While being a mom is a rewarding role it’s also a tough job most days. You may have a hectic career as well as many responsibilities to attend to at home.

You want to avoid overdoing it and wearing yourself out. It’s vital that you live a healthy lifestyle and proactively find ways to reduce your stress. If this is something you want to improve at then you’ve come to the right place to learn more. Take the time to review the four steps to a better life for yourself as a busy mom.

1. Eat Healthily & Get More Exercise

Be attentive to what you put in your body for fuel each day. You must make wise choices if you’re going to feel great and function to the best of your ability. If you’re someone who’s always rushing around then consider getting on the go lunch options instead of always eating out. You’ll save money and can cut portion sizes and calories this way. You should also prioritize working out and try to get as much exercise as possible each day. Count your steps so you can make sure you’re moving more also, especially if you have a sedentary desk job.

2. Reach Out & Ask for Help

You should never feel ashamed or bad about asking for help and delegating as a busy mom. People may not know you need it unless you speak up. Put pride aside and admit it when you are overwhelmed and could use some assistance. There are likely many people in your life who will jump in and help you if you let them know what you need from them. Asking for help is a sign of strength and you will feel less stressed when you allow others in and notify them of ways to step in and give you a hand.

3. Find A Greater Work-Life Balance

While having a job and a purpose in life is good for you, it can also take a toll on you over time if you aren’t careful. It’s important that you are proactive in creating a greater work-life balance for yourself. This means setting boundaries with people at work and in your personal life. Try to make to-do lists and prioritize your tasks so you’re getting the most essential ones done first. It may also help to set up a home office and work from home some days of the week if possible. 

4. Slow Down & Live Mindfully

Running around daily and never slowing down can negatively impact your health and mood. Make a better life for yourself as a busy mom by purposefully slowing down and moving at a more graceful pace overall. Live mindfully by focusing on what you’re doing in the present moment and not worrying so much about the past or what’s yet to come in the future. There are many benefits to living more mindfully such as that you’ll have greater concentration on what you’re doing in the moment. You’ll also find you experience less stress and frustration because of what being mindful can do for your mental health and anxiety.

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The days are short when you have multiple responsibilities. This is something that every woman can confirm to be true. But, when you are studying, working, and raising kids, even adding 48 hours to every day wouldn’t be enough.

Plowing time into your professional development comes at a cost, but so do missed opportunities. No one wants to feel that sense of disappointment of lost chances for success. So, if studying helps get you to where you want to be professionally, committing to it is the way forward.

Unfortunately, you need a lot more than just commitment to combine work with study. You’re also going to need a ton of practical help to keep your plan moving. Here’s what you need to juggle working and studying without burn-out:

Sort Childcare First

Before anything else, sorting childcare should be a priority. Thinking on your childcare options is wise before you even see your study timetable. If you have a partner, now is the time to get them to commit to handling the childcare on specific days - and to stick with it. Now is not the time for flaky behavior; you need arrangements you can trust. If there are gaps in your childcare schedule, fixing these now is vital. Taking a look at care.com can help. There are loads of details for childcare centers and other caregivers available. So finding one should be simple.

Map Your Time

Multitasking can be tempting when you have tons of things to balance. Unfortunately, multitasking can also be a surefire route to burn-out. Combining studying, working, and raising kids is simpler when you stop trying to do everything. Choosing one thing and focusing on it is a lot kinder to your mind. So, dividing up your time and attempting to direct your attention to just one task instead of ten can help.

When you have many responsibilities, it can be easy to push your studies aside. But falling behind on your course will only cause future stress. If needed, taking a little and often approach can be a massive help. Working consistently on your studies, even for short bursts, can help you stay on top. This approach should also keep those stress levels low.

Seek Support at Work

Your studies will ultimately benefit your career. So why not ask if some extra support is available from your employer? Ultimately, your employer will benefit from your newfound knowledge and skills when your studies are complete. So, they may be happy to support you while you earn your new qualifications.

Knowing that they have a lot to gain from your new skills could encourage your employer to allow you periods of study time ahead of exams. Your employer may even have a mentorship scheme you could join. Having an extra person on your side and cheering you on is always a bonus. 

Attempting to study, work and raise a family is never easy. But, when you have a clear plan and support mechanisms in place, it is manageable.