The looming question for working mothers is always, “How do you find balance?” I’ve been a working mother for 10 years -- long enough to know that balance takes place over a long period of time. It may not happen in a given day, week, or even month, but over time, if you keep your priorities in mind and remain flexible, you can have it all -- you just may not get much sleep!
The trick is to blend the ingredients. As CEO of Big Tent, my home, work, and professional life seem much more related than ever before. Big Tent’s goal is to help busy families like mine, volunteer groups, and community members keep their activities and real-world relationships -- and lives -- organized. Many of our customers are parents. I’m grateful for the conversations I get to have with them, and I take their wisdom and inspiration home to my own family at the end of each day. Their commitment to their groups reinforces the importance of staying involved in your community, following a passion, and helping others, no matter how busy things get.
I enjoy the challenges of growing a company and raising a family. I’m thrilled when our team at work is thriving and our customers love what we do for them. I’m thrilled when my kids score a soccer goal or ace a test. I feel fortunate to experience success daily in so many different ways.
Many working parents try hard to separate work and family. I do not. Work is 24/7. Family is 24/7. It’s a juggling act indeed. I find that I am happiest when I feel connected to both. I share many of the joys and trials of work with my family and they help me celebrate or solve problems. I share many of the highs and lows of motherhood with my co-workers and they laugh or commiserate with me. And I make time to see my long-time friends, usually to exercise or just vent over a glass of wine.
The perfect recipe is the one when all three of these ingredients -- family, professional, personal -- come together. It does happen and when it does I have renewed energy that makes me more focused, fun, and ready to take on that next challenge. It might be landing a new partnership or baking brownies for my kids’ sporting events. Whatever it is, I look forward to continuing the discussion with other parents to help us excel at it all.
About the Author:
Donna is the CEO of Big Tent Design and a mother of two. Big Tent provides free web software for keeping community groups connected and organized online.
