Thriving in the Juggle: The Power of Work-Life Balance for Professional Moms

If you are a fellow juggler – a professional, a mother, a partner, and an individual with passions and skills you're still trying to express - it's a pleasure to meet you, my good sis!

In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, we often find ourselves juggling multiple roles with unwavering dedication. We're not just professionals excelling in our careers, but also nurturing mothers, supporting partners, and remarkably talented individuals in our own right. Amidst this whirlwind, there's a fundamental aspect that deserves our attention and care – work-life balance.

DON'T STOP READING!! I know you've probably seen articles, posts and videos that tell you, you can't achieve balance but I am inviting you to hear me out for a few more sentences. Ok? Ok!

Here's the truth: It's not just an elusive concept; it's a game-changer that can transform the way we approach our careers and family lives. Our ability to find that equilibrium matters in:

1. Nurturing our well-being by helping us to carve out time for self-care, recharging our batteries, and maintaining our physical and mental well-being. That is not IMPOSSIBLE!
2. Creating quality time with family: We work hard for them but make no time to get to know them. Our family deserves our undivided attention. By creating boundaries and dedicating time to our loved ones, we enrich our relationships and create the moments and memories that matter.
3. Enhancing Professional Productivity: Striking the right balance doesn't mean compromising our career. On the contrary, it empowers us to approach our work with renewed focus and energy, boosting our efficiency as we learn to make smarter decisions with our time.
4. Setting a Positive Example: As professional moms, we're setting an example for our children. Demonstrating the importance of balance teaches them how to prioritize and manage responsibilities effectively; avoid burn out and build a habit of self care.
5. Personal Fulfillment: Your passions and interests deserve attention too. A balanced life gives you the space to pursue hobbies, personal goals, and activities that bring you joy.

If you are open to new titles, you are an artiste. What you, we do is a sort of high-stakes act that is not easily replicated, a performance so many of us work hard to master because we know important it is to get each area of life aligned and under control. When we get our "act" together we feel fulfilled, as though our lives are #onpurpose and that is not just essential but transformative.

Act 1: Define Balance Beyond the Scales

Imagine stepping onto a tightrope, suspended between the demands of our careers and the needs of our families. That's what we are often told that balance is, the thin line you stand on with one leg up. However, balance for professional moms, is not about perfectly distributed hours; it's about ensuring that each aspect of our lives receives the attention it deserves. It's about embracing the ebb and flow, recognizing that our roles can coexist harmoniously instead of competing rapidly for our attention. I define work life balance as:

developing a rhythm that helps me to manage my time, energy, and attention so I can fulfil my work commitments while also nurturing my well-being and that of my family and my relationships.

Think of an orchestra's conductor harmonizing diverse instruments, each with its unique melody, creating a beautiful composition. In our lives, we're the conductors. Our job is to know what harmony will sound like to us, when to rase the volume on one instrument, lower it on another, introduce the flutes or halt the sound of cymbals. what sounds good for you in this season? Play those instruments! That is your harmony, your balance.

Act 2: Manage your Time, Energy & Attention

Boundaries are essential to developing and maintaining balance. In a world that glorifies 'busy,' the first boundary is with your time. Allocate and protect time for work, rest, play and relationship nourishment. Develop principles around what you give your time to. Not every ask deserves a "yes". Let people wait for you to consider and qualify the request they have made on your non-refundable, non-renewable, non-transferrable resource - time. Here's a short video I posted a few days ago about how we treat our time.

Act 3: Prioritize

All things do not need to be in play at once for their to be harmony. Identify your top priorities in both work and family life. Embrace the idea that when aligned, they can enhance each other and make the sound of other 'instruments' unnecessary!

Work-life balance isn't an unattainable dream; it's a reality we can craft. We can step off the tightrope, find our equilibrium, thrive in our careers and as mothers, partners and individuals, create the harmony we want in our lives. It's a choice...a choice to get our ACTS together!

Need more guidance on how to create harmony? Check out my most recent YOUTUBE VIDEO which goes deeper into the tools and strategies you can use to build and maintain work-life balance.

Krystal Tomlinson is a Courage Coach and Oratory Wizard! She is a Public Speaking Coach and Self Management Strategist helping individuals and teams in the Caribbean and North America to achieve more in their personal and professional lives. She holds Certification from UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Centre in the Science of Happiness and works passionately to help improve workplace wellness and personal productivity. For trainings, workshops and seminar bookings email?[email protected]