By: Atika Lim
It’s no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic has put a wrench in our daily routines and lives. While most of us have had to make the transition to remote work at some point during the pandemic, working moms know more than anyone else how difficult maintaining healthy and productive habits can be. From scheduling meetings between children’s nap times to find the best place in the house to work from without disruption, working moms have had to figure this out and more, all while successfully managing a household with or without their partners.
It hasn’t been easy, and while some working moms have made it look like they’ve got it down pat from their Instagram posts, not everyone has it figured out, and that’s completely normal.
To help you, we’ve compiled some of the best tips from professional working moms who have found their grooves that may be able to help you as well (no need to be a CEO!).
1. Whitney Wolfe Herd, CEO of Bumble: Always remind yourself of your purpose
The CEO of dating site Bumble recently completed a successful IPO of the company, and at 31, Wolfe Herd is the youngest CEO to take a company public. On the historical day of the company’s listing, the former Tinder executive brought her son to the occasion and held him while ringing the virtual NASDAQ bell.
In an interview with Business Insider, Wolfe Herd candidly shared that being a mom is “harder than an IPO.” While it hasn’t always been easy, the Bumble CEO reveals that having a strong belief in what you do and continually reminding yourself of your purpose can be empowering. “It’s been hard, and there’ve been a lot of challenges along the way, but our team’s dedication to our Northern star of trying to put women in the driver’s seat has just kept us going,” shares Wolfe Herd.
2. Anne Wojcicki, CEO of 23andMe: Fit in exercise for self-care
Wojcicki, the sister of YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki, swears by keeping fit and doing one thing for yourself each day. In a Forbes interview, Wojcicki says she bikes to work and home every day, rain or shine.
During the pandemic, Wojcicki is said to go for walks twice a day and doesn’t stick to strict hours for video calls. She’s also shared that having a weekly schedule and getting your kids involved in doing chores can be helpful. Protocol revealed that the CEO has a routine of washing her sheets on Sundaysand gives each of her kids one towel for the week, and allocates them one color-coded plate and cup per day to help keep things in order at home.
3. Arianna Huffington, CEO of Thrive Global: “Habit Stacking”
As the CEO of a company that helps companies rethink ways of working to avoid burnout, no one’s better equipped at dishing out advice to working moms navigating the pandemic while keeping everything at home and work in order other than Arianna Huffington.
In an interview with Forbes, Huffington’s best advice is to emphasize self-care more than ever. Huffington leaves her phone out of the bedroom for starters, believing that disconnecting helps her sleep better and lets her wake up recharged. Another hack Huffington has up her sleeves is “habit stacking.” To find moments of gratitude and joy, Huffington thinks of three things she’s grateful for while doing something like washing her hands. This is a great and easy way to boost positivity and remind yourself to be thankful, even when you’re busy.
4. Nathalie Walton, CEO, and Co-Founder of Expectful: Don’t seek out perfection
In an extraordinarily candid and refreshing interview with Authority Magazine, Walton shared that she felt that she did not have enough child care resourcesand acknowledged that there simply aren’t enough hours in the day. The co-founder of the mindfulness app also shared that she reaches out for help whenever she needs it and isn’t afraid of doing so.
“I’ve had to let go of any ideas of what I define as a ‘perfect mother’ or ‘successful CEO.’ I had to give myself the grace of knowing that I’m doing the best that I can, and that is good enough,” she shares.
Another great piece of advice Walton has is to meditate, primarily when she works late into the evenings. “When I must work late in the evening, I take twenty minutes to do an Expectful body-scan meditation to calm my mind before going to bed.”
5. Nadine Abramcyk, Co-Founder of Tenoverten: Do one thing a day with the kids
Nadine runs one of New York’s more luxurious salons, but when she’s not working, she’s in full mom mode and makes time to do something with them almost every day. “I do one thing a week alone with each of my kids. Sometimes it is as simple as taking them solo to a class of theirs, and sometimes it’s as special as going to a movie and dinner just the two of us,” she tells HeyMama.
Sharing tender moments with your kids, regardless of how busy you are or how messy the house is, can be a useful grounding tool, reminding you of your purpose.
