Millions of single parents balance career and home life without the assistance of a partner every day. Whether the surrounding circumstances are due to a separation, divorce, never married, widowed or by choice, raising a family solo presents many rewards and challenges. The following are tips on how to balance work and family life as a single mom.
Surround Yourself with a Great Support Group
There are times when you may yearn for an empathetic ear to listen. You may also need reinforcements to assist in various aspects of parenthood or guidance on how to keep baby healthy while at daycare. That’s why it’s important to surround your family with a great support group who actually care and want to be there for you. No matter if it’s family members, friends or co-workers, the trusted individuals can lend a hand when the going gets tough. If you want to reciprocate the acts of kindness, offer to cook a meal or give back in ways that you deem to be best suited. There are also babysitting co-ops and parenting groups that offer no-cost free exchange services. Before you leave your child with a stranger, make sure you check them over thoroughly to ensure your child’s health and safety.
Have a Back Up Plan
If you’re a single working parent, you need to have a backup plan to ensure that things run smoothly. Daycare is an option many single moms rely on. On days of emergencies, and the facility is unable to take care of your child, have an alternate sitter at-the-ready. This could be a grandparent, aunt, uncle or trusted neighbor. If you’re transportation is unreliable, you may want to turn in your poor running car for something safe and dependable. Although many vehicle recycler’s say, “we’ll buy any car,” not everyone takes the phrase seriously. Look for a reputable company who can provide you with the best offer for your damaged or broken-down car and in the fastest and easiest amount of time.
Be Mindful of Your Health
As a single mom, you probably keep a tight schedule with career deadlines, feedings, homework, meal preparation and more. Unfortunately, this can leave you very little time for your own needs. To reduce your chances of getting run down and sick, fuel your body with nutritious food such as fruits, veggies, whole-grains, lean protein, low-fat dairy and Omege-3 fatty acids. You also want to factor in exercise. While you may be busy chasing your kids, working and taking care of the household, you still need to make time to work out. Shoot for 30 minutes of exercise each day. You can include your children in the process by taking a walk to the park, bike rides or baby and mom yoga classes. Sleep is just as critical as eating right and exercising. Aim for 7 to 8 hours of rest every night. After a good night’s sleep, you’ll feel rested and energized to take on your busy day.
Make Time for Fun
Your finances may leave you with little monetary means to take exotic vacations. But you can still carve out time and a small amount of money to have fun. If you’re looking for spontaneity, put together a picnic basket with foods and supplies for dinner. Whether you go to the park or have dinner on the lawn in the backyard, your family will enjoy the unexpected adventure. Your local library is a great source for free entertainment. In addition to free music, books and rental movies, they have some amazing no-cost programs available for children and adults.
Stay Connected
There are programs available that connect single moms with other women who are going it alone. Whether it’s a faith-based organization, online support system or in-person single parenting group, try to stay connected to others who are experiencing similar situations. Depending on the type of group, you may be able to take advantage of the educational seminars provided. They may also offer pot luck dinners, field trips, play time and more.
More and more single moms are commandeering the workforce than in the past. But being the sole provider can come with guilt and stress. You can find your way to happiness by balancing both home and career with the above helpful tips.
Author’s Bio
Yunas Chaudhry is a super-connector with Darkroom Clicks Photographers in Lahore and Islamabad who helps businesses find their audience online through outreach, partnerships, Photography, branding and networking. He frequently writes about the latest advancements in digital marketing, digital photography,.