Set your own boundaries. Alas, although I really admire and respect many of the leaders I have worked for, I can't think of any one of them who ever turned to me when a meeting was going long and said, "Oh, Jennifer, it's 5 o'clock; don't you need to pick up your kids?" It's not going to happen. You need to set your own boundaries for start times, end times, vacations, and everything in between. This also goes for responding to email and phone calls. Remember, Proud Working Moms set their own paths.
Recognize when something is good enough. As a mother, wife, and employee, knowing when something is "good enough" does not mean settling for less or giving up my dreams. In fact, it's far from it. One of my dreams has always been to write a book and create a website that helps and unites women just like me. Has it taken me much longer than anticipated? Yes. Is it as perfect as I had envisioned? Maybe not. But I've given it my best effort--and that's good enough.
Mother Teresa once said, "It's not how much you do, but how much love you put into the doing that matters." Ticking items off your massive to-do list with great efficiency may feel fabulous, but stay focused on the big picture.
The key to happiness is self-acceptance. Appreciate who you are today, and strive for balance. Not perfection. Life is short and time is precious. To be a successful and proud working mom, you are expected to give your best at work, and do your best at home. That is all you can ask and expect from yourself!
Give yourself permission to let go of perfection. Have confidence in the fact that you are doing the best that you can right now as a mother, a woman, a wife, and a friend. Do the best you can, but don't let "perfect" be the enemy of "good."
Don't take things so seriously.We all resort to "drastic measures" at some point in our parenting. I once lured my daughter to bed with a trail of marshmallows going up the stairs when she was a toddler. I also will admit to giving Parker handfuls of Skittles to fend off in-flight meltdowns during long trips.
Am I proud of these moments? No. These aren't things I do every day, but sometimes there are situations that call for out-of-the-ordinary action. I am not perfect; I'm just doing the best I can!
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