For the Working Mums: 10 Tips from Susie Burrell

Whether you work part-time, full-time or from home, the life of a working mum is a constant juggle. And I don’t just mean paid work! All mums work hard, and even if you are an excellent juggler, chances are you have little to no time for yourself. This often means that eating and exercising are the first things that suffer when things get particularly frantic.

The good thing about being a working mum is that you have to be exceptionally organised to survive. Luckily mums can use these organisational skills to get their food and exercise on track, no matter how many hours they work – both paid and unpaid.

Below are my top 10 tips for working mums.

Tip 1: Be prepared

There is no other group for which food preparation and organisation is more important. If you do not start your working week with at least two meals ready to go and have your lunch ready the night before – the chances that you will eat well and be in control of your weight are slim. If though, you get yourself into a good habit of preparing as much food as you can for the week ahead – whether it be on the weekend or when you have time off during the week – you will not only feel more in control of your life in general but also in control of your weight.

Tip 2: Put in place core structures and rules

Another common characteristic of efficient mums is their ability to develop core structures and rules within their own household so that things run smoothly. Whether it be no television during the week, strict bedtimes, set meals each week or quick meals on working days – these rules keep kids, partners and staff in-line so that you can get done what needs to be done during your busiest times during the week. Structures, rules and timetables help most of us – but even more so when your days are run by the minute.

Tip 3: Know your quick meals

When things are tracking along well you may have your meals planned and pre-prepared in advance. However, sometimes thing will simply not go to plan and for these nights you need to know what healthy meals you can make in 10 minutes. Whether it is chicken with vegetables, frozen fish with some cut salad or a quick scrambled eggs, have a list of meals you can prepare with basic ingredients on hand and know you can always resort to these should you need to.

Tip 4: Always have a backup plan

This mantra tends to serve many aspects of life well – but especially those who things generally need to come together on a daily basis! Ensure you always have a backup plan whether it be for dinner, social events, the weather or even what to wear means that you are far less likely to be stressed, disappointed or upset when things do not go to plan. “What if?” is always a good question to ask yourself for this reason.

Tip 5: Use the help around you

One of the key characteristics of women who lead frantic lives – but who also manage to stay in control – is that they utilise the help around them. Whether this is using baby sitters, partners, family, friends, your children’s friend’s parents or workmates – these women contract out whatever they can afford to so that they can either be working, or a mum, or simply taking time out and not trying to do everything. Naturally, the capacity to do this varies widely between individuals. Even if it means that you negotiate for your partner to give you a night off cooking each week, you are at least working towards being able to pull some time for yourself within your chaotic life.

Tip 6: Be smart with time

Think about where you waste time the most. Whether it be watching television and the advertisements that come with it, commuting during the busiest times, shopping when the supermarket is busiest or talking on the phone, try and identify these times through the day and brainstorm ways to make these time wasters work better for you.

Tip 7: Schedule down time

Down time may seem an unfathomable concept for mums. However, even if it is just 30 minutes each evening before you go to sleep or for an hour each weekend. Schedule some time when you can switch off, sit and be calm to refocus and decompress from the frantic world. Create a sacred space and set aside time to be in it. Make the space as calm and relaxing as possible – you may fall asleep but at least you had the time to switch off completely.

Tip 8: Know when to give yourself a break

Highly organised, efficient and high-achieving people not only tend to do well in life but they also tend to be very good at giving themselves a hard time – especially when things are not done perfectly! While there is nothing wrong with having high standards, knowing when to lay off and give yourself a break when things may have not gone 100 percent to plan is important. Life is hard enough without giving yourself a hard time as well.

Tip 9: Seek out those who support you

Be smart with people and ensure that the core group you have around you – whether it be friends or family – are indeed those people who nourish your soul and help you to be the best you can be. Life can be busy and stressful so limit the time you spend with energy drainers and seek out the time and company of those who help you – rather than bringing you down emotionally or psychologically.

Tip 10: Prioritise sleep

The funny thing about sleep is that with just a little more of it we are likely to feel better, look better and function better. If you are getting less than six hours of sleep a night on a regular basis, or often find yourself asleep on the couch in the early hours of the morning – then it is time to take the elixir of sleep a little more seriously. Even if you can only manage it for three or four days each week, make an effort to get into bed before midnight and avoid any form of electronic stimulus in the bedroom. Not only will your relationship function better but so will your body.

About the author