It can be so difficult finding time to do anything as a working mom, trying to achieve a balance during every day while being pulled from all directions. It seems that unless you have an advanced degree in time management you just cannot find the available time to attend to the needs of the kids, your job, housekeeping and the other myriad tasks that seem so necessary today.

When we choose to put things off until tomorrow – or the next day, we usually end up feeling guilty about it, and unfortunately this course of action only serves to magnify our daily problems. Budgeting can be quite a challenge and if you only have a limited source of income you will always feel pressured to spend it on the kids and other household items, relegating yourself to last place in the pecking order.

As a working mum, you need to remember one thing – you represent the “engine” that runs the entire family and without you, available in tip top form and shining condition, the family machine will just not work as well. Therefore, relegate any feelings of guilt to the back of your mind and understand that any time you invest in yourself is an investment in everything around you, your kids and your overall life. It’s essential that you feel good about yourself or, with the passage of time, you’ll feel increasingly burdened, and put yourself in a situation where depression could take hold and create a never-ending downward spiral.

One of the most crucial goals for you to work toward should be to establish a solid support network all around you. It’s a good idea to remember to lean on your close friends for support – you know who they are, they’re the true friends you can always turn to in situations like these at any time. Don’t forget though, that this kind of support is a two-way street. It’s entirely possible that you might already have some family members who look out for you, but you should never be afraid to ask for help from a professional coaching expert, specifically coaching for women like you, who are in a similar situation.

If you’re lucky, maybe you’ve got a really good friend who is willing to babysit for you, so you can have some precious “me time” all to yourself. There is always a way around and a way to find time to make you feel “yummy” rather than slummy! Always keep in mind that no matter how much chaos seems to reign everywhere around you on a daily basis, you have to take control over the factors that you can manage.

Feeling and looking fantastic on a tight budget really isn’t all that difficult. Your toughest challenge will be in setting aside the necessary time to truly pamper yourself. Once you actually accept this as a fundamental priority in your life, you need to make this happen regularly.

The best investment you can make in yourself is to commit to daily exercise and we don’t mean lugging bags of groceries around or cleaning the house! A concerted period of cardiovascular work is perfect, or you can event start out by using a small set of hand weights while walking around the neighbourhood.

Before you know it you’ll feel better physically and mentally, and your skin tone will even start to shine brightly again. You can pick up supplies to do a really great home manicure and pedicure, schedule a visit to a beautician or hairstylist and just focus on your personal time in the bathroom more often.

Always remember that feeling great is simply a state of mind. It often starts with a focus on creating time for you and allocating at least an equal priority.

For additional suggestions and great tips on how to feel fantastic as a tight-budget mother, check out the array of online life coaching resources which are readily available to you!

Amanda Alexander is the Founder and Inspiration behind Coaching Mums. She’s a distinguished ICF accredited coach, who for almost seven years now, has been bringing a new feeling of hope into the lives of working mums from around the world, showing them how to discard their guilt, rediscover their passions and to have a lot more fun! For amazing articles and truly effective professional coaching tips, sign up to get “Inspire” right away, our absolutely outstanding free newsletter!

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This entry was posted on Sunday, December 13th, 2009 at 5:45 am and is filed under Parenting Tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.