I have been a working mom for most of my kids lives. I have had short stints of being a SAHM when we move or when I was on bedrest for pregnancy but, for the most part I have always worked.

I have worked as as medical assistant.

As a realtor (twice).

I worked full time in ministry.

And now, I own my own business.

So, I have experience working 9-5’s, working a super flexible schedule, a very busy demanding schedule and now, I work 24/7 in some capacity which is both flexible and overwhelming depending on what day you ask me, lol.

Needless to say, I have a lot of experience being a working mom. Cam is 19, Savannah is 11 and Paisley is 10 (this weekend!!! agh) and throughout the years I have learned some ticks and trips to help me juggle being a working mom that I thought I would share with you. Now, if we were at coffee, I could probably turn this into a 2 hour conversation but we’re all busy here so I have narrowed it down to my top 5!

Here we go…

1. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. I could probably stop here because this is so important. You don’t have to be super mom. You don’t have to prove you can do all the things. Look, I get it, we want to do it all and be it all but ladies, it is impossible. And its impossible even if you don’t work. So remove the pressure and ask for help. Whether it’s having someone clean your house, a teenager help with errands, another mom for carpool. Whatever it is you need help with, just ask, there is always someone willing to help if you look for it.

2. Take care of you too. We’re all busy and I know we all want to put our kids, our spouses, our friends, our house, etc first but ladies, if you don’t put yourself first you are going to crash and burn for everyone and everything around you. Find the thing(s) that fill your soul that you can add to you schedule and do it. A run, a bubble bath, reading for 20 mins every night, a monthly painting class…whatever it is make sure you do things for you too. And, showering and basic hygiene is not it…thats a human right and need, not what fills your soul.

3. Have boundaries. I read a book years ago that literally changed my life. It was called “The Best Yes” by Lysa TerKeurst and it helped me remove the pressure from saying yes to all the things. As much as I want to be room mom and cheer mom and PTO whatever I cannot do it all. I need to choose what is most important to me and say no to everything else. This also applies to birthday parties and lunches, etc. It is a sacrafice to say no to good things but it is worth it. If you struggle with this, I can’t recommend this book enough. Saying no, allows us to say yes when it really matters. And having boundaries honors and is good for everyone.

4. If you don’t love it, leave. Life is too short to work a job that you hate. If you don’t love it, don’t work it. And, I am not saying quit your job tomorrow because I recognize that is a luxury and not always possible (hello, I was a single mom for 6 years I know that most of us can’t just up and quit) but friends, I promise when you hate your job, being a working mom is 10x harder. If you really don’t like your job and you can switch, I urge you to look for another job. Making the sacrifices needed and having the added pressure of a full time job is hard enough, make sure you are doing something you enjoy with people you enjoy! It is worth the effort on the other side.

5. Find your tribe. This may be unpopular but I think it is very difficult as a working mom to have your entire friend circle SAHM’s. If you are a working mom, you need friends that are also working moms. Because no matter how much we can relate to one another (working vs. SAHM) I don’t think you can truly relate always. And I have been both and believe me when I say both are equally as hard but the reality is they are different. And I think the reverse is true too, if you are a SAHM you whole friend group can’t be working. You need a tribe of many moms in all different season, etc. but you also need a mom you can text and say “this shit sucks” and she knows exactly what you mean.

At the end of the day being a parent is hard. Whether you are a SAHM or a working mom, there are great sacrifices and hardships. There are great opportunities and a lot of joy. No matter the path you are on, it is a beautiful one because it is yours! And, I know I don’t have to say that but I want to because even though this post is about working moms, these tips can also apply to SAHM’s too and I have a deep love and respect for all moms so I wanted to make that very clear!

If you are a working mom, what would be your best tip or trick?