The juggling act of working motherhood

Last week we went for a long weekend to the mountains. The big kids had fall break, and we wanted to enjoy some family time away. As great as the trip was, the timing was a little challenging. Two days after we got home, Matthew left for a 10-day international trip and the kids were still on fall break. My new course Stretched Too Thin was also on the brink of launching.

But we went on the trip because it was important. The vacation meant quality time with our family and making memories with our kids. The time away gave me the opportunity to connect with a dear friend whose family was also joining us. It also meant that I could take care of me and spend time relaxing.

This has been a busy season and I have been juggling a lot of balls, which is par for the course with working motherhood. Working moms are always juggling.

The tension of a career and family + our own personal self-care is incredibly difficult. But what I have learned about juggling is that we juggle two types of balls – glass balls and rubber balls. And as more balls get added to our routine, it becomes harder to continue juggling.

Even though I’ve gotten good at the juggling act over the years, it’s just that – an act. Really, I’m dropping balls left and right. It’s impossible to keep all the balls in the air.

The good thing, is that I have learned which balls to drop – the rubber ones.

The rubber balls are those tasks and responsibilities that will bounce back if we drop them – like laundry, cleaning, even some work projects.

The balls that will break if we drop them – our family, our marriage, ourselves. Those are the glass balls. Of course, they don’t typically shatter right away. It’s more of a little crack here and a little crack there.

Over time, if we keep dropping the balls that really matter, they will break. Marriages will become strained or fail altogether. Our bodies become sick. We’ll yell at our kids, create tension in our home and are not the moms we want to be.

In my research for Stretched Too Thin, I found that 80% of working moms find it difficult to make time for themselves and 2/3 find it difficult to invest in their relationship with their spouse.

In short, working moms are dropping the balls they need to keep in the air. These feelings of being stretched too thin are very real in part because they are juggling (and dropping) cracked glass balls.

If this is you, know that you are not alone. Working motherhood is incredibly challenging.

Take time today to consider what your juggling act looks like. Are you putting energy into keep the most important glass balls in the air, or are you putting emphasis on the rubber balls that will bounce back if they fall?

What changes do you need to make?

If you need help in this area, my new course Stretched Too Thin was created just for you, the working mom who is juggling so much. It’s full of practical tips and encouragement on how to go from overcoming the hustle to thriving as a working mom. You’ll be equipped to better manage your many responsibilities and feel contentment of this season of working motherhood.

You are a great mom. Invest in yourself and take this course. It will take you just 10-15 minutes a day. The exclusive private Facebook community is already full of incredible women like you, eager to discuss the challenges we face.

You’re going to love it. Sign up here.