Work-life balance is a hot topic, particularly for working moms. Though the rise of remote work and flex time has improved the situation, many women still aren’t in a position to “have it all.”
Thus, many working mothers feel the pressure to cut back to part-time hours, switch office locations, or even move to another job entirely. Others have found that, when they try to strike a balance between work and family, they have to eliminate everything else … from socializing with friends to pursuing their hobby.
Faced with the many challenges of raising a family while continuing to work, not a few women have found the only way to manage all their responsibilities is to hire help. Whether in the form of a nanny or a household manager, an extra set of hands to help you keep things running can be life-changing.
Nanny Versus Manager: Know the Difference
There are many different kinds of assistance for your household, ranging from nannies to housekeepers to household managers — and you have to grasp the distinctions if you’re going to hire the right one.
Generally speaking, nannies take charge of childcare, while household managers handle a variety of tasks such as grocery shopping, appointment scheduling, pet care, and similar duties. A nanny might do some of these other things, but caring for the child(ren) is going to be her or his primary responsibility.
Hiring a household manager, on the other hand, may free you up to spend more time with the children.
Confidence is Key
When you hire household support, one of the most essential factors is to be able to feel comfortable with your decision. Certainly, you should always check references, but you also have to pay attention to how well a potential employee appears to connect with your family.
You and your children will spend a lot of time with this individual in the future, and you’ll have to trust this person with vital and highly personal tasks, so you need someone with more than just a clean background check. One way you can tell you’ve made the right decision about who you’re hiring is by assessing how you feel about leaving your children with the new nanny or household manager.
As Jori Miller Sherer, a business development VP, explains, “If you feel confident in your childcare situation — daycare, nanny, stay-at-home husband — you’ll be happier and better at work.” For women who struggle with the fact that they can’t or don’t want to leave their job behind, knowing their children are with someone they trust makes all the difference.
The Advantage of Outsourcing
Even women who choose to leave the workforce or cut their hours can benefit from outsourcing some of the household management labor. If you’re a stay-at-home mom, don’t rule out the option of hiring some help anyway.
Every busy mother has days when she really doesn’t feel like dragging the kids to the grocery store … or the children are sick and you don’t have time to make dinner. Those are the days when, at the very least, you should order your groceries online or use a meal prep service.
Modern technology also makes it easy to outsource the occasional round of deep cleaning or laundry when you’re too overwhelmed to tackle that. The fact is that every mom is a working mom, and if you’re feeling overwhelmed, you’re not alone.
By hiring help, even if only part time or for a special occasion, you may find you’re happier, more relaxed, and have more time to spend with your kids. Isn’t that why you become a parent?
Embrace the simple ways that hired help can make your daily life better, and stop apologizing because you can’t do it all. The reality is, probably no one can; we’re all just doing our best.