Working Mom Inspirations #3 – A SAHM Returns to the Dark Side!

My former colleague and friend Rosina is a FORCE.  She stayed at home with her two adorable children who are now 1 ½ and 3 ½ while running her and her husband's businesses which at various points included a cleaning company, a vending company and flipping a restaurant. The stress of owning her own company while trying to give her family the attention they need was just too much. So she decided to go back to the business world and joined a top advertising agency to help lead their finance department. 

It has been great watching her transition back to work while keeping her home organized and beautiful, feeding her family a home-cooked meal every night and ensuring they feel her love and attention all while looking drop-dead gorgeous every day (I hate her!! Whoops, did I say that? ;)). 

How the heck does she do it?  Here are a few of her tips:

Greetings fellow moms! My name is Rosina and I am the quintessential Type A wife, daughter, sister, business owner, full time professional and mother to a 1 1/2 year old and a 3 1/2 year old. 

 I took 3 years off after having my children and during this time I bought and sold 2 out of the 3 businesses my husband and I owned.   To me being a great mom is the best feeling; however, if I am being honest, during this time at home I felt something was missing from my life.  Being a college graduate and a former professional I knew I needed to get back to work to truly feel complete.  I rejoined the business world and finally feel balanced. 

The hardest part of returning for most parents is finding childcare.  I was fortunate in that my kids were already in a nursery school when I was home.   Their care is top-notch and they are learning and advancing in ways I could never have accomplished on my own.  Once you have that in place you have peace of mind when you head out for the day.

My number one tip is to make time for you – whether you are a working mom or stay at home mom. So many of us give 100% at work and 100% at home which leaves no time for ourselves.  Remember a happy mom is a happy house or like I remind my husband a happy wife is a happy life!  To reinforce this notion, I encourage you to read the book "The Secret" - it will change your life.

Make meals that don't consume your energy.  I grill quite a bit – marinate something and then put it on the grill for a few minutes and serve with a salad.  Also once a week I will go to Whole Foods to pick up one of their roasted chickens and serve it with a frozen vegetable, gravy, biscuits and stuffing.  It literally takes 15 minutes to put together and my family screams for more.

Stay on top of chores at night or early morning when it’s quiet and all are still dreaming. 

Each person in my family has their own cubby in our mud room.  At the end of the day I may not feel like taking everything to its place, so I toss it in the right cubby to gather everyone's stuff together and make the house look neat.  When I have time (usually the weekend) I empty the cubbies and put things back to their proper place.

 Pottery Barn's Olivia Bench  helps Rosina reduce weeknight stress by keeping the house looking neat and clean.

Make a list of to do's and commit to completing them by Friday.  Do your shopping when the kids are in bed, get the dry cleaning together at night and have a service pick it up/drop it off.  Enjoy your weekends by keeping them free from running errands.

Have a date night at least twice a month.  It is so easy to get lost in the everyday needs of work and children that you can forget you have a life.  My husband and I just started hiring a babysitter 3x a week when the kids are in bed so we can go to the gym together.  Not only does it ensure we stay active and healthy it’s like a mini date.   Also, since we go when the kids are asleep we don’t miss out on precious family time.  Along the same lines of being connected, I use Friday nights to email or text family and friends to stay connected and check in.

Look in the mirror and pay attention to yourself if you don't no one will.  Find a place that does manicures, pedicures and waxing that fits into your schedule and commit to it.  There are places that are open late on weeknights or use your lunch break to get it done.

Sit back and enjoy the children every day.  Ignore the housework and work emails when you get home until they are in bed.  Enjoy life and make every day count for you and your family because nothing else matters.

Thank you Rosina for being a working mom inspiration and taking the time to share your tips!