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	<title>modernmami™ &#187; working moms</title>
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	<description>Parenting and Work-Life Balance Stories from a Working Mother and Business Owner</description>
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		<title>Why This Working Mom Agrees with Mayer&#8217;s &#8216;No Work from Home&#8217; Policy</title>
		<link>http://www.modernmami.com/wahm/working-mom-agrees-with-mayer-no-work-from-home-policy/</link>
		<comments>http://www.modernmami.com/wahm/working-mom-agrees-with-mayer-no-work-from-home-policy/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 04 Mar 2013 19:08:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Melanie Edwards</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[guest-posts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wahm]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Working Mothers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[flexible work arrangements]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marissa Mayer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[telecommute]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[telecommuting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[work at home]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[work flexibility]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[work from home]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[working from home]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[working moms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[working parents]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[working remotely]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[workplace flexibility]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Yahoo]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.modernmami.com/?p=6460</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Editor&#8217;s note: The following is an anonymous guest post from a working mom of one child. She shares her personal views on the recent discussions of working from home and Marissa Mayer&#8217;s ban on telecommuting for Yahoo employees. Last week, when I heard Yahoo&#8217;s CEO Marissa Mayer was going to put a ban on telecommuting, [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/76029035@N02/6829467731/"><img class="aligncenter" title="Working Mom in the Office" alt="Working Mom in the Office" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7019/6829467731_d5f0b6ceed.jpg" width="490" height="368" /></a></p>
<div style="border: thin; background: #D3D9E7; padding: 10px; margin-bottom: 15px;"><em>Editor&#8217;s note: The following is an anonymous guest post from a working mom of one child. She shares her personal views on the recent discussions of working from home and Marissa Mayer&#8217;s ban on telecommuting for Yahoo employees.</em></div>
<p>Last week, when I heard <a id="" href="http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-02-28/the-excessive-uproar-over-marissa-mayers-telecommuting-ban" target="_blank">Yahoo&#8217;s CEO Marissa Mayer was going to put a ban on telecommuting</a>, I didn&#8217;t get why it caused such an uproar. I kind of admire Mayer for making that call. I’m a working mother. I have a special needs child. And I do not work from home.</p>
<p>I work for one of the largest media companies in the world, a place ranked as one of the best places to work for women , specifically working mothers. And I suppose that is true – but, only for <em>some</em> mothers.</p>
<p><span id="more-6460"></span></p>
<h2>Shared Motherhood, Different Lifestyles</h2>
<p>My boss and I were pregnant at the same time. We are about the same age. We have the same hour-long commute – except in opposite directions. When my boss entered her sixth month of pregnancy, she started working from home two days a week. I worked <em>almost to the end</em>.</p>
<p>In my eighth month of pregnancy, there was a transit strike. During those few days, I came into the office with my husband (a FedEx employee) who drove into work with his coworkers. I was in the office by 6 in the morning and didn’t leave until after six in the evening – when my husband got out of work. I did this for several days – with no overtime, not even a thank you for making the effort to come in. At this point, my boss was <strong>working remotely <em>five days a week</em></strong>.</p>
<p>I returned to work from maternity leave in early May, my boss did too – except she worked remotely for another month before returning to the office. I left my baby with a neighbor, while she had a nanny coming to her house. When my boss returned to work, she explained that she would be working remotely two days a week. She was breastfeeding and needed the time to bond with her child.</p>
<p>Two years later, my boss stopped breastfeeding, but continued to work remotely. Her son was enrolled in classes during the week and she wanted to be as involved as possible. &#8220;<i>These are the most important years – I want to be there for him as much as I can</i>,&#8221; she said.</p>
<p>I would have liked that option too. But, I came into the office 5 days a week &#8211; if I worked through my lunch, I was allowed to leave at 4:30 instead of 5:30.</p>
<h2>No Flexible Options for Most</h2>
<p>When my son was diagnosed with autism, I went into my boss&#8217; office – crying, overwhelmed and uncertain of what to do. My son’s therapy required 15 – 20 hours per week of home-based therapy. I remember asking if I could work from home temporarily – at least one day a week so that I could be involved and he could get the maximum amount of therapy. My boss explained that working from home could not be an option for me &#8211; “<i>Your job requires you to be in the office,</i>” she said. The best she could do was reduce my work hours, which would impact my salary and vacation time. It was an option I couldn’t afford.</p>
<p>I was lucky I had my mother who was willing to help, that my husband worked less hours (making less money) and that I found a therapist willing to work later hours in the day, so I can at least catch the last thirty minutes of her therapy sessions.</p>
<p>Our sons are now seven years old, and my boss still works from home two (sometimes three) days a week. On her work-from-home days, she gets to take her son to school and pick him up. She schedules medical appointments, signs her son up for after-school activities, volunteers at her son’s school as a helping parent, and chaperones class trips and runs errands.</p>
<p><strong>On her &#8220;work-from-home&#8221; days, she takes care of all the things that require me to take vacation time.</strong></p>
<p>Having a child with special needs requires many appointments; many of my vacation days are spent sitting in waiting rooms. If the tables were reversed – if my boss&#8217; son had special needs – she&#8217;d never take a vacation day for an appointment. <strong>She&#8217;d never have to choose between working and being there for her child</strong>; she&#8217;d get to be involved in everything.</p>
<p>Earlier this year, my son&#8217;s school bus company was on strike. My son&#8217;s school is more than twenty miles away from our home and with limited options, I was forced to choose between going to work and sending my son to school. Within two weeks, I took four vacation days, struggling to get my son to and from school.</p>
<p>With no idea how long the strike would last, I asked my boss about options. I knew better than to ask for a work from home option but in such an extreme case, it would have been a great option to have. Once again, there was nothing my boss could do except offer me time off without pay. And then we discussed her schedule for the following week – she was switching her work from home days because it was her son’s birthday and she was going to his school to celebrate. (<em>Insensitive much</em>?)</p>
<h2>Working From Home a Privilege, for Some</h2>
<p>Working from home is a privilege, a luxury offered to a woman like my boss – a working mother with a six-figure salary who has a nanny, a housekeeper and a husband with a six-figure salary. And my boss has me – an administrative assistant – who faxes and photocopies her son&#8217;s insurance forms, prints out her holiday card labels and other personal things that have absolutely nothing to do with the company. She doesn&#8217;t have time for these things, she says.</p>
<p>My boss isn’t the only working mother in our office who has the privilege to work from home and be there for her children. Other high level executives have that option, while their assistants come into the office five days a week, leaving their children with babysitters, daycare centers, and after-school programs. <strong>To say this blatant inequality in the office causes resentment and animosity among working mothers is an understatement.</strong> <em>The message sent to the lower income working mothers? Some women’s children matter and others don’t</em>.</p>
<p>I know this isn’t the reasoning behind Marissa Mayer&#8217;s decision to have all employees return to the office. But this &#8216;uproar about working mothers&#8217; speaks only to a certain demographic of women. Unless companies are willing to <strong>provide all employees with the option to work from home and/or flexible work arrangements</strong>, then it shouldn’t be offered at all.</p>
<p><em>Photo: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/76029035@N02/6829467731/">Victor1558/Flickr</a></em></p>
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		<title>Marissa Mayer &amp; Yahoo Send a Clear (Negative) Message to Employees &amp; Working Parents</title>
		<link>http://www.modernmami.com/wahm/marissa-mayer-yahoo-send-negative-message-to-working-parents/</link>
		<comments>http://www.modernmami.com/wahm/marissa-mayer-yahoo-send-negative-message-to-working-parents/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 25 Feb 2013 04:36:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Melanie Edwards</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Wahm]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Working Mothers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marissa Mayer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[telecommute]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[telecommuting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[work at home]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[work from home]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[working moms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[working parents]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Yahoo]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.modernmami.com/?p=6422</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[News of Yahoo CEO, Marissa Mayer, eliminating workplace flexibility and forcing all employees to work in the office (even those that were already telecommuting) hit the Internet this past weekend with much backlash. Many people felt her decision negatively affects working parents and destroys chances of moving forward with modern workplace policies. In a time [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/76029035@N02/6829285309/" title="01 (286) by Victor1558, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7149/6829285309_48f52461a4.jpg" width="490" height="368" class="aligncenter" title="Woman Working in the Office" alt="Woman Working in the Office"/></a></p>
<p>News of Yahoo CEO, Marissa Mayer, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lisa-belkin/marissa-mayer-work-from-home-yahoo-rule_b_2750256.html">eliminating workplace flexibility and forcing all employees to work in the office</a> (even those that were already telecommuting) hit the Internet this past weekend with much backlash. Many people felt her decision negatively affects working parents and destroys chances of moving forward with modern workplace policies. In a time when families are often choosing between work and family and struggling to manage various aspects of life, I have to agree that the decision of Yahoo and their CEO was a bad one.</p>
<p><span id="more-6422"></span></p>
<p>Granted, it is not Yahoo&#8217;s or Mayer&#8217;s responsibility to show the way for the entire workforce, but as with much in this world, big companies take the example of other big companies. You can be sure this decision to not allow employees to work from home, will become a case study of sorts that other CEOs and company managers will use to justify their own telecommute decisions. That&#8217;s the thing about leadership &#8211; even when you don&#8217;t mean to be a leader, by being in a leadership position (which CEO of a large technology company most certainly is), you are automatically looked to for leadership.</p>
<p>Marissa Mayer has had an opportunity to be a leader for women, especially, and has failed twice to seize those opportunities. Instead, the example she&#8217;s set both times have in many ways set women back when it comes to the struggles we face in the workforce. But, let&#8217;s be clear that it&#8217;s not just women affected by her decisions. These days, men are also wanting better work flexibility and the opportunity to be more present for their families. </p>
<p>Perhaps Mayer isn&#8217;t trying to be antiquated in her methods, but just trying to get a company back on track by bringing all employees together under one building. <em>Maybe</em>. But, as I told a friend in another online forum, Marissa Mayer could have (easily) individually assessed each employee&#8217;s status, work standards, and productivity level, and made the proper adjustments where necessary. If that meant some employees would no longer be able to telecommute, then as a CEO, she has a responsibility to retract that perk (for those individuals) in the best interest of the company. However, I&#8217;m sure there are some employees that are being more productive by telecommuting and having the flexibility, that will now suffer greatly (both at work and at home) in adhering to the new no telecommuting policy. Instead of creating a blanket policy that will affect all employees, Marissa Mayer could have taken a more staggered approach. </p>
<p>I don&#8217;t expect that one woman, or even one company, will fix the workforce issues women and parents face. But, I do believe that a person who leads should consider the message sent in making such bold decisions. And the message sent by Mayer and Yahoo is loud and clear &#8211; we are not flexible.</p>
<p><strong><em>What are your thoughts on Yahoo and Marissa Mayer&#8217;s decision to not allow their employees to work from home? Do you feel it sets working parents back? Or is this just good business for Yahoo?</em></strong></p>
<p><em>Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/76029035@N02/6829285309/">Victor1558/Flickr</a></em></p>
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		<slash:comments>11</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Traveling: The Good and The Bad</title>
		<link>http://www.modernmami.com/wahm/working-mom-business-travel/</link>
		<comments>http://www.modernmami.com/wahm/working-mom-business-travel/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 16 May 2012 17:32:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Melanie Edwards</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wahm]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Working Mothers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[balance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[business mom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[business travel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[business trips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[traveling for business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wohm]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Work]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[work at home mom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[work life balance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[working moms]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.modernmami.com/?p=5336</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Three weeks of travel can certainly throw you for a loop. One one hand, I was able to attend two conferences and attend a brand event, so business-wise, they were good trips. On the other hand, I&#8217;m internally off-balance after traveling three weeks in a row. Good and bad. There were plenty of good things [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><a title="Suitcase" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/highwaysagency/6008275527/"><img class="aligncenter" src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6002/6008275527_79d2e1a018.jpg" alt="Suitcase" width="490" height="340" /></a></p>
<p>Three weeks of travel can certainly throw you for a loop. One one hand, I was able to attend two conferences and attend a brand event, so business-wise, they were good trips. On the other hand, I&#8217;m internally off-balance after traveling three weeks in a row.</p>
<p><em>Good and bad</em>. There were plenty of good things about these trips and I don&#8217;t regret for a second going on any of them. But, as is true with much in life, with the good comes the bad.</p>
<p><strong>The Good</strong></p>
<p><span id="more-5336"></span></p>
<ul>
<li>I was very lucky to have been able to take my family along for both conferences. Though I was mostly attending the conferences, I did get to see them in the mornings and nights. This helped ease the &#8220;miss you&#8221; moments for both the kids and myself.</li>
<li>I was able to meet new people, have great conversations, and learn from all three trips.</li>
<li>I had time to reflect on several things and take advantage of some quiet time to be able to just think.</li>
<li>I was able to learn more about this brand and find ways we can possibly work together in the future.</li>
<li>I came home from the most recent trip feeling more calm and full of ideas, rather than feeling just tired. I&#8217;m still tired, but the feeling was lessened.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>The Bad</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>My routine was thrown off and is still off.</li>
<li>I&#8217;m still catching up on work.</li>
<li>My family missed me, and I missed them.</li>
<li>My daughter, in particular, was affected by the most recent trip and shed some tears in class because she missed me.</li>
<li>My head is spinning a bit from being in many places within such a short time, but in a good kind of way.</li>
</ul>
<p>None of this is extreme or unmanageable. My girl&#8217;s classroom situation really affected me the day I received notice from her teacher. But, after talking with her about it and thinking it through, I realized that at least she was able to express her thoughts. I explained to her that it&#8217;s absolutely normal to feel that way and that I too missed her. She also realizes these trips are part of my work and describes them as such. I feel it&#8217;s good for her to see this side of me in addition to the other roles she sees me play at home.</p>
<p>There are months where I go without any travel, so in the end, all things even out. <strong><em>How do you balance out the good and the bad of business travel?</em></strong></p>
<p>Photo: <em><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/highwaysagency/6008275527/">Highways Agency/Flickr</a></em></p>
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		<title>Motherhood: More Than a Juggling Act</title>
		<link>http://www.modernmami.com/parenting/motherhood/juggling-motherhood-responsibilities/</link>
		<comments>http://www.modernmami.com/parenting/motherhood/juggling-motherhood-responsibilities/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 10 Jan 2011 19:50:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jeannette Kaplun</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Motherhood]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Working Mothers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[balance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[balancing family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[balancing work]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[busy moms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[family responsibilities]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[jeannette kaplun]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[juggling motherhood]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[me time]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[time for mom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[todobebe]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[viva la familia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Work]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[work life balance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[work responsibilities]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[working moms]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.modernmami.com/?p=3605</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I’m on maternity leave as of December 8: The following is a guest post by Jeannette Kaplun. Those who know me well, say that I always seem to be on the run. But I know I&#8217;m not the only one. Moms everywhere seem to be scrambling for time and we usually manage to juggle (sometimes, [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/archeon/573610429/"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3606" title="Women Juggling" src="http://www.modernmami.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/573610429_f05b93a701.jpg" alt="Women Juggling" width="488" height="366" /></a></p>
<div style="border: thin; background: #D3D9E7; padding: 10px; margin-bottom: 15px;"><em>I’m on maternity leave as of December 8: The following is a guest post by Jeannette  Kaplun.</em></div>
<p>Those  who know me well, say that I always seem to be on the run. But I know  I&#8217;m not the only one. Moms everywhere seem to be scrambling for time and  we usually manage to juggle (sometimes, rather successfully) one too  many balls in the air.</p>
<p>A  glimpse of what we juggle every given day: Carpools, supermarket  shopping, school activities, meals for the household, school supplies,  our kids social lives, after-school activities, managing the home,  setting time aside for our spouses… the list could go and on. And this  is EXCLUDING any professional obligations you may have.</p>
<p>The  important issue that we tend to forget about is not only the juggling,  but the balancing. It&#8217;s very easy to let one aspect of your life take  over the others. And with women, that usually means forgetting to take  care of ourselves.</p>
<h3>Don’t you forget about me…</h3>
<p>Remember  that Simple Minds song? OK, now that you know how old I am, I just want  to share some simple tips to not lose yourself while juggling  everything else during the adventures of motherhood.</p>
<p><span id="more-3605"></span></p>
<ul>
<li>Don&#8217;t  feel guilty about doing something for yourself. Nobody else will do it  for you.  And look at it this way: it will allow you to release tension.  A more relaxed mom, is a happier mom. A happier mom, is a better mom.</li>
<li>Take care of yourself. Yes, that means taking your vitamins, getting enough rest, eating well.</li>
<li>Treat your “me” time as an appointment. Sounds too planned? Well, the truth is, IT WORKS.</li>
<li>Organization  is key. Arrange with your spouse or partner or a trusted friend to  watch over the little ones for a specific amount of time each week to  give you a breather.</li>
<li>Choose something you&#8217;d like to do, not something you need to do: a manicure, coffee with friends, reading a book, even shopping.</li>
</ul>
<h3>When work overwhelms you</h3>
<p>Regardless  of where you work at, the juggling act seems to throw in more and more  balls in the air and if you really pause to think, it can overwhelm you.  In these cases, learn to prioritize what&#8217;s urgent from what&#8217;s not. If  everything&#8217;s urgent, then something&#8217;s really wrong, because something  has to be most important in your to do list.</p>
<p>In  this era of hyperconnectivity, it can be hard to set limits and  boundaries. But just like you need them when raising your kids, you need  them to keep your sanity while working and trying to balance your life a  bit better. And believe it or not, you are the person that needs to  respect those boundaries the most.</p>
<p>For  some, it means no smart phones even near the kitchen or dinner table.  For others, not taking calls or answering emails in the evening. And I&#8217;m  assuming you already know that texting and driving don&#8217;t mix well. You  need to find what works for you. Then, stick to your resolutions.</p>
<h3>When family responsibilities drain you</h3>
<p>Sometimes  it&#8217;s the chores and everyday routines that sap out your energy, Again, a  little organization and planning goes a long way.</p>
<ul>
<li>Decide what really has to be done and don&#8217;t get sucked into the non essential stuff.</li>
<li>Make  a schedule for your kids. For younger ones, take pictures of the daily  tasks they must do (for example: eat breakfast, brush their teeth, take a  bath, got to bed) and decorate together a poster they can look at. For  older kids, make a schedule on the computer and print it out for them.</li>
<li>Buy  gifts for birthday parties in advance. If you are always pressed for  time, use gift bags and tissue paper instead of wrapping every gift  individually. You can even buy in bulk online and save.</li>
<li>Do  a master shopping list on your computer, print several and have them in  the kitchen. Check off items as soon as you are running low and that  way you&#8217;ll avoid multiple trips to the supermarket during the same week.</li>
<li>Learn  to say no. Sometimes that means scheduling less after-school activities,  organizing less play dates or not hosting all the family dinners.</li>
<li>Ask for help. Wonder Woman only exists in a comic book.</li>
</ul>
<p>Personally,  I dream about having my groceries delivered, but have to accept the  reality that none of the supermarkets close to my home offer that  service. So, I shop once a week and go at odd times when not so many  people do their grocery shopping. Sometimes that means right after  dropping the kids off for school, other times it&#8217;s late in the evening  while my husband takes over parenting duties.</p>
<h3>You&#8217;re in this for the long haul</h3>
<p>The  juggling act of motherhood is not a one hit wonder. You&#8217;re in this  adventure for the long haul, and will have better days and not so great  days.  Sometimes one of the balls will fall to the floor, or you might  get hit on the head by a curve ball. It’s not the end of the world, and  those around you will follow your lead on how to react.</p>
<p>So  next time something doesn’t work out the way you had planned, try  laughing or smiling instead of getting angry or even wanting to cry. A  sense of humor works wonders and aside from making you feel a bit  better, comic relief is underrated when dealing with your children. So  then, aside from juggler extraordinaire,  you will tune into the comedian inside of you. After all, there are  moments in life that are so utterly absurd, all you can do is laugh if  you want to find the strength to keep on going!</p>
<div style="border: 1px dotted navy; background: #7eadd3; color: white; padding: 10px; margin-bottom: 15px;"><em>Jeannette  Kaplun is a <strong>working mom</strong> of 2 that has yet to find a way to balance her  life without feeling all over the place. She is the co-founder and editor  in chief of <a href="http://www.todobebe.com">Todobebé</a> and author of   “Todobebé: Todo lo que necesitas saber para el primer año de tu bebé”  (Rayo 2006). You can watch her every Saturday at 12 on Univision as  co-host of the TV show <a href="http://www.vivalafamilia.com">¡Viva la Familia!</a></em></div>
<div style="font-size: 10px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/archeon/573610429/">[photo source]</a></div>
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		<title>Working Mothers and the Holiday Season</title>
		<link>http://www.modernmami.com/guest-posts/working-mothers-balance-holiday-season/</link>
		<comments>http://www.modernmami.com/guest-posts/working-mothers-balance-holiday-season/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 17 Dec 2010 10:20:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Melanie Edwards</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[guest-posts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Working Mothers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[balance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[balancing holiday season]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[balancing kid activities]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[balancing school activities]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[busy holiday season]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[christmas plays]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fall break]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[holiday season]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mommy guilt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[school activities]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[school events]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[school-aged children]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[winter break]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[work arrangements]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[work life balance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[working dads]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[working fathers]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.modernmami.com/?p=3536</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I’m on maternity leave as of December 8: The following is a guest post by Justice Fergie. Harvest Festivals, Halloween Parades, Pumpkin Patch Field Trips, Thanksgiving Feasts, Christmas Plays, Fall Break and Winter Break…if you’ve got school-aged children in school then the holiday season can be a time of both joy and stress!  Managing your [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/renfield/3085839315/in/photostream/"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3537" title="Children's Christmas Performance" src="http://www.modernmami.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/3085839315_b588ff7e1a_z.jpg" alt="Children's Christmas Performance" width="490" height="326" /></a></p>
<div style="border: thin; background: #D3D9E7; padding: 10px; margin-bottom: 15px;"><em>I’m on maternity leave as of December 8: The following is a guest post by Justice Fergie.</em></div>
<p>Harvest Festivals, Halloween Parades, Pumpkin Patch Field Trips, Thanksgiving Feasts, Christmas Plays, Fall Break and Winter Break…if you’ve got <strong>school-aged children</strong> in school then the holiday season can be a time of both joy and stress!  Managing your child’s hectic schedule during the fall and winter months can be a huge challenge for <strong>working parents</strong>. Depending on your work situation, there are multiple strategies that you can take that will allow you to keep your job while sharing your little one’s precious moments:</p>
<h3>The “Tag Team” Approach</h3>
<p>If you live in a two-parent household, you and your partner can figure out a way to <strong>share the special-event appearances</strong>.  Perhaps you can alternate dates, or maybe one of you has flexibility during the day and becomes the “Field-Trip Parent” while the other commits to evening activities.  Spreading the love this way will ease the pressure of one parent or the other repeatedly needing to take time off of work.  The obvious bonus to this approach, of course, is that your children will get the benefit of both parents (or even Grandma) actively participating in their events.</p>
<p><span id="more-3536"></span></p>
<h3>The “Quality Not Quantity” Approach</h3>
<p>You can’t possibly make <em>every single event</em> without losing brownie points at work or running yourself ragged. So, you can decide to <strong>choose a handful of events that you can commit to</strong> and make it to those. This works well in helping you maintain your sanity, keeping your boss (mostly) happy, but can also bring on the <strong>Mommy Guilt</strong> in heavy doses. Though your physical presence may be less, you can make sure that it counts by going the extra mile to volunteer during the events you attend, whether it be working the register at Turkey Bingo Night (been there) or taking the photos for the Costume Parade.</p>
<h3>The “Make It Work” Approach</h3>
<p>If you feel comfortable talking to your boss about <strong>alternative work arrangements</strong>, this method could provide a perfect solution to a difficult problem. On days when you’re on pie duty for the Holiday Party, plan to work from home; that way you can prepare your dish at home before heading out to the event (instead of the mad dash to the grocery store before zooming into the school parking lot). Also, chances are the commute to your child’s school will be easier if they attend school close to where you live, allowing you to miss less of the workday. You could also try a compressed work week and work extra hours Monday through Thursday so that you can take Friday off to help set-up for the Kwanzaa Play.</p>
<p>No matter what approach you choose (and it might be a combination!), the key is to be flexible, do what works best for you and your family, and most of all, experience as many of these special moments as you can.</p>
<div style="border: 1px dotted navy; background: #7eadd3; color: white; padding: 10px; margin-bottom: 15px;"><em>Justice Fergie is a working attorney mom of 3.  She blogs about <strong>work-life balance</strong> at <a href="http://justicefergie.com/">JusticeFergie.com</a> and <a href="http://mamalaw.com/">Mamalaw.com</a>.</em></div>
<p><em><strong>How do you balance your children&#8217;s many school activities during the holiday season?</strong></em></p>
<div style="font-size: 10px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/renfield/3085839315/in/photostream/">[photo source]</a></div>
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		<title>Facing Work-Life Challenges</title>
		<link>http://www.modernmami.com/life/work-life-balance-challenges/</link>
		<comments>http://www.modernmami.com/life/work-life-balance-challenges/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 26 Aug 2010 22:31:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Melanie Edwards</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[balance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[challenges]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dinner menu]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dinner menu planning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dinner planning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[get things done]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[getting things done]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[house]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[to-do list]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wahm]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Work]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[work life balance]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.modernmami.com/?p=2942</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Ever have one of those days when you just want to push the &#8220;delete all&#8221; button &#8211; in your inbox and life in general? I&#8217;m having one of those&#8230;weeks. I not only want to clear my inbox and start all over, but I wish I could do the same with my house and other aspects [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ladymixy-uk/4059154289"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2947" title="Delete All" src="http://www.modernmami.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/4059154289_5799d91e8f.jpg" alt="Delete Key " width="490" height="326" /></a></p>
<p>Ever have one of those days when you just want to push the &#8220;delete all&#8221; button &#8211; in your inbox and life in general? I&#8217;m having one of those&#8230;<em>weeks</em>. I not only want to clear my inbox and start all over, but I wish I could do the same with my house and other aspects of my daily life.</p>
<p>I know many of you strive to manage it all and have some type of <a title="Work-Life Balance Tips and Resources for Busy Working Moms" href="http://www.modernmami.com/tag/work-life-balance/"><strong>work-life balance</strong></a>, much like me. So, in an effort to help each other out, I&#8217;m going to lay it all out and share my current struggles. Perhaps in doing so, I can get rid of the mental clutter and move on to actually setting a plan of action to <strong>get things done</strong>. Or, at the very least, it will provide an outlet for venting.</p>
<p>Current challenges I&#8217;m struggling with:</p>
<ul>
<li>160 unread emails: plus a bunch more marked unread and starred for action</li>
<li>Messy house: every room in our house needs help</li>
<li>An ever-growing to-do list: I have several projects I&#8217;m working on outside of managing this blog and my<a title="Pregnancy Information, Reviews, and Giveaways" href="http://40weeks.modernmami.com"><strong> pregnancy blog</strong></a>. Each project has a to-do list that seems to add 2 items for every 1 I cross off.</li>
<li>Cooking: Last night was the first time in a while &#8211; maybe a month &#8211; that we had an actual real meal. I&#8217;ve been traveling quite a bit, and <a title="Sample Weekly Menu for Dinner Menu Planning" href="http://www.modernmami.com/wahm/plan-dinner-menu/"><strong>dinner menu planning</strong></a> fell off the radar.</li>
<li>Physical issues: Of course, due to the pregnancy, my energy and stamina are not what they should be. I&#8217;ve been able to keep up quite well, considering, as was pointed out by several friends who&#8217;ve seen me at recent events, but it&#8217;s still not what it could be.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>So, what do I plan to do about it?</strong> I&#8217;m not exactly sure yet. I hope to stabilize one or two projects, so they can be more manageable. I may just hit <em>delete </em>on quite a few emails in order to get my inbox to a workable status. (Maybe. I&#8217;ll admit, it&#8217;s a little scary to think about doing that.) And, perhaps I can take advantage of upcoming weekends that are relatively free of commitments to dedicate time to the house and put a dinner menu back in effect.</p>
<p><strong><em>Do you have current challenges you&#8217;re facing? Want to share with the rest of us in an effort to help each other with ideas for getting back on track?</em></strong></p>
<div style="font-size: 10px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ladymixy-uk/4059154289">[photo source]</a></div>
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		<item>
		<title>CEO and WAHM on Balancing Work and Family</title>
		<link>http://www.modernmami.com/wahm/balancing-work-family/</link>
		<comments>http://www.modernmami.com/wahm/balancing-work-family/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 09 Jun 2010 14:44:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Melanie Edwards</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[guest-posts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wahm]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Working Mothers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[balance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[balancing work and family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CEO mom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[guest post]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hills of Africa]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sandy Salle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[super mom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[travel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Work]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[work at home]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[work at home mom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[work at home moms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[work at home mothers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[work family balance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[work life balance]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[working moms]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.modernmami.com/?p=2529</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Guest post: Sandy Salle is a native of Zimbabwe and was born and raised in Southern Africa. She is the Chief Executive Officer of Hills of Africa travel and is passionate about using her first-hand knowledge of Africa to create the trip of a lifetime for her clients. Currently based state-side in North Carolina, she [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/equinoxe-photostudio/4341357167/"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2535" title="South Africa Giraffe Sunset" src="http://www.modernmami.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/4341357167_83d398a39f.jpg" alt="South Africa Giraffe Sunset" width="485" height="331" /></a></p>
<div style="border: 1px dotted navy; background: #8aa7ec; color: white; padding: 10px; margin-bottom: 15px;"><em><img class="size-full wp-image-2543 alignright" style="margin: 0pt 0 10px 10px;" title="Sandy Salle" src="http://www.modernmami.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Sandy_Salle1.jpg" alt="Sandy Salle" width="150" height="156" />Guest post: Sandy Salle is a native of Zimbabwe and was born and raised in Southern Africa. She is the Chief Executive Officer of <a href="http://hillsofafrica.com/">Hills of Africa travel</a> and is passionate about using her first-hand knowledge of Africa to create the trip of a lifetime for her clients. Currently based state-side in North Carolina, she resides with her husband and two small children. Sandy travels home to Africa several times a year and believes that the next best thing to living in Africa is sharing it with others.</em></div>
<p>Like most <a title="Work at Home Mom Tips and Resources" href="http://www.modernmami.com/category/wahm/"><strong>work-at-home mothers</strong></a>, I wage a daily battle against the clock to get the kids dressed, emails sent, homework completed, proposals drafted, calls returned, and dinner cooked all within an impossible twenty-four hours.</p>
<p>Struggling to do it all, I began multitasking, but I found that, when I did everything at once, <em>nothing was done well</em>. This, in turn, led to guilt: I got to the soccer game late, I didn’t have time to distribute the invoices, and I was on conference calls the entire time my daughter and I were making cookies for her class. Wasn’t the whole reason I left the office to <strong>work at home</strong> so that I could spend <em>more time</em> with my kids? Yet, here we were together, and I was so distracted with everything that still had to be done, that I wasn’t present.</p>
<p>As the CEO of Hills of Africa travel, a premier provider of personalized, luxury safari vacations, I have big responsibilities at work. Clients depend on me to plan once-in-a-lifetime safari trips for them, and it’s hard to do that when I am scrambling to clean up the house during the few quiet hours my kids are at school. On the other hand, I don’t want to sacrifice time with my kids. They are only young once, and this time with them is precious. I want them to be experiencing their childhood with me instead of a nanny.</p>
<p>Exhausted, guilt ridden, and overwhelmed, I had to make a change. Here’s what I did . . .</p>
<p><span id="more-2529"></span></p>
<h3>Stopped Multitasking</h3>
<p>My first step was to create a structured work schedule around the time my kids are at school, 6:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. During this time, 100% of my energies are focused on Hills of Africa—no more scheduling play dates or baking during conference calls. No matter where I am in my work at 3:30, I close up shop and refocus all my attention on my kids.</p>
<h3>Eliminated Distractions</h3>
<p>The old me would sit in front of the computer first thing in the morning and look through a few emails before jumping up to brew a pot of coffee or download a few songs to listen to while I worked. Each of these small tasks took time and broke my concentration. Now, before I even sit down at my desk, I have cup of coffee in hand, my favorite classical play-list on, and my personal phone line set to go straight to voice-mail, so that I can sit down for several hours of uninterrupted work. It’s amazing how much more I began to accomplish when I wasn’t jumping up to switch the laundry every couple of hours!</p>
<h3>Became Present</h3>
<p>Just being physically there with my kids was not enough. I had to be mentally and emotionally present for our time together to be meaningful. Now, when I’m with my family, I’m not just there, I’m present, listening, and interacting. I mentally free myself from distracting work obligations when I’m with the kids. At the end of the day, my kids crave my attention more than my home-cooked meal, and there’s no shame in occasionally ordering a pizza if it means that we get to eat and engage in conversation together as a family.</p>
<h3>Let It Go</h3>
<p>If that client call has yet to be made and those pots and pans still need to be washed when the kids arrive home, I forget about it. It can get done the next day. I’ve learned that <a title="Super Mom Syndrome and Expectations" href="http://www.modernmami.com/women/super-mom-expectations/">supermom</a> is an impossible notion, and I can’t do everything by myself. I now have my groceries delivered by Peapod and outside assistance with housekeeping. Anything that allows me to focus my work time completely on my job and my family time completely on my kids is a worthwhile expense.</p>
<div style="font-size: 10px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/equinoxe-photostudio/4341357167/">[top photo source]</a></div>
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		<item>
		<title>Do You Expect to be a Super Mom?</title>
		<link>http://www.modernmami.com/women/super-mom-expectations/</link>
		<comments>http://www.modernmami.com/women/super-mom-expectations/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 10 May 2010 14:10:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Melanie Edwards</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Wahm]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Women]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Working Mothers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[balance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[housewife]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[life]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[wohm]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Work]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[work life balance]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[working moms]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.modernmami.com/?p=2415</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This post was first published on July 11, 2007. At that time, I was still working full-time outside the home and struggling to find some work-life balance. Though I know I can still improve areas of my work-home life, I&#8217;ve come a long way. *Note: Slight edits have been made to the original post. What [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1781" title="woman balancing" src="http://www.modernmami.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/woman-balancing.jpg" alt="woman balancing" width="400" height="268" /></p>
<div style="border: 1px solid #DCDFE0; padding: 10px; margin-bottom: 1em; background-color: #f5f0f1;"><em>This post was first published on July 11, 2007. At that time, I was still working full-time outside the home and struggling to find some <a title="Work Life Balance Tips and Information for Busy Working Moms and WAHMs" href="http://www.modernmami.com/tag/work-life-balance">work-life balance</a>. Though I know I can still improve areas of my work-home life, I&#8217;ve come a long way. *Note: Slight edits have been made to the <a href="http://www.modernmami.com/motherhood/working-mothers/">original post</a>.<br />
</em></div>
<p>What a hectic week so far. Work is super busy. Of course, the home life is always hectic.</p>
<p>I find that more often than not, I have an inner battle going on. Part of me knows that I <em>can&#8217;t possibly</em> keep up with everything &#8211;  home, work, husband, daughter, myself, parents, etc.</p>
<p>Yet, the other half, for whatever unknown ridiculous reason, has it  in her head that she should be able to keep up with <em>everything</em>. Not just  should, but MUST.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s insane.</p>
<p>I realized the other day that this is probably due to <strong>years of  brainwashing</strong> from my mother. And, when I say brainwashing, I mean that  in the <em>nicest way possible</em>. Obviously, she did not set out to corrupt my  mind. But, through example, it happened.</p>
<p><span id="more-2415"></span></p>
<p>You see, my mother was a <a title="Stay at Home Moms (SAHM) Information" href="http://www.modernmami.com/category/sahm/">stay at  home mom</a> &#8211; way before that was even a term; in fact, I believe the  term at the time was &#8220;housewife.&#8221; <img src='http://www.modernmami.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif' alt=';)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>Since she stayed home with us until I was about 12 or so, I  watched her keep the house in an <em>impeccable</em> state of cleanliness.  She had no clutter, no baskets of laundry just waiting to be folded, no  dust, and <em>always </em>had dinner on the table when my father came home from  work.</p>
<p>Even when she did start working, she still managed to come home from  work, and get right to the kitchen. Maybe it had something to do with  our Puerto Rican culture. But, whatever it was, it still amazes me how  she did it.</p>
<p>I struggle on a daily basis to be able to just put a quick dinner  together. To spend some time with my <a href="http://www.modernmami.com/category/the-monkey/">baby  girl</a> after a long day at work. Don&#8217;t even mention trying to squeeze  in some time for <a href="http://www.modernmami.com/category/husband/">the  husband</a>.</p>
<p>I think (well actually, it was brought to my attention by the husband  recently) that because I grew up seeing her manage so well, I now have  these extremely high (and false) expectations of myself. The fact that she often talked with me about having to be a &#8220;good wife,&#8221; probably added on to it as well. Let me give you an example of something I grew up hearing. Verbatim, my mom used to say, &#8220;<em>You have to learn how to cook and clean, because when you get older and get married, you&#8217;ll need to take care of your house, husband, and children</em>.&#8221;</p>
<p>Though I&#8217;m extremely grateful that my mother taught me how to cook and properly clean, hearing this growing up and seeing her manage the &#8220;super mom&#8221; role well, has resulted in me trying to achieve the same. It&#8217;s actually quite frustrating.</p>
<p><strong>How do you manage to keep up? Do you find you have <em>false </em>expectations  for yourself?</strong></p>
<div style="font-size: 10px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8870050@N05/2441648133/">[top photo source]</a></div>
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		<item>
		<title>Working Moms: How Do You Manage Housework?</title>
		<link>http://www.modernmami.com/wahm/working-moms-cleaning-schedule/</link>
		<comments>http://www.modernmami.com/wahm/working-moms-cleaning-schedule/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 19 Apr 2010 13:30:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Melanie Edwards</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Wahm]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Working Mothers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[balance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[chore chart]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[chore schedule]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cleaning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cleaning schedule]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[housework]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[housework schedule]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wohm]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[work life balance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[work-life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[working moms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[working outside the home]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[This post was first published on April 2, 2008. At that time, I was still working full-time outside the home. I&#8217;ve found that a cleaning schedule is also beneficial for the WAHM. As a full-time working mom, it&#8217;s very hard for me to keep up with the household duties. I&#8217;ve posted before about the expectations [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jainbow/4397785688/"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2256" title="Washing Dishes" src="http://www.modernmami.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/4397785688_6b8abd479a.jpg" alt="Washing Dishes" width="482" height="321" /></a></p>
<div style="border: 1px solid #DCDFE0; padding: 10px; margin-bottom: 1em; background-color: #f5f0f1;"><em>This post was first published on April 2, 2008. At that time, I was still working full-time outside the home. I&#8217;ve found that a cleaning schedule is also beneficial for the WAHM.<br />
</em></div>
<p>As a <a title="Tips and Information for Working Moms" href="http://www.modernmami.com/category/working-mom/"><strong>full-time working mom</strong></a>, it&#8217;s very hard for me to keep up with the household duties. I&#8217;ve posted before about the <a title="False Expectations of Working Mothers" href="http://www.modernmami.com/motherhood/working-mothers/">expectations</a> &#8211; false no doubt &#8211; that I&#8217;ve set for myself.</p>
<p>Elizabeth over at Career &amp; Kids <a href="http://www.careerandkids.com/welcome-to-my-world/" target="_blank">touched on the subject</a> recently, when a friend of hers realized there&#8217;s not enough time in the week.  As she mentions, when you&#8217;re working all week, you want to use the weekend to spend time with the family. That is when I&#8217;d like to take a trip to the zoo, the park, or sometimes it&#8217;s just a matter of the &#8220;must&#8221; trips &#8211; like grocery shopping that needs to be done.</p>
<h2>What can working moms do to manage the housework?</h2>
<p><span id="more-2255"></span></p>
<p>I&#8217;m not sure I have the answer just yet, but I AM trying something new.</p>
<p>I&#8217;ve set up a <strong>weekly chore schedule</strong> and broken down the housework to a little each day &#8211; there&#8217;s even a day off!</p>
<p>Here&#8217;s my schedule:</p>
<ul>
<li>Sunday: clean bathrooms</li>
<li>Monday: wash laundry</li>
<li>Tuesday: fold laundry</li>
<li>Wednesday: sweep &amp; mop</li>
<li>Thursday: vacuum</li>
<li>Friday: OFF day</li>
<li>Saturday: change bed sheets</li>
</ul>
<p>Plus, <strong>every day is de-clutter day</strong>, since this can be done simultaneously with the other chores. That means, putting away toys, clearing the day&#8217;s mail, and other small tasks. The chores scheduled on the weekend can be done quickly in the morning before heading out for the day. <img src='http://www.modernmami.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif' alt=';)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>To keep track of my schedule, I&#8217;ve printed out <a href="http://totalmom.com/downloads/chorechart.pdf" target="_blank">Hannah Keeley&#8217;s Total Mom Chore Chart</a>, but any calendar will do.</p>
<p>I&#8217;m hoping this will help keep me on track and make things a bit more manageable. I&#8217;ve just made my list this week, so I&#8217;m only starting to put it into practice.</p>
<p><strong>How do you manage your housework?</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jainbow/4397785688/"><em>Photo by Jane Ring</em></a></p>
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		<title>5 Resources with Tips for Finding or Improving your Work-Life Balance</title>
		<link>http://www.modernmami.com/wahm/work-life-balance-resources/</link>
		<comments>http://www.modernmami.com/wahm/work-life-balance-resources/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 18 Jan 2010 21:16:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Melanie Edwards</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wahm]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Working Mothers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[balance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dads]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[life hacks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[men]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[moms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sahm]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[self]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[self balance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wellness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Women]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Work]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[work life balance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[work-life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[working dad]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[working from home]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[working moms]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.modernmami.com/?p=1769</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Today has been a very balanced day for me. I was able to work out this morning, did some client work, responded to a few emails, worked on this blog, and even put a load of laundry to wash. For me, that&#8217;s a great balance of taking care of myself, working, managing social media, and [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><div id="attachment_1774" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 407px">
	<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bethsobel/933539150/"><img class="size-full wp-image-1774" title="balance" src="http://www.modernmami.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/balance.jpg" alt="balance" width="407" height="407" /></a>
	<p class="wp-caption-text">Photo by Beth Sobel from Flickr</p>
</div>
<p>Today has been a very balanced day for me. I was able to work out this morning, did some client work, responded to a few emails, worked on this blog, and even put a load of laundry to wash. For me, that&#8217;s a great balance of <a id="t89g" title="Take Care of Yourself and Get Some Me Time" href="http://www.modernmami.com/life/get-me-time-alone/">taking care of myself</a>, working, <strong><a id="kvck" title="Social Media and Social Networking Information" href="http://www.modernmami.com/category/social-networking/">managing social media</a></strong>, and <a id="mw9-" title="Clean Your House Even While Working" href="http://www.modernmami.com/wahm/balance-cleaning-work/">house work</a>. It&#8217;s not much either &#8211; you notice I didn&#8217;t say I cleaned the <em>entire house</em>. Nor did I answer <em>all </em>emails. But, it was a good bit of each and I feel good with what I&#8217;ve accomplished today.</p>
<p>Of course, this is not an everyday occurrence. But, as I get more and more used to <strong><a id="vvvr" title="Tips for the WAHM and others Working From Home" href="http://www.modernmami.com/category/wahm/">working from home</a></strong>, I find that I&#8217;m finding little things I can do to <strong>feel more balanced</strong>. Even if that means redefining what &#8220;balanced&#8221; means.</p>
<p>But, don&#8217;t take my word for it. Check out what others have to say about <strong><a id="ozuj" title="Work Life Balance Information and Tips on ModernMami.com" href="http://www.modernmami.com/tag/work-life-balance/">work-life balance</a></strong> and read their recommendations.</p>
<h3><a title="Finding Work Life Balance - Resources for Better Work-Life Balance" href="http://www.modernmami.com/wahm/work-life-balance-resources/">5 Resources with Tips for Finding or Improving your Work-Life Balance</a></h3>
<p><strong><a id="j4f2" title="5 Tips for Better Work-Life Balance from WebMD" href="http://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/5-strategies-for-life-balance">5 Tips for Better Work-Life Balance from WebMD</a></strong><br />
Something that stuck out when reading this article was when the author said, &#8220;<em>You would probably think twice before skipping out on work, a parent-teacher conference, or a doctor&#8217;s appointment. Your private time deserves the same respect</em>.&#8221;</p>
<p>In other words, do not rearrange your free time and &#8220;squeeze in&#8221; something else. Treat it just like any other appointment in your calendar.</p>
<p><strong><a id="fn7c" title="Work-life balance: Ways to restore harmony and reduce stress from Mayo Clinic" href="http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/work-life-balance/WL00056">Work-life balance: Ways to restore harmony and reduce stress from Mayo Clinic</a></strong><br />
I loved when I got to the end of this piece and read, &#8220;<em>Balance doesn&#8217;t mean doing everything</em>.&#8221;</p>
<p>A lot of times we think that achieving <strong>work-life balance</strong> means being able to do it all. In fact, it should be about doing what&#8217;s important to you, and all that you&#8217;re <em>comfortable </em>doing.</p>
<div id="attachment_1781" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 400px">
	<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8870050@N05/2441648133/"><img class="size-full wp-image-1781" title="woman balancing" src="http://www.modernmami.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/woman-balancing.jpg" alt="Photo by yesterday_once_more0 704 from Flickr" width="400" height="268" /></a>
	<p class="wp-caption-text">Photo by yesterday_once_more0 704 from Flickr</p>
</div>
<p><strong><a id="t2.-" title="Basic Steps Toward Work-Life Balance from Forbes" href="http://www.forbes.com/2009/03/18/work-life-balance-leadership-careers-basics.html">Basic Steps Toward Work-Life Balance from Forbes</a></strong><br />
The author in this article talked to a staffing company, whose president, Loretta Penn, said: &#8220;<em>You don&#8217;t have to respond to every e-mail or voice mail as soon as it comes in. Just because someone else deems something a priority doesn&#8217;t mean it&#8217;s yours</em>.&#8221;</p>
<p>It&#8217;s a good reminder, especially for us <strong>digital moms</strong> that are constantly plugged in; just because an email alert popped up on your phone, it doesn&#8217;t mean the email has to be answered within 30 seconds. It can wait.</p>
<p><strong><a id="ax7-" title="How to Find the Right Work-Life Balance: 6 Steps from Caroline Middlebrook" href="http://www.caroline-middlebrook.com/blog/how-to-find-the-right-work-life-balance-6-steps/">How to Find the Right Work-Life Balance: 6 Steps from Caroline Middlebrook</a></strong><br />
This was a blog post written in early 2008 by Caroline Middlebrook, who quit her day job in order to start an online business and now makes money blogging. In it she said, &#8220;<em>If I’ve not spent enough time with family or not called a friend for a while I’ll get that nagging feeling in the back of my mind&#8230;When your life is all in balance you’ll feel good and when something isn’t right you’ll feel bad in some way</em>.&#8221;</p>
<p>I know that from time to time I&#8217;ll get such a feeling and find myself reassessing the situation and even asking my husband for input. Many times, he confirms that I&#8217;ve been off in one area and concentrating too much on another. As the author suggests, trust your instincts.</p>
<p><strong><a id="z70." title="Top 10 Ways to Balance Life and Work from About.com" href="http://fatherhood.about.com/od/workingfathers/tp/balance_ideas.htm">Top 10 Ways to Balance Life and Work from About.com</a></strong><br />
This article is geared towards dads, but offers tips that are good for anyone. Tips such as: &#8220;<em>Sometimes, the things that suffer in our busy lives have to do with our own personal health&#8230;Managing your personal health is essential to balancing work and life</em>.&#8221;</p>
<p>I think all parents know about putting your own health last. This too, serves as a good reminder.<br />
<strong><br />
What personal tips or suggestions do you have for maintaining a little balance in your life? What have you found works for you?<br />
</strong><br />
Check out more <strong><a id="iozc" title="ModernMami Work Life Balance Resources on Delicious" href="http://delicious.com/modernmami/work-balance">work-life balance resources</a></strong> I&#8217;ve saved on <a title="ModernMami on Delicious - Resources and Articles of Interest to Women and Moms" href="http://delicious.com/modernmami">delicious</a>.</p>
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