers around waiting to roll. But, take it from a working mom like me who only had about an hour left to give to kids because I worked 12-13 hrs day shifts. 

That was exhausting – yet as mothers, we still get to squeeze any ounce of energy for everyone. Who knows where it comes from.

Kids’ bedtime is set early, which is the best time for them not to get cranky in the morning and beneficially healthier to get total hours of sleep. 

Not to mention that I’m already exhausted by the time I clock out of work. I felt guilty that I was trying to reconnect with kids when I was almost running on empty – not the best of myself. But I did it anyway.

Because of that, I get stressed out, thinking I am not giving the best of what a mom should be providing. I felt like a failure, and what could I do?

Reflect on the positive side of the situation, instead of wallowing in my pity party, switching some days so I can be there for my kids. 

It might be an option for you to sort out your working schedule. It’s truly difficult for each situation when it comes to you working, but it’s doable.

Turning it around when days off come, make the most of the day to connect with your kids. Remain positive.

Intentional Acts

A lot of the time, your kids may be a bit rowdy on top of your struggling days. 

These are days when your patience is tested to the max.

Stay focused on the positive. Select the battle you want to fight. You don’t have to win every time, all the time.

It’s hard not to multitask as a mom, especially when kids become the center of your daily schedule on top of work commitments. 

Being intentional frees you of your expectations. When you attempt to do everything without being purposeful and simply tuning in the auto mode – you don’t see the joy around doing; you complete tasks without regard. 

It takes emotional presence and empathy to be able to stay connected with your kids. But, in these times of many distractions, we do what we can to push through as parents.

You’ve loosened your bolts on screen time – for sure, and it’s not the end of the world in your parenting. But, something has got to give – use it to your advantage when you’re in survival mode.

Couple Connection

The schedule may not permit a weekly date night for you and your spouse. Instead, find the time to have a couple of hours to talk and reconnect. 

No kid topic, no schedule talk; just you and him. Find some date nights activities bringing in the fun together.

Take a hike and reminisce about your old times. Flip those picture albums you’ve saved in the attic. 

Grab a coffee or make a meal together. 

Hire a sitter. Take up that offer from friends and families to watch your kids for a couple of hours.

Self-care 

Now, this isn’t a reminder of what you’re putting aside instead of ahead. However, moms do get the endless responsibilities piling higher and more. 

Some will say it’s so overrated. It plows on your guilt that somehow in this busy world of mothering, you can’t even begin to think – when will I have the time or money to do stuff for myself. 

I’m here to encourage you to choose ONE simple, pure joy of doing something only for yourself. 

Some may argue that taking a soothing warm bath in the middle of the week is impractical. 

But, if it rejuvenates you, why not?

Others will argue, it’s part of your daily grooming. But have you ever had days gone by without showering? 

Yes? Then, mama, you’re not alone.

It is taking care of yourself – it’s called self-care. I understand the struggle when you’re crawling out of the duties as a homemaker and working. 

Find one thing that makes you happy. Then, choose to make it happen. Choose you.

RELATED POST: How to Incorporate Exercise into your Daily Life

Stay Organized

Clutter minds, hectic calendars, school, work deadlines – are just the tip of the iceberg moms face on their tasks list. 

Keep yourself amenable through planning your daily tasks and responsibilities. Get a planner. Trying to remember everything can be too much on our mental loads as moms. 

You may not accomplish all that you’ve set out to do during the day because something came up – but extend flexibility on your end.

When unstructured and chaos persists in the household, it’s harder to corral anything that adds to the overwhelmed.

Create an “ahead of time” attitude. Be ready when things might take a turn. Then, you’ve got your A-game in or your Plan B.

So, staying organized will help you to try to survive as a working mom.

Goodbye Perfection

When you’re trying to stay afloat, it’s magnificent to let go of perfection. Let go of all of it.

Don’t hook your leg unto perfection when all you want to do is survive.

Let it go. Done.

Dwelling more and seeking perfection in your motherhood will only contribute to despair on your part when it’s nearly impossible to achieve. 

Perfectionism can be a learned trait. It’s easy to get exhausted from unrealistic expectations of yourself and even your children as well. 

Don’t let it consume you. Never let it be the fuel that your children will strive for to gain your love and attention.

Children are sponges to the environment they’re in. Feeling unheard by parents, and when perfection is expected of them, they’ll tend to find some control from other areas. 

Keep stress down

As moms, holding it all together can be demanding. You’re being stretched out in all directions.

Your patience may be thinning out between parenting and working. 

Stay on top of your stress level. It’s easier to be aware and vigilant about it than to realize at the end that you’ve nowhere to go but crash.

Take charge of what’s getting on your nerves and stay grounded.

RELATED POST: Stress Relief Products for Moms: Recover and Relax

For your sake, hire help.

When in survival mode, you are already at the edge of a turn. Take this chance to delegate tasks at home. 

Such as household duties that can be outsourced and automating other responsibilities. Accepting that you need help and taking that step to ask or hire service – can take off a few loads from your hands.

Final Thoughts on Surviving Between Working and Motherhood

Moms tend to run themselves to the last drop of their gas tanks. They can all feel the stress rising and their bodies showing a ragged front.

Deep inside, you are drained. You are constantly questioning if you are fit to be in this role. But, then, suppose you’ve made the right decision to both work and mother simultaneously.

We face those questions every single day, most especially when we are in survival mode.

There’s nothing glorious about faking it to the outside world. But, unfortunately, the opinions of others won’t make your struggle any easier. 

What’s important is how you see yourself, how you feel inside, and what you’re going to do about it during challenging days.

We see in our modern world where those perfectly cut images on the outside – those are the highlights of other people’s lives. But, behind closed doors in anyone’s life, we don’t know.

We aren’t made to be perfect mothers. Instead, we are shaped into moms of what our children need. 

So if you are struggling, check off those lists above, and maybe one can stir a change. Let these survival tips guide and help all working moms that are scuffling between two worlds. 

See the yellow light flashing – slow down. Preserve your energy for what matters most without jeopardizing yourself, health, productivity, and most of all – sanity. 

Breathe in and out, Mama. You’ve got this.

Do you have anything to add with your survival tips while working and mothering? Share your tips in the comment section.

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