Working and being a family woman is no easy feat. It’s like combining two different and constantly warring worlds together. Work has demands that, in most times, are at odds with your family life. However, if you are a career woman, a wife and a mom at the same time, YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
And bless the many women in the world who have found ways to jive working with home life and are willing to share these. For who would support our rising population best but us, too? Here are 8 life hacks from working moms that could make your home and work lives a tad breezier.
1. Spike your morning coffee with collagen powder.
Collagen powders are not just good protein sources, they also have a lot of health benefits. And if you mix it with your usual daily caffeine intake [works best with iced coffee], it’s like hitting two birds with one stone, says one working mom.
“It’s my daily no-brainer to-go-to drink! I not only fulfill my caffeine craving, I get protein and feel energized at the same time,” she gushed.
2. Make your toddler’s playground your gym.
Moms, take advantage of the times you spend with your toddlers in playgrounds. Instead of letting them play on your own as you hover around trying to get work done through your smartphone, ditch the device and get all dirty! You’re toddler will be happy at the end of the playtime and you get your much needed dose of exercise.
As one working mom puts it, “I play with my kid and she loves it. Or I get to do lunges and squats as she plays on the sand. Whatever works, we both go home exhausted and exercised in the end!”
3. Make up your very own “drop zone” to prevent paper file-ups at home.
Papers are every home’s number 1 clutter [aside from toys!]. So, one company owner-mom’s advice is this – create a “drop zone” for these papers.
“Put your mails and whatever papers you need to get updated with or sort out in one place,” she said. “Nothing fancy, any rectangular box big enough to hold things will do. Everyday, whenever bills and mail arrive, any reading materials you picked up that you might want to read, school forms your kids bring home . . . put them in this drop zone. Then, allot about 20 or 30 minutes at night sorting stuff out. It doesn’t even take that long to go through everything! And most of all, you know exactly where to look for should you need anything from the file.”
4. Have a “merging pouch”.
Much like the “drop zone”, a “merging pouch” is where you put everything you need for the next day.
“Every night, I gather everything I might need for the next day – may they be permission slips, return receipts, even swimming googles if someone needs that! – inside my “merging pouch”. So, even if everyone’s running late when we wake up in the morning, I don’t have to remember 10 to 15 things I need to bring. I only have to grab that one pouch before I go,” says the working mom who came up with this life hack.
5. Olive oil + egg = perfect DIY hair repair.
If your mane’s all dry, brittle and simply just unruly, you don’t need to get to your hairdresser just yet. Try the olive oil and egg combination that does wonders to taming hair, says one working mom.
“The olive oil and egg hair mask is one great hair DIY that’ll take care of your mane’s dry and brittle strands. Just wash your hair well to get rid of any unwanted smell when you’re done,” she advises.
Note, this DIY mask works best for curls.
6. Peppermint oil to drive the headache and blues away.
“When I feel like I’m coming down with a headache, either hormonal or stress-related, I rub peppermint oil on my temples,” says a NY working mom. “It doesn’t just take care of the ache, it also leaves off a fresh feeling that just improves my mood for the rest of the day.”
7. Breaks are a must.
Things can get harried if you balance work with family. So, one working mom says breaks are a must.
“I take breaks religiously!” this cross-trainer mom says with a laugh. I always have a day off every week. It just doesn’t give me free time, it also gives my body time to relax and repair. I have better workouts because of these breaks!”
8. Turning off your devices, advisably at night, are a must, too!
This same cross-trainer-slash-blogger mom also insists that it pays to log off and turn off your devices advisably at night.
“I turn off my smartphone every night, from 9:30 PM to 7 in the morning. This means I get to sleep undisturbed without having have to wake up every time my phone dings with an incoming mail or text or call. By the time I turn it on the next day at 7 AM, I already did my morning ritual – exercise, take care of the kids and husband and get ready for work. It just allows for a positive start in my day!”
Well, working moms, do you have any life hacks to add to this list? Sound off below!
