The Working Mom's Mini-Guide to Confidence
- Though time is scarce, set aside quiet moments for yourself
- A little emotional support can go a long way
- Positive thinking is good for you and those around you
As you already know, it's quite easy to overstretch yourself while juggling the roles of mother and employee, much less student.
As life's duties pile up (housework, errands, work, school, etc.) it's not unusual to feel bogged down and lose confidence in your abilities to handle everything.
That's why these days, moms more than ever need to know how to boost their mommy confidence before it gets too late. Here are some tips to get you started:
Find Strength and Courage in Numbers
A support network of other mothers can help moms share ideas, vent frustration, and compare parenting notes. Having a solid network in place is also good to help you handle both the ups and the downs of motherhood.
If your schedule is too tight to meet-up with local girlfriends, then you should consider joining an online mom forum. They are convenient and often help you make connections based on shared interests, passions, challenges, coursework, and parenting.
At eLearners, we recognize the convenience of interacting online and that's we've created a community just for moms to meet and support one another! Go to http://moms.elearners.com/!
Mom Getting Time for Herself
Newsflash: Moms need time to themselves to avoid burnout!
No matter how much a mom loves her children, it's exhausting for anyone to be on call 24/7. If you'd like to carve out some "me-time" try these tips:
- Cook once, serve twice. For example, on Tuesday night while grilling chicken breast, why not cook the chicken for Thursday night's taco salad dinner. This little tip is guaranteed to free up some time. For more kitchen time-saving tips, go to Meals Made Easy.
- Wake up before your family and flip through a magazine while sipping on a hot cup of coffee or tea, to enjoy a few moments of tranquility.
- Take short breaks throughout the day. Taking 5-10 minute breaks just to sit, even close your eyes and daydream, is a great stress reliever.
- Energetic kids keeping you on your feet? Check out our "How to Keep Your Kids Busy So You Can Study."
- Practice our time management tips to get time on your side.
Pampering
Even doctors recommend we treat ourselves to some TLC from time to time. After all, it's an extremely helpful way to keep up our morale, while making us feel special. If you're not sure where to begin, follow these 5 S's:
- Something Soft — purchase a new cashmere scarf or curl up in a fleece blanket.
- Something Special — fine wine, your favorite CD, looking at a photo album; enjoy anything you find special.
- Something Sweet — indulge in some chocolate truffles or a piece of cake.
- Something Sparkling — jewelry, decorative house items, etc. Remember "if it has bling, it's a good thing!"
- Something Stylish — hey a nice bag or dress never hurt anyone.
Stop Negative Thinking
Negative thinking can start a downward cycle of thought and behavior which may negatively impact our self-perception. However, through positive thoughts and actions, we can evoke a happy and positive existence.
Instead of saying you can't do something, next time take the opposite approach. Imagine that you can do it, and set in place the actions needed to accomplish that goal. Remember, the first step to achieving, is believing.
Improving Your Attitude
We all know how nice it is to be around people who are happy and positive. A way to develop this trait is to treat others with kindness and respect. Even when an idea or point of view rubs you the wrong way, try to pick out at least one positive aspect when asked your thoughts on the matter. After all, when was the last time you enjoyed being around a negative person?
Raising Confident Children
It starts with you! A mom's confidence plays a huge role in a child's self-esteem. Self-confident are more likely to do well in school, avoid drugs, and have a positive outlook on life.
So if improving your confidence isn't a big deal for you, it certainly is for your children. The formula is simple: confident moms equals confident children.
Jennifer Applin is a freelance writer and will soon be the mother of six young children born within a 5-year span. Her writing focuses on strategies for busy parents to juggle it all.
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