Work life balance is very difficult. This is especially true for new mothers. The days seem to bleed into each other. The nights are never long enough and you are always exhausted! Before you know it the baby needs a diaper change, your assignment is late, and there is no food in the house!  I have found three key things that have kept me on track. First, make yourself priority. Second, drop any dead weight relationships. Lastly, leave work at work!

Many times women are advised to put their family first. This is backwards. Put yourself first. If you aren’t taking care of yourself you can’t take care of anyone else.  Keep yourself up.  Be mindful of your diet. Smell good. Look Nice. Keep a strong relationship with God. Say your prayers. Read your Bible. Get your hair done. Keep your nails neat. Treat yourself. These things may seem very minor but they affect your general mood. I find most times when I am not looking good I am also not feeling good. When my relationship with Christ is lukewarm my life is also lukewarm.

Keep your surroundings tidy. Exercise whenever you can. Make time to have an outlet. This could be sewing, a blog, or a small business, anything that you’re interested in. You should have your own goals and your own aspirations. When you are happy then you have room to make others around you happy.

There is absolutely no time for frenemies. I myself am guilty of keeping dead weight friends. It’s very hard to let go of friends even when you know they are bad for you. Some friendships grow apart overtime. Some friendships begin to feel like hard work. Some friendships have been bad for you from the beginning but for some reason or the other you refuse to let them go!  However, gone are the days where you will be able to take hours out of the week to worry or argue with people who do not have your best interest at heart. This doesn’t mean you start avoiding people or acting shady. This just means you start caring for only those that care for you.

Try and keep a small circle.  Draw yourself closer to those that have similar aspirations and lifestyles. When your friends are striving for similar goals it becomes easier to maintain the friendship. You can easily help each other with your mutual goals by sharing information, and opportunities. You can definitely keep friends that have alternative lifestyles but often times I find that those type of relationships grow apart over time. When it comes to girlfriends opposites don’t attract.

Lastly, leave work at work. This might be difficult if you’re looking for a promotion or trying to move to the next level in your career. However, in order to truly enjoy your children and husband you need to be actually present when you are home. Try your best to completely check out of work once you leave the office.  This is especially true for holidays and birthdays. Don’t lose out on special family time because you’re worried about work. When you are at work try and keep up correspondence with your spouse. A simple “How are you. Thinking of you” text goes a long way. Keep sometime free during the weekend just to hang out with the family.  Remember the reason why you work is so that you can provide the best for your family. Nothing is better for your family than a mothers love!

What are your tips for balancing life?