Contemporary work-life balance has come to be centered around the flexibility to work from home, especially for mothers who usually jump at the opportunity to be able to work while not parting with their kid(s) on a daily basis. But are we working moms doing it right? When Anne-Marie Slaughter, the darling of the working-mom crowd across the world said Why Women Still Can’t Have It All back in 2012, she was bang on the point – the flexibility to work only increases the workload for work from home mothers and before they know it, work creeps up in every aspect of their lives – without timelines.

It is all too common for this Breed of mothers to handle client calls, team Skype meetings and chase deadlines – all when their kids are acting out or worse, sleeping. Worse because, when the kids wake up fresh, the mother is often on the verge of the – what we would like to call – ‘work from home mom’ burnout. If you are a part of this new breed of mothers, implement these handy tips to stay sane:

#1 Do less of multi-tasking: Working moms spend 43% of their waking hours multi-tasking (more than working dads) and that’s because women are lousy at separating work life from home life – they aren’t inherently good at this balancing act. The solution? Delegate as much as you can – to your house help, team members, juniors, or to a virtual assistant who can with his/her professionalism transform your life from looking like an overflowing to-do list to a relaxed, happier existence – minus the guilt that comes from trying to do it all yourself and inevitably failing.

#2 Spend more time planning: Make a plan to fulfill all the different roles you play in a typical work day – an employee, a team member, a client’s SPOC, and of course a mother. Write this plan and schedule on a piece of paper and hang it someplace prominent – so everybody in the family can see it. That way, no one would disturb you (hopefully) to make them dinner or run their errands while you work. Yes, it certainly is easier said than done, but remember, it is your only chance at achieving some semblance of a work-life balance.

#3 Stay flexible – there’s always tomorrow: Even after all the planning, there’ll be slippages – the nanny won’t show up, virtual assistant may go missing in action, kids may get sick, a big project might come up just when you were planning to take off on a short break – the list is endless. Manage these inevitable realities as best as you can and for those that seem unmanageable – remember, there’s always another day.

#4 Unplug after work hours: Whatever be your flexible work hours, cut off from technology after you’re done for the day – don’t let it blur the lines between work and life. Mobility technologies are meant for easy access to work anytime, anywhere and on any device – but remember, easy access by no means applies ‘always on’.

If you are a work-from-mother eternally chasing work life balance, we can help you cut the struggle short. Ping us on live chat now and get the discount you so deserve!

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