Sunday, 16 August 2015

Working Moms Can Have It All - Here's How

Self-heal flowering.

Working Moms Can Have It All - Here's How  
Denise Broady

What do you do with your kids when you travel?
A male executive once asked me, while I was on a business trip in Europe.
Calmly, I looked him in the eye and responded: What do you do with yours?
As a woman with a job that requires me to travel globally 50% of the time and a mother of two –
I often get asked how I manage to balance it all. Conversely, my male counterparts
who have similar jobs and children – most likely don’t get approached in the same way.
As disappointing as it may be, it really shouldn’t be about gender,
but fundamentally how to integrate work-life balance as working parents.

Oprah Winfrey has famously said “you can have it all – just not all at once” and I have found this
to be true. There is no magic formula on balancing work especially when both parents work, 
kids and marriage. However, in the last six years, I’ve narrowed it down to 4 tips 
on what’s worked for me.

Build a strong infrastructure. I owe much of my ability to have a demanding job as a mother
to my support system – namely my husband, family and friends. They say that behind
every successful man is a woman, but it should go both ways. Your partner should support you
as much as you support him. Build a strong network of contacts between friends,
neighbors, nannies, et al. so there is a foundation of support for when things get busy.
We used to alternate baby-sitting for our neighbors’ children every other Saturday 
to support “date nights” out with our spouses.

Set your boundaries at work. Since my role requires me to travel half the time,
I’m transparent with my manager about what matters to me. I make sure to block at least 
two weeks in New York between my work travels to spend time with my family. 
During these two weeks, I maximize my time with my daughters – whether it means taking them 
to class in the morning a couple times a week or attending their school activities. 
That being said, be sure your boundaries are realistic. Since my position is global, 
I often work late to connect with Asia or get up early to communicate with Europe. 
It’s all a part of the job – so you’ve got to find your own rhythm and make it work for you.

Plan, plan, plan. I find that organizing everything on a busy schedule is really the key
to minimizing stress as a family. At the end of the week, as a family, we plan everything – 
from meals to the girls’ daily outfits! I even color code my calendar that I share with my husband,
so everyone knows where they need to be. 
Personally, I wake up daily at 6am and use the quiet time to plan out my day. 
These 30 minutes in the morning help me keep a clear head while I enjoy my coffee!

Don’t forget to keep your well-being in check! Health is truly wealth. That’s why I make it a priority to get my exercise in – rain or shine, I will always get off a subway stop before my office and walk
to work, then take the same route home. When I’m travelling, I make sure to hit the hotel gym often, use my 7 Minute Workout App, and schedule work meetings through walks
so I can get those endorphins going. Lastly, make time for things that make you happy – 
spending time with loved ones, dinner and drinks with your team or a girls’ night out!

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/working-moms-can-have-all-heres-how-denise-broady

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Introduction to Turbo Charged Reading YouTube
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Perhaps you’d like to check out my sister blogs:
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www.innermindworking.blogspot.com      gives many ways for you to work with the stresses of life
www.happyartaccidents.blogspot.com       just for fun.

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The more that you learn; the more places you'll go.”

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