Meet Dr Garima Verma, MDS (Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery), a Dentist and an Oral Surgeon by profession, a mother to an incredible 5-year-old daughter, she started the journey of blogging 3 years back.
When a child is born so is the mother. No matter how mature you are, it would never be enough when it comes to raising a tiny human.
In her own words, “Being a dentist, I couldn’t miss the fact that dental health is not given priority at all, and when it comes to the dental health of a child, it is a left-out topic. So my blog DentistMaa will help you get all information about your child’s as well as your (a parent is as important as a child) dental health and will help you solve problems regarding parenting with proper data and research from various renowned societies like the Indian Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Pediatrics, Indian Dental Association, American Dental Association, and many more.
So, the information you are getting is 100% true to its knowledge. We do share some home remedies, which are scientifically proven and do not cause any harm to the child or the mother.”
You can reach out to her or join her WhatsApp group for any query related to dental health or parenting at the following:
32 Sparklets Dental Implant & Root Canal Center,
#2407, Sector 79, Mohali 140308
Link to Join: DentistMaa WhatsApp Group
Facebook Page: DentistMaa
Instagram Page: Positiveparenting_dentalhealth
YouTube Channel: 32 Sparklets
Today she shares with us some incredible work-life balance tips for all working mothers and also highlights the importance of maintaining a work-life balance for a happy and holistic life. So, let’s get started!
Work-life Balance for Mothers: Why is it Important and Tips to Working Mothers
In today’s time when women have started working too, work-life balance is what every working mother is looking for.
Does a mom feel guilty sometimes that she is working?
Is it too much stress for the mother?
Does the stress affect the family and the child?
Is there a solution to it?
The answer to all the above questions is YES!!
Why is work-life balance important?
Work-life balance solves many problems a family might face when both parents are working.
- It helps in a stress-free environment at home.
- It is important for your good health both mentally and physically.
- Your child should understand that both the work as well as him or her is important to you.
- You know when to set the limits.
- You do not drain yourself out on one thing.
- The child understands that work is also your priority.
- It keeps you sane.
Tips to maintain a work-life balance:
1. Make a Schedule
Making a schedule and fixing a timetable is very important to maintain a good work-life balance. Getting up at a fixed time and starting your day fresh is the key to staying healthy and consistent.
You need proper energy to focus throughout the day, without getting tired, restless and angry. To do that, you need to make a proper schedule for your working day and stick to it.
Children too like a proper schedule. They slowly start to know and remember what is next. It makes them feel comfortable and in control of their day. They feel they are the in-charge as they know what is next.
For example, a few days back my almost 5-year-old daughter was so excited to tell me her schedule for the day. She even mentioned the time she would be doing different things. So, who taught her the schedule? It is us her parents. She knows what is next and she keeps asking us if it is time for the next thing, say, her school, gymnastics class, her outdoor time, dinner time, her bedtime etc.
Now as she has started learning to see what time it is, she gets even more excited to tell us what time it is and what she has to do next. Sometimes, on Saturday when she has a day off, it gets a little difficult for her to manage without a schedule.
So, having a proper timetable is beneficial not just for the mother but also for the child.
2. Do not mix your work time with your family time
Work and family time should always be separate. This will help in doing both things more efficiently.
While you are in your office or factory or clinic, anything, focus on your work. Doing anything half-heartedly never comes a long way. When you are with your kids at home, focus on them. Play with them, teach them, laugh with them, cook for them, eat with them, and do whatever makes you and your family happy.
Many mothers try to keep their phones and laptops away while with their children. This is a healthy way of parenting. No chats, no emails and no phone calls. All the focus is on the child. The child feels happy and more loved.
3. Eat healthy and stay fit
You can only care for someone and focus on your work if you feel healthy and fit. If you are not fine, say you are lethargic all the time, feel tired and not focused, and you can never give your 100% to your work and your family.
To be healthy you need to eat healthy and do some kind of physical exercise. Keep an hour for yourself to exercise, do yoga, swim, go to a gym or anything that you love. You will feel more energetic and fresher all through the day.
Healthy eating habits are another important part as it keeps the body in good health and shape. Also when you eat healthy, your child will eat healthy. However, eating out occasionally is okay.
4. Ask for help
There is nothing wrong with asking for help. If you struggle to manage work and family life, ask your spouse for help. The family belongs to both. And the father should give equal contribution towards the family and home, as the mother is giving. Stress on one person for everything is never good. So, ask your spouse for help if he is not helping on his own.
Still, if you both feel you need more help, hire a house help or a nanny. Trust me that would be a great relief. You can take time off for yourself while the house help can do the work. Also, you can spend time with each other which is very important for a strong relationship.
It might be a little difficult on your finances, but it would be a life savior. No child likes a stressed or angry mama.
5. Do not feel guilty
Mothers tend to feel guilty most of the time. There is nothing wrong with working and leaving your child at day-care or with grandparents, or even with a trusted nanny. That doesn’t make you a bad parent. The child slowly understands the importance of work when he or she looks at you and realises you are working hard and giving your time to the child after work hours.
But yes, when your work time is over, you need to keep everything else aside and focus on the child. If at that time you are not 100% with your child, and you are scrolling your phone or answering emails, then you should feel guilty.
6. Perfection is not always important
Most of us (including me) go for perfection in whatever we do. But when you are a mother, it is not important every time. What is important is that the work is done, you have a good time together and there is no stress.
When I was a new mother, I always wanted the house to be clean, things to be in their place, and everything to be perfect. But later I realised that it is not important. What is important is you and your family is happy.
A messy home will not be the reason for stress, but if you get anxious seeing it all the time, that can cause stress. So, what is more, important is a calm home rather than a sparkling and completely clutter-free home.
7. Involve your kids in household chores
Kids can be of great help at home. And no, they will not consider it as work if you start from the beginning. Most of the parents have this notion that they are still kids and we need not ask them for the household work, it is their time to play and they have the rest of their lives for work.
But this is wrong. Kids love to help. You do not have to mention that you are making them do something big. You can ask them to put their laundry, help you take the clothes out of the dryer, keep the washed utensils, keep their toys, etc. Make it a game. You can say let’s see who does it first or faster or better, anything. The child will be very happy, you will spend time together and it will be fun too.
8. Take your “Me time” every day
The most important person is you. If you are happy, you can keep everyone happy; if you are not happy you will be upset the whole day and it will be very difficult to stay happy around the kids too.
So, take your “Me time”. It is the best time of the day as it helps you to get charged. If you love to have a cup of coffee alone in the morning, do that. Love to listen to music of your choice, do that. Love to read a book or scroll your phone, do that. Do whatever makes you happy.
It will give you lots of positive energy. And this positive energy will be transferred from you to your child and your family.
“Me time” is a blessing for everyone.
To conclude, work-life balance is one of the most important things to achieve to have a balanced, happy and healthy life. It might take a little effort and time to adjust to the new lifestyle but it is possible. Always involve your spouse with everything and that will make life easier. Ask for help whenever you need it.
