6. Since earning my undergraduate and MBA degrees from Harvard, I have coached thousands of professionals who aim to perform at the highest levels. At work, be mindful of the time you are spending socializing with co-workers if it is affecting your productivity. If you are unhappy with your current cut, try adding long, luxurious strands to give your confidence a boost. I think any working mom who tells you she isn’t struggling to maintain a work… What does integration really mean? A LOT of moms work. Then, make a list of jobs to be accomplished in a day. To reach your potential personally and professionally, you are either single or you have a partner who supports your dreams and is willing to do his or her part to divide and conquer at home and with the kids. Move To The Golden Triangle To gain more time, shift all of your errands to the three points between your work, your home and your child’s school. This is The Golden Triangle. One of the greatest joys of my career has been my experience working in so many parts of the business, from front-line customer support to process management and even branding. Be flexible enough to jump on an opportunity if it presents itself. So take care of yourself: Go to the gym, visit a museum, meet a friend for coffee, join a book club, or work on your hobby. Request positions across the company leveraging your skills to enhance your expertise. Being a working mom is extremely complicated because you’re constantly trying to cover many responsibilities all at the same time – your children, your job, your home and your partner if you have one. A couple of years ago, TIME published an article titled Working Women Who Try to Be “SuperMom” May Be More Depressed, in which researcher Katrina Leupp is quoted: “If you think you can have it all, don’t… Maybe knowing that you can almost have it all is the better way.”. A sports bra offers unmatched comfort and you don't even need to be working out to wear one. Hair extensions can change your whole look in minutes. The best thing you could do for yourself and your family is to be your best self while “on the clock” at work and to be present and engaged with your family when at home. The Amazing Entrepreneur Balancing Work and Family. Take a minute to look around. I knew I wanted to keep growing in my career, but I also wanted to be home for all of the milestone moments with my family. Research and ask questions and make sure that any company you consider working with truly has an inclusive culture. From the grocery store to the dentist to the hair salon, shift these errands to fit within it. Melissa McDevitt is vice president in diversity & inclusion at Capital One, where she has worked for more than 16 years in positions across the company in numerous departments. Communicate openly with your manager. Being a working mom with three kids can be difficult. Declare priorities: getting home for dinner knowing there will be a little late night email. The right workout top can make or break your gym time. A Bonnier Corporation Company. Ask for the raise? Regardless of how many children you have, there will be challenges along the way. Daily train commuters are slave to the schedule; behave like one of them. In moving across functions, I’ve been able to learn from colleagues who approach challenges, manage teams and create solutions in unique ways, giving me an ever-increasing appreciation of diverse perspectives. 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. Add that too. If you're uncomfortable with wearing something that's too tight or something so low cut you feel exposed, there's…. One benefit I’m especially proud of is our recent increase in maternity leave to 18 weeks and paternity/secondary parent leave to 12 weeks, in addition to our adoption/foster care leave. But either way, you are working from home, and thus you can work when you want. I had two young children under age 3. The majority of your clients are not going to care when you get the work done. I specialize in helping people thrive professionally and personally. Working moms often find our salary competes with the cost of childcare. To have the life you want, you need to make this adjustment. This is magic. Over the course of my career, I’ve become a better teammate and leader because of how I’ve responded to the opportunities that I’ve been given—as well as the ones I asked for. Full-time working moms go through a whole gamut of emotions—crying at your desk because you think baby loves the nanny more, dropping off a screaming toddler at day care and (after feeling horrible for a few minutes) running out the door and throwing a diaper in the air like Mary Tyler Moore tossed up her hat (if you haven’t seen reruns of the old show, it’s the “Hooray, I’m free!” toss). After she eats, he does her hair. Recognize accomplished goals. January To-Do's for Successful Working Moms Call me crazy but I love January. As a mom and entrepreneur, it is important that you don’t neglect either role. The first few years may be rough, but once your kids are all in school, it gets easier. 6:45 or 7 a.m. Don’t let your degree hold you back. That’s not to say that I’ve taken advantage of all of them in the way that was expected, but sometimes walking away from an opportunity is as powerful as accepting one. They don't depend on others to validate them. After the kids go to sleep, take a night to have an open conversation and spend time writing down what each of you does in a given week, this is your path to a Partnershift. Many products featured on this site were editorially chosen. Communication is the key to being a good mom. I am so very grateful for the environment where I get to work. The further in advance you calendar them, the greater your chance of protecting them. It’s always easier to leave for work when you’re organized at home. How to be a successful working mom and partner Often children come Just a few of my daily mantras: This isn’t rocket science, and I am by no means the first person to share. 1. Working mothers bring a diverse and powerful set of experiences that can contribute to a successful team in the workplace. Take time at the beginning of the week to identify top priorities and then reflect at the end of the week. Breathe: which works for my toddler and it works for me too. As an executive at a leading financial services and technology company with two young children, I’m often asked how I maintain a balanced personal and professional life. Add volume and style with these gorgeous and real human hair extensions. Limit long lunch breaks and surfing the internet so that you can get the most out of your work time. It doesn’t have to be all about planning and structure. ... For me the biggest battle is how to fit everything into my work schedule, my mom schedule and my business schedule. The challenge was: My work required travel all over the world, and that didn’t integrate so well with my life. Bad days come and go, but they don’t stick. Seek help from working parents. As a full time mom and student and a part time worker, I have come to the conclusion that yeah, I won’t be rich now, but after graduation and when all this hard work pays off, I will be able to provide for myself and my family the way I want to. A trip to buy new shoes with your child? I arrive at work. But I’m grateful to be able to do this throughout my career at Capital One. I wanted to take them to swimming lessons once a week. Here are three high waisted looks that you’ll be wearing…, 20 Hilarious Parents’ Tweets About 'Caillou' Being Canceled, The Best Sports Bras for Every Athletic Activity and Body Type, Mom on Maternity Leave Sues Company After Holiday Drinks Snub, Wins $12,000, These Hair Extensions Will Take Your Look to the Next Level, The Best Baby Toys to Encourage Your Child's Development, The Best High Waisted Jeans to Keep “Muffin-Top” Away. Let yourself off the hook. Some good moms have bad days and decide spontaneously to feed the kids ice cream for dinner.” “Some good moms throw amazing parties, volunteer at school all the time, fit into their skinny jeans on the way home from delivering their babies, and some good moms want to throw toilet paper in the yards of those moms just before it rains.” Here are the five things many parents give up to achieve a successful work-life balance: 1. Don’t expect your company to protect your personal life, that’s your job. Ask yourself who wins when you feel guilty and then name all of those who lose. Since earning my undergraduate and MBA degrees from Harvard, I have coached thousands of…. Let my son have a friend sleep over this weekend? Flat irons…. I love the feeling of renewal that comes from a brand new year. Democrats Win The Senate. Even in today’s world, it takes a village to raise a child. Kirstin: This is definitely a great job for a stay-at-home moms! All Rights Reserved, This is a BETA experience. In 2015, 69.9 percent of mothers with children under age 18 were in the labor force. Working moms tend to put themselves last on the list, but regenerating your own inner strength and peace will go a long way toward giving you the energy you need to be a mom. A dilemma that a lot of parents face when they consider going to school is how they will have enough time to actually make money and work. Mentor and give back. Now that we have started to confront some of the workplace issues that can hold us back, it is time to address our lifestyle challenges and the opportunities to solve them. I am a bestselling author of five books, the CEO of Work Life Love, an entrepreneur and keynote speaker. Stay organized at home. While working moms may be becoming more common, that doesn’t mean it is getting easierMom guilt is very real. You can read the article for yourself, but here’s a spoiler alert: There’s no shocking information to be read. This is The Golden Triangle. Instead of beating yourself up, give yourself permission to let it go and move on. Opportunities will present themselves when others know. Workingmother.com is part of the Working Mother Network, a division of Bonnier Corporation. Who Will Find The Insurrectionists First: Law Enforcement Or HR? Learn to say “no” As overwhelmed working moms, you are responsible for a lot of things in your life. After many hours of self-reflection, conversations with friends and family, and debates with my husband, I’ve found a recipe for success with life-work integration rather than work-life balance. Be flexible enough to jump on an opportunity if it presents itself. Things don’t always go as planned. Wishing you so much success with your life as a working Mom. It’s always easier to leave for work when you’re organized at home. Motherhood. One of you can start work later to drop the children to school or child care, while the other finishes work earlier to pick the children up. To gain more time, shift all of your errands to the three points between your work, your home and your child’s school. But with only 24 hours in the day, how do we do it all? However, your fellow working mamas can also help out. As working moms, we can drown in the myriad of daily decisions. And after all the quick math is said and done, some conclude that it’s best to quit and be the primary caregiver. Embrace the imperfection and move on to the next moment which is likely to be a far better one. That means I can have a long list of things to do for a given week and I still feel like I cannot do it. Their Pride About Asking for Help. Whether you work from home or at the office, all working moms could use a helping hand every now and then. Regardless of how much your child does or doesn’t talk to you, communication is about much more than the number of words that come out of your child’s mouth. Never stop learning new skills. Schedule a call while driving, or carpool with a friend or colleague so you can take turns working from the passenger seat. "I knew I wanted to keep growing in my career, but I also wanted to be home for all of the milestone moments with my family.". With support from my entire management team, I found another role within Capital One that stretched me in new ways while enabling me to be the best me—in life and at work. Once Rylee's ready, she usually plays with her Leapster until it's time to go. © 2021 Forbes Media LLC. If you are paired up but unequal, it is time to turn your spouse into a partner. The answer is simple—I don’t. Get your partner involved Working mom’s in college must juggle responsibilities, and this is where having a partner comes in. Made with stimulating colors, shapes and sounds, these baby toys will begin educating them a…, High waisted jeans are now a fashion staple, it’s time to embrace its best benefit—slimming your mid-section! For me, it’s not about striving for a perfect balancing act but rather integrating across all aspects of life so you can bring your whole self to everything you do. Fill your sports bra drawer with these styles you’ll actually enjoy wearing. And identify distractions that have kept you from goals. And if you find yourself making decisions based on guilt, rethink them. A lot depends on how much you can work … Here are 10 ways I believe working moms can gain success at work: Find what you enjoy. Know that your attitude is EVERYTHING!! As an overwhelmed working mom, you get a lot of intelligent ideas from magazines, friends and the internet about how to manage work, children, and a household. And when we feel more connected at work we are more successful. I had a fabulous manager who challenged me and was my best advocate, plus I loved my entire team. I wanted to carpool with my husband to work to catch up and enjoy simple moments together. It’s about being actively involved in their interests. “Some good moms make healthy meals. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, and continuously refocus your true goals. As well as having a social life, if you can even remember what that felt like! To be able to juggle everything, you should know your limit and learn when to say no to the things that people are asking you to be responsible over. ‘Partnership As The New Leadership’—A Top Philanthropist Explains. I specialize in helping people thrive professionally and personally. A few years ago, I was in a role that I absolutely loved! All rights reserved. Managing life-work integration is always easier when your company offers flexible work solutions and great benefits—so be selective. Make trade-offs: dropping my preschooler off at school once a week or taking that 5:30 p.m. call from the car. If a trusted family member or friend offers help, accept it when you need it. My entire career has been at Capital One, which provides associates with award-winning benefits, training, healthcare and recognition programs. I wanted to be home for bedtime. Use those precious minutes for work or for yourself. Relationship building is always worth the investment of time. On a good day, you rush home from work and get an hour or two ... these moms are still working 40 hours per week — or maybe even more — but the work … Copy By: Alice Rossiter; Feature image By: @sa_anderson; You’ve got a fridge papered with to-do lists and an epic bookmark backlog of work-life-balance articles. Institute a weekly meeting to plan meals, date nights, child care, travel and such. For this and so many other reasons, I’m proud of Capital One’s consistent recognition on Fortune’s 100 Best Places to Work For and the Working Mother 100 Best Companies lists. Develop a relationship with your boss so you can comfortably discuss your career and how it impacts your family. Time management starts with scheduling. What Should Businesses Expect? Say yes to a client dinner next week? Name: Sarah Allison (30 years old) Previous job: Google AdWords specialist Previous salary: $25,000 New job: Owner at Mother of Marketing Current salary: $75,000 Allison’s old job involved working as social media manager at an agency where she asked for a raise as her employer kept making her work more. A friend sleep over this weekend system and you stay as organized as you possibly can you. Friend offers help, accept it when you need to be working out to one! The working Mother Network, a division of Bonnier Corporation may be rough, but don! Of things in your life as a working mom making decisions based on guilt, rethink them patches! Up to achieve a successful working mom and partner Often children come Wishing you so much that you can or... Expect your company to protect your personal life, if you Find yourself decisions. 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