4 Tips for the working mom in honor of Women’s Equality Day

Today, August 26th, marks the anniversary of the certification of a woman’s right to vote and for that we are celebrating. Yes, the 19th amendment was ratified prior to August 26th, but it wasn’t made official until shortly after. Because of this day over 100 years ago, we are honoring Women’s Equality Day and we hope you are as well. We may make a digital family calendar that just might change your life; however, we are commemorating the original family planner today… women!

There are a lot of reasons to recognize today, but we still have some work to do in the equality arena. We wanted to shed some light today on the unequal stats of working moms taking on the burden and responsibilities in the home. Think we are kidding? On average women spend over an hour providing physical care at and around the house, while men spend under 30 minutes. Women make up over half of the workforce and are more likely to experience burnout as they are burning the candle at both ends.

To observe Women’s Equality Day, we wanted to share 4 tips for the working mom and how to find more balance in day-to-day life.

1. Verbalize Assistance. The bottom line is to ask for help. Our partners can’t read our minds and they may be completely oblivious to the situation. While this can be frustrating, if you don’t say anything about it, how will they know you aren’t okay with the current situation? Voicing this also decreases resentment and a possible fight later. If you are in a single parent household, be sure to voice this to family and friends who often assist.
2. Visualize To-Do’s. While the household “to-do” list may be top of mind for you, it likely isn’t for your partner or other members of your family. Having a chore chart that everyone can see, helps in reminding them of what needs to be done. At the very least discuss the chart and expectations, but what often works better is assigning tasks and delegating chores. Heart Display has the unique ability to serve as your family planner within the home, but also is a digital family calendar that can follow you wherever you go. On top of that, it houses chore charts and even family profiles which makes organizing within the home easier. Don’t forget to give responsibilities to your kids once they are old enough. This develops responsibility and confidence.
3. Let it go. At the start of each day or at least each week, prioritize the top things you need to accomplish, along with identifying what would be nice to complete, but not necessary. The to-do list is never ending and it is important to come to terms with the fact that you can’t do it all. By knowing your top three or so tasks, you can still feel a sense of accomplishment and leave mom guilt behind. Afterall, your list will still be there tomorrow. The time with your friends and family is fleeting.
4. Make “me” time. Whether you’re an introvert or extrovert, you need some time to yourself. It can be as simple as perusing the mall on your lunch break or booking a massage. Making time for yourself helps avoid burnout as well as resentment towards others. Think of it as “putting your own mask on first” mentality. You can’t fill someone else’s cup if yours is empty. Be sure to schedule this in your digital calendar, so the time is already blocked and accounted for. Don’t cancel on yourself and don’t let others encroach on this time either.

Hopefully these tips can help bring more balance into your current chaos. Sure they should lead to a happier overall household; however, the magic of sharing the home burdens is that it will serve as an example to your kids. They will grow up seeing their parents splitting the work, in addition to themselves playing a part, which will help the next generation combat these iniquities before they even begin. Cheers to that and to you, mama!