Here is an attempt to maintaining work-life balance.

As a mom I am always juggling to manage things. I am constantly sprinting to maintain the work-life balance. I am also secretly hoping to time when my baby decided to poop or pee so that if it happens as per my timing, I can may be squeeze in more chores

As mothers, we want to be the epitome of perfection ourselves and often our world comes crashing down faster than a Jenga tower when we are not that epitome. As mother’s we also need to understand that what we need in our lives is a balancing scale that not only balances our chores but also makes sure we are easily able to maintain a work-life balance.

The biggest culprit for causing immense guilt and self-doubt is social media. We get swooned away by images of glamorously dressed up women who are socially active and seem like completely hands on mothers. Motherhood however was never about being hands on, it was more about having octopus hands. We often fail to realize that very few on social media are talking and posting about unkempt houses and appearances. They are not talking about how we as moms sometimes serve Maggie as a meal to our kids because we are too exhausted. People are talking about post –partum and healing but people are not posting their own post –partum images because it is too real. All of us have had a life before social media took over and we still have one. Let no image on social media make you judge your own self. Yes, social media is a boon when you have hacks like Mary Kondo’s too follow or when you have access to knowledge on real parenting issues.

Internet is a boon when you can stay in touch with friend and family and also make these complicated projects for your child’s school. It’s a boon when it lets you organize your work calendar and also presents you the opportunity to have a virtual assistant. There is plethora of things that social media can let you do, the first one of the list should be, tips for maintaining a work-life balance.

As someone who has failed, fallen down, got up and dusted myself to carry on, I can share some tips that could help you maintain work-life balance.

No one is perfect – I can probably exclude the almighty from this list, but no one else is perfect. We all have flaws. The more rigidly we try to hide these flaws the more complicated it gets. It’s best to accept these flaws and work around them, work with them. Our responsibilities keep mushrooming every day and it is not practically possible to be a perfectionist all the time. So, the best thing to do, is to prioritize your every day schedule and work accordingly and some somedays, just let the string loose!

Detox from the world – Every gadget needs servicing. You need to switch off your laptops too for a while because they start heating up. So before you start heating up and annunciate flames, you need to take a break. You need to unplug from whatever is causing the chaos in your life and focus on the more important things. Taking a small unplanned holiday with family will help you de-stress. Spend extra hours at work for a few days and then leave early on some days. Pamper yourself to make yourself feel better. Go on social media detox as suggested by Luke Coutinho. Detoxing and unplugging from the world, can have calming and soothing effect on you, making you capable to handle things in an efficient manner.

Exercise – After all the juggling our minds do, our body needs a little twisting too. Exercising and meditation can make your good hormones go for a run and produce for sunlight in your body. Meditation can give the bad hormones and thoughts a run for their money, making you happier in the bargain. Some calm and peace, helps you streamline your thought process. Balance shouldn’t be about completing a certain set of activities every day, balance also includes caring for oneself, physically and mentally.

Keep the negativity at an arm’s length – In one of my previous blogs, I have listed down activities that could be time-killers, so, it’s best to keep the negativity at bay. As humans we always know what is most important for us and that is what we need to invest our time and energy in. List down your short, medium and long term goals and work accordingly. We all love to socialize at work and other wise, but we shouldn’t be pressurized in doing so frequently just to be in someone’s good books. So it’s always best to be yourself, than trying to be someone else.  Set reminders for what is important and turn off notification for the umpteen number of unimportant WhatsApp groups you are part off. This will stop you from going back to your phone every time and wasting your time.

Moderate your lifestyle – Make minor changes in your lifestyle, beginning from health to sleep routine to work routine. Change habits that no longer work for you or your family. It is not wrong to drop off a habit that doesn’t work for you, instead adopt a different approach to doing something. Do not expect results over night because remember, “slow and steady”, wins the race.

“Don’t confuse having a career with having a life.” – Hillary Clinton, former US Secretary of State

We need to do a better job of putting ourselves higher on our own ‘to do’ list.” – Michelle Obama, former First Lady

These two quotes completely sum up my attempt at achieving a work life balance.It is something that needs to be practiced slowly and consistently. Just the way you need a village to raise a child, you also need the same village to help you achieve success in the changes you are about to make.