As women, we tend to feel that we need do everything perfectly and when we can’t, we become very hard on ourselves. One of the biggest continual struggles is balancing full time work with children. While we’re at work we feel guilty because we are not with our children and when we are with our children, we feel we are letting work down.

I am fortunate to work for a corporation that allows carers / sick days so that if I need to be with the children I can – and my salary is not docked for these days. Over the years I have shrugged off more and more of the guilt from both sides. I am honest with myself and have realised I would not make a great stay-at-home mum and you know, that’s ok to feel that.

By working full time I am able to be financially independent and can clothe, feed, educate and house my children. They have security in where they live and I have financial “Plan B’s” in place should anything happen to me or I can’t work for any length of time. I am naturally organised and ordered so I find the balance not too difficult, but here are some pointers: 

• Lay out the children’s school clothes the night before for easy morning dressing.
• Have them make up their lunches the night before and keep in fridge.
• Make larger batches of food and freeze in easy to thaw portions for dinner ready for when you get home (spaghetti bolognaise, tuna pasta, chicken casseroles etc).
• Give your children jobs that they can be accountable for (making beds, packing school bags, cleaning teeth etc.) It teaches them responsibility and cuts your workload.
• Buy in bulk from supermarkets so you can to reduce the number of times you are dragging tired hungry children around Coles for last minute purchases at the end of the day.
• Make lists. I am a list junkie. Write things down – it gets the clutter out of your head and prevents you forgetting things. Also, take action with things immediately – if children need to provide something for school or have a 4-week project, get on it straight away. Last-minute panics just stress the working mother and who needs that?

Remember, you may make mistakes, you will be tired and you may also feel that you are doing everything, all the time, for everybody else. Make time for yourself. Spoil yourself. Refresh. When the children go to their Dad’s for the weekend, use your time on yourself, not the washing.

This article was submitted by Joanne, a highly awarded bank manager and single mum who successfully combines full time work with raising two boys.