Striking a work-life balance can be a daunting task for any single mum. Juggling work and home responsibilities can be highly challenging, but it is not impossible. With some organization and planning, you can achieve a schedule and plan that works for you and your family.
This article will provide you with some helpful tips and advice for achieving a healthy work-life balance as a single mum. These will include some practical solutions for achieving a more manageable schedule, useful ideas on ways to save money on general household items and how to access support services available to single mothers.
Whether you are just starting on your journey as a single mum or have been at it for a while, this article will hopefully provide you with some valuable tips and advice that you can put into practice to achieve a more balanced life.
Working Hours
There is no definitive answer that will suit all single mothers regarding working hours. What is important is that you find a work schedule that works for you and your family. This may involve some trial and error at first, but it is worth taking the time to get it right.
A great way to start is by looking at your current work schedule and seeing if there are any changes that you can make which would allow you to have more time at home. For example, can you work from home one day a week? Can you come in later or leave earlier? Can you take a more extended lunch break so that you can run some errands? Can you work a split shift?
If you cannot make any changes to your current work schedule, it is essential to be organized and plan your days as much as possible to maximize every available minute that you’re free. You may also want to hire a babysitter or use a daycare service so that you can enjoy some uninterrupted time to work.
Money Management
One of the main challenges that single mothers face is money management. This can be especially difficult when trying to balance work and home responsibilities. However, it is possible to manage your finances effectively with a bit of organization and planning.
To start, you should create a budget to determine your monthly income and expenses. You can do this by keeping track of your receipts for one month to see where your money is going. Other tips to help you here include speaking to creditors if you are having trouble with debt repayments and hiring a bookkeeper to help you out with your finances.
Still on money matters, you need to be conscious about ways to save money. Some useful hacks to implement here include:
Take stock of what you already have in the home
Then decide whether or not you need to purchase anything else for a while. This way, you can avoid wasting money on impulse purchases.
Avoid paying the total price for your groceries
Instead, you can take advantage of store discounts and special offers by planning your grocery trips. You could also consider purchasing a membership card at a wholesale club or joining a wholesale buying service if you do a lot of shopping in bulk.
Buy second-hand wherever possible
This includes items such as clothing and furniture. This not only saves you money, but it also helps the environment by reducing waste.
Learn to cook instead of buying ready meals
The cost of a homemade meal will always be much cheaper than its equivalent at hotels and other eateries. You can save a lot of money by reducing the times you eat out or order food from outside.
Take Out Life Insurance
Life insurance has many benefits, but nothing beats the financial security it offers your family when you are no longer there to help. Life insurance for mums is a policy specifically designed for mothers and offers a payout in the event of your departure during the contracted period.
Those left behind including your children can then use the proceeds from the plan to cover among others funeral costs, debts, education and other expenses that may arise. You no longer have to worry about the future of your beloved children with this policy.
Conclusion
There are multiple ways in which you can manage your work and home responsibilities as a single mum as we’ve seen in this post. Sure, single motherhood is never easy, but you can achieve a more balanced life and enjoy life more by implementing some of the tips and advice here. Good luck!