The Juggling Act: How to Maintain Work-Life Balance as a Mother, Wife, Business Owner, and Home Inspector

As women continue to make strides in the workforce, many are embracing the challenges and rewards of balancing multiple roles - being a mother, wife, friend, business owner, and home inspector are some of my roles. However, navigating these different responsibilities can be overwhelming, and finding the right balance can feel like an uphill battle. In this blog post, we will explore practical tips and strategies for maintaining work-life balance.

1. Prioritize and Set Boundaries: One of the key elements in maintaining work-life balance is setting priorities and establishing boundaries. While wearing multiple hats, your time and energy are valuable resources. Identify your top priorities in each role and make sure they align with your values and long-term goals. Set realistic boundaries by clearly defining your work hours, family time, and personal time. Communicate these boundaries to your family, clients, and colleagues, and be firm in enforcing them.

This one can be difficult at times to initiate in fear that you may hurt someone’s feelings or if you’re like me, cause feelings of guilt. But, in my experience, if someone has an issue or opposition to understanding and respecting your boundaries, maybe that isn’t someone you should be giving your valuable time to. Setting boundaries is not selfish but rather a powerful tool in reducing burnout.

2. Delegate and Outsource: It's important to remember that you don't have to do it all on your own. Delegate tasks and responsibilities to your spouse, children, or trusted employees or even a friend. Outsource certain tasks, such as administrative work or home maintenance, to free up your time and energy for more important matters. Don't be afraid to ask for help when needed, and be willing to let go of PERFECTIONISM.

That last one was huge for me! For example, my 5 year old daughter would often ask to help with the dishes and I would kindly decline her offer because I felt it would be more work than help. Boy was I wrong! When I let go of perfectionism and took her up on her offer, it genuinely helped mark this burdensome task off of my list. No, the dishes weren’t perfect, but they were done. This also created special one-on-one time with her and freed up some valuable time for other things.

3. Practice Self-Care: As a woman juggling multiple roles, it's easy to neglect self-care. However, taking care of yourself is essential for maintaining work-life balance. Make time for regular exercise, healthy eating, sufficient sleep, and hobbies or activities that bring you joy. Prioritize self-care as a non-negotiable part of your routine, and don't feel guilty about taking time for yourself. Remember, when you take care of yourself, you are better equipped to take care of others and handle your various roles effectively.

This one is huge! Self-care is vital! Find something, anything, that you can do each day that equates to self-care. This can sometimes seem impossible with the endless tasks that need to take place each day but if you prioritize your day, I promise you there is always time for Self-care. This may sound silly, but I bought myself a jump rope. 5 minutes of jumping rope is equivalent to running a mile and it’s a stationary activity! My mental focus and physical fitness changed by adding this simple routine to my day. Sometimes, drinking a cup of tea and spacing out for 15 minutes is what self-care looks like for me. It helps revitalize you and set you up for a more successful and joyful day.

4. Create Efficient Systems: Time management is crucial when you are wearing multiple hats. Create efficient systems to streamline your work and home life. Use tools such as calendars, to-do lists, and productivity apps to stay organized and prioritize tasks. Automate routine tasks wherever possible, such as scheduling social media posts or setting up online payments. Find ways to optimize your workflow and eliminate unnecessary steps to save time and reduce stress.

Time management can be difficult, especially if you work from home with distractions or have an ongoing check list of open ended tasks. I found the best system for me was to dedicate days of the week to specific tasks. For example: Monday is social media and website maintenance day, Thursday is my financial maintenance day and so on. This helps create daily task lists that I can complete rather that feeling the burden of all my tasks at once every single day. My Apple watch, Google Calendar task bar and my Meta Business scheduler are helpful tools that I use to keep me on track.

5. Foster Open Communication: Building a support system and fostering open communication with your family, employees, and clients is vital. Clearly communicate your expectations, availability, and limitations with your spouse, children, and other family members. Involve them in decision-making and encourage open dialogue about responsibilities and commitments. Communicate your needs and boundaries with your clients and employees as well. Being transparent and maintaining open communication will prevent misunderstandings and allow for better work-life integration.

People can’t read minds! Clear communication is key! There was a time where I would set expectations in my mind and keep them there. Then to my surprise, these expectations were never met and I was left feeling disappointed and resentful. It sounds obvious when written out like that but many people find themselves in this predicament. If you do not clearly communicate what you need and are available to do, there is no way for anyone to know. SPEAK UP! This helped reduce stress in my daily life tremendously. I also recommend written communication to promote accountability.

6. Schedule Quality Family (Friend) Time: As a mother and wife, spending quality time with family is crucial for maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Maybe your “family” is your network of friends. Schedule regular family time that is free from work interruptions or distractions. Create special moments with your loved ones such as family dinners, weekend outings, or game nights. Be fully present during these moments, and prioritize quality over quantity. Remember that building strong connections with your family is a foundation for a fulfilling work-life balance.

Put the phone down! The wallpaper on my phone displays a quote from Jim Elliot “Wherever you are, be all there.” This is to remind me to put the phone down. Grinding and climbing the ladder is fantastic but what is it all for if you’re not enjoying life with the people you love? We have family night on Friday nights where we either pick some games to play or pick a movie to watch as a family. I order pizza and make “Elf” popcorn (*this is just popcorn with candy in it such as M&M’s and gummi bears.) I set my phone on the charger and give my children my undivided attention.

7. Learn to Say No: It's easy to fall into the trap of overcommitting when you are juggling multiple roles. However, learning to say no is a powerful skill in maintaining work-life balance. Be selective about the commitments you take on and prioritize those that align with your values and goals. Practice assertiveness in setting boundaries and politely decline requests or tasks.

Just say No! I’ve always tended to be a “people pleaser” and this used to be difficult for me. But, once I became more comfortable with the word “No” life became less stressful and more enjoyable. Saying “No” more often will facilitate a more enjoyable and successful outcome when you are able to say “Yes!.’

I hope you enjoyed this post and were able to find some helpful takeaways!