I have always had a strong work ethic; I want to contribute to my employer but I need to balance the needs of my family with the demands of a career. To add to this crazy combination, I am married to a Strategy Consultant who travels 100% of the time. He leaves on Monday mornings and returns typically late Thursday evenings.
How could I find balance? What could I do that would not be just a “job” but rather a fulfilling career and yet give my children what they needed from me on a daily basis?
This has been an interesting winding path to navigate over the last 15 years but here I am and I LOVE where I work and what I do. I went from Entrepreneur to Managed Services Salesforce Consultant in that time frame.
I recently ran across another blog post about 10 Tips for Balancing Motherhood and Your Career by Lauren Miller. Lauren outlined 10 strategies that she felt helped her find work-life balance (as best as can be expected) to help her maintain her sanity and purpose:
- Set a Routine
- Prioritize Tasks
- Work Efficiently
- Be Fully Present
- Outsource Chores
- Make the most of your commute
- Get Sufficient Sleep
- Re-evaluate Other Commitments
- Enjoy Some Time to Yourself
- Soak in the snuggles
What I realized after reading Lauren’s blog, is that I have been able, with my current position, to successfully navigate the demands of motherhood with an engaging, growth-potential career at Cloud For Good.
As a Managed Services Consultant, I can schedule my day in a way that works for me. I am a morning person, so I typically start early and end on the earlier side. Because of my work schedule, I capitalize on my peak performance times making it easier for me to work more efficiently. Working 100% remote, I am able to get sufficient rest, enjoy time for me, time with my family (aka soak in the snuggles) and take my job with me (re-evaluate other commitments). As a soon-to-be empty nester, I often wonder what the next chapter of my life will be but I can visualize an ongoing working relationship with my employer and a variety of options as to how my subsequent phase of my adventure might look for my husband and me.
As a working mom with a traveling partner, I face the challenge of trying to be an engaged parent with my children and a contributor to my employer. Working at Cloud For Good has been a game changer for me and my family. I am growing every day in my Salesforce knowledge through client engagement and encouragement from my team AND I get to participate fully in my children’s lives – helping my oldest select a college for the fall and attending my youngest’s activities and cheering her on. All while maintaining a small space for me and my personal goals and interests. For the first time in my career life, I actually don’t feel like I am shortchanging either side. I think I have found my Chi.
