There’s nothing more important than family. As a mother, you already know that you would give your right arm to ensure that your family is safe, loved and looked after in the best way possible. This is one of the reasons why we, at RecruitMyMom, love the concept of work-life integration. It’s also why we as a company are passionate about supporting working mothers as they integrate work and life. Finding the right job makes all the difference. Our jobs page is full of positions that meet the needs and suits the lifestyle of a working mom.
Whether your job is in-office, remote or hybrid, family time is important. Which is why we share some ways that you can prioritise family time, while still ticking all the boxes in the other facets of your life - career, ‘me-time’, health and rest.
Work-life integration makes sense for working mothers
If you’ve been around for a while, and you enjoy reading the RecruitMyMom blog regularly then you’ll know that we strongly believe in work-life integration. It’s different to work-life balance which is about reaching an optimal state where everything is in equilibrium. As a working mother, this sort of balance is next to impossible. Work-life integration lends itself to a more harmonious, inclusive and flexible lifestyle, which is essential when you have children, and is more attainable than the concept of work-life balance.
If you are a working mother, then you know the importance of family time and work time. There’s nothing worse than oscillating between the two wrapped into mom-guilt - where work is a stress during family time and family is a stress when you should be focused on work. With work-life integration at the forefront of your thinking, there are practical things you can put in place to skip the mom-guilt and recognise that you’re doing the best you can. After all, you know what is best for your work and family life. What you believe may be contrary to popular opinion, but to trust your gut is the best way to do it.
Reasons to prioritise family time
As a working mother, you need to be intentional about carving out time for your family. If you don't schedule it in, life may run away with you. Here are five reasons why this matters:
Be a role model for your children
Often, habits and behaviour are not taught, they are caught. Think about it, the more you spend time with someone, the more you become a little more like them. Don’t we know that our children love to copy us? When you spend time with your children, you show them that they matter to you, and this will help them to develop the emotional and mental skills that they need in life. By watching you, they learn valuable tools for life and see you as the role model you are.
Forge and strengthen relationships
When you take time, even 10 minutes of your day, to be with another family member you strengthen those family bonds. The benefits of strong family relationships are endless. One of which being that when life gets extra busy, you already know where you stand with one another. Strong bonds set a great foundation of trust, and leave no room for miscommunication.
Encourage clear communication skills
Communication skills and interpersonal skills are essential for every stage of life. Spending time with children helps to develop their language and communication skills. Whether your kids are applying for their first job, or starting their first year at school, knowing how to communicate will hold them in good stead. If you have little tots, then spending intentional time with them and having conversations with them will help them develop their language skills.
Run your household well
Spending one on one time with your family members will mean that there’s more to talk about and share. When you build a rapport among family members, then asking children and partners to help around the house becomes that much easier.
Family time is healthy
People function best when they are in community with one another. Spending special time with your family is healthy for your mental, emotional and physical well-being. Learn to laugh with family members, to support, nurture and encourage one another simply because it is good for you!
How do you prioritise family time with a full schedule?
It's quite practical, and is worth the extra effort to plan family time into the mix. It can also be that you need a perspective shift for how you see it. Below are some practical ideas you can consider.
Use family time to fill love tanks
Our first tip is to think about family time as a way to fill your family member’s ‘love tanks’. Picture a tank on each family member’s heart, and when they get a moment of your full attention, the tank gets fuller and fuller. Whether you take 5 minutes to honour and affirm your partner, or you kneel down to connect with your children at eye level to encourage them, filling love tanks will keep them going, growing and flourishing. When they go to school, or to work, filled with your care, they become more resilient, emotionally strong and ready to grow and take on the challenges of the day.
Tip: Make sure you get your love tank filled as well!
Choose a meal to connect as a family
Decide on which meal of the day you will all sit together at the table and eat. Eating a meal together means that everyone is in one place, and it’s much easier to strike up a meaningful, encouraging or funny conversation. You might try out some fun family games, or print some interesting topics to discuss at the dinner table. It’s a light, easy way to get everyone in one place at any given time on a daily basis.
Take 10 minutes to connect everyday
When you take just 10 minutes to connect with a family member each day, you lessen the pressure that might build up if there is no connection at all. It’s easier to prioritise the 10 minutes a day than to feel overwhelmed by forgetting to connect with the person. Otherwise, with many different schedules life can sneak past you. Take the 10 minutes a day, put a timer on, and choose a family member to love. You never know how it might shape their day or your day.
Tip: Take all the pressure off, this can be a phone call or a quick chat while you’re chopping the carrots.
The bottom line is that you are an excellent mother, and partner. You are the right person for the jobs that are in front of you, which means that trusting your gut will work best in every situation. Take these tips, implement them and choose to enjoy your family time.
Register for free on RecruitMyMom. Once registered, complete your online CV to start searching for part-time work in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, and Cape Town. We operate nationally in South Africa, and globally for virtual assistants.
