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It was the day I arrived late for a presentation at “ Women in Business ,” that I was meant to deliver , no less , entitled “ Time Management , Becoming More Productive Without Adding Hours to Your Day ,” when I knew things had to change . Years spent travelling the globe working for various conglomerates , whilst trying to juggle home life and caring for my young family , had taken their toll .
I needed flexibility in my life to allow me to be , first and foremost , a mother , but I also needed to do something for me . Knowing that my family was the single most important thing to me , I took a leap of faith and left the corporate world and , together with my husband , started our own business . Full of optimism , energy and of course pride , I fully embraced all that running your own business brings , at the same time bringing up our three children , and learning to roll with the punches along the way .
The list of what we mothers juggle , all of us , is so cumbersome it doesn ’ t bear repeating and we all find our way of managing , but one thing that I do always remind myself is that this too shall pass . The kids will grow up and leave the nest . So enjoying it now is of course the goal .
Of course as time goes on you learn from your experiences , which in my view , is the best way to put some order in your life . Here ’ s what I ’ ve learned through it all and how I fully believe that you can become more productive with the same number of hours in the day …
Make it happen !
Firstly – Time for a little life laundry …
Ditch the guilt Be incredibly proud to be a mother and never apologise for it . Whether at work or socially , do what you have to do to make it work for you . Don ’ t feel bad about leaving work at 3pm , or about being a professional and a mother .
Similarly , don ’ t worry about declining social invitations when they clash with important events for your children . Taking time for better work / life / family balance is a powerful and effective way to set a positive example for all .
Time doesn ’ t have to be split equally There will be times when the family will need more attention and times when work will demand more energy . Don ’ t try and divide the two fairly - remain flexible . There are days when I disappear or am travelling , or whole weeks when I may not be there for my family , but when I ’ m home , my focus is entirely on them .
Stop gatekeeping We don ’ t need to control everything ! It ’ s commonly accepted that women tend to do most of the decision-making around household chores , cooking , childcare etc . George Washington University law professor Naomi Cahn says that many of us don ' t actually want to rid ourselves of these ‘ duties ’, and that , consciously or not , we discourage our partners from sharing the burden — a practice known as gatekeeping .
Taking care of the late-night milk feed , or scheduling the doctors appointment may be one of the ways our identities as women , and as mothers , is reinforced . But we do need to let go a bit of the home – and in HK we are so fortunate to have our invaluable helpers to pick up the reigns when needed !
Letting go is just a matter of changing the standards ( not lowering them ) of how things are done at home . Does it really matter if your partner dresses the children in what you may consider to be the " wrong " clothes ? It ’ s a good idea to rethink your expectations from time to time .
Ask for help Even in today ’ s world , we all know it takes a village to raise a child . Asking for help requires humility , but seeking support can be one of the biggest keys to success . I have noticed a massive leap in my productivity just by asking for help from others , and supporting them where needed in return . When we know that help is at hand and the kids are being cared for , our productivity goes up . Don ’ t be afraid to ask .
The idea that we come last When we ’ re feeling overtired and stretched a bit too thin , it may seem out of the question to squeeze in a little “ me time ”. But the truth is that ’ s when you need it most .
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