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Balancing motherhood and work really takes a miracle, sometimes that miracle is a cup of coffee that does not have a baby formula that you mistook for a coffee creamer. Or it is from other thoughtful moms that share their journey with us.
Small business owner Kristin Weixelbaumer takes Parent24 through the trials and tribulations of balancing her two babies: Black Betty Design and her son Tom. Read her story below:
When I fell pregnant, I was a little fearful of how I would juggle my first baby - Black Betty - and my incoming son. More than anything else, becoming a mother has grounded me, made me much more “chilled” which has in turn allowed a lot more perspective in my life.
I don’t sweat the small stuff as much as before I became a mom. Tom is now my “Numero Uno”, so everything else slots in underneath.
I used to be rather wild and crazy-spontaneous which has obviously been affected since having Tom. I was a butterfly flying from one flower to the next and becoming a mom has made me slow down, listen more and be present.
I have learnt how to make the most of the now and concentrate on what I am doing at that moment. I switch hats far easier than ever before. When I’m at work I’m working, and when I’m home with Tom then I’m in complete mom mode.
This has permeated the rest of my life for the better and I find that when I’m with friends and family I’m totally in the moment concentrating on quality time with them.
The same is true when I’m at Yoga. I’m completely zoned into that moment.
Also Read: Mom of eight shares her transformative birth experiences at a government hospital
My man and I share the responsibilities which has helped us become better, more caring versions of ourselves. Letting the other have a break when needed or even knowing when to ask for that break.
We’re blessed to have the best nanny in the world, which makes the work part of my life so much more bearable.
I am still definitely a workaholic, but it’s lighter and I have more purpose. Above all else I am Tom’s Mom first, even before the needs of Black Betty. We have just opened our new shop, which means that the pressure is at an all-time high.
With that behind me, it’s given me some clarity on how to manage the balance better:
Here are few tips that I picked up along the way:
- Get organised! You are now juggling so much so keep bringing on those to-do lists. Never leave the house without running through it all.
- To be 100% present with where you are, do not try juggle being a mama and getting emails/ orders out - it just gets messy and each side does not get the full attention it needs. When your home, be home.
- Ease up on yourself! Avoid listening to what others say! We endlessly compare ourselves to others. Find your space and identify the routine that works for you and your babe and rock it! It’s not always going to align with the opinions of others, and that’s okay.
- Calling your time out! Sometimes you need to take a break from both work and your family. It’s nothing to feel guilty about. But make sure you do it! Look after yourself - a spa treatment, walk in the mountain or swim in the sea on your own, a yoga class… it will make you be a better mama… and a better person.
- Support each other!
- I went to a gallery opening and talk by other entrepreneurs recently and it was wonderful to listen and share experiences. It made me realise that so many women are in the same boat and rocking it the way they know best.
- Breathe - when it gets too tough, just breathe.
- Swim in the sea as much as possible – you’ll never regret a swim.
- Have as much sex as possible! Make the time for it despite how unsexy you feel.
And finally, spoil yourself! Maybe with something daring like a new piercing from Black Betty! There’s nothing like a new sparkle in your life, especially when it’s a natural stone wrapped in the earth’s metals to work its magic.
Kristin Weixelbaumer is owner of Black Betty Design
Compiled for Parent24 by Republic PR
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