凯利·戴维，4月
在过去的11年里, 我已经研究了, 训练有素的, 和 experienced a lot in my career journey to help me prepare for any communications situation that is thrown my way – from crisis communication planning to gr和 openings, 以及两者之间的一切. 每一次经历都帮助我为下一次做好准备, but nothing has prepared me for this: dealing with a toddler with the “Terrible Twos” while unexpectedly working from home…in the middle of a global p和emic. I had no choice but to adapt 和 quickly develop new skills including tackling tight deadlines with 丹尼尔·伍兹的社区 在电视上播放, 在电话会议上换尿布, 并在午睡时间主持Zoom会议.
I know I’m not the only one out there trying to make it all happen simultaneously. 事实上，根据美国政府的说法.S. Department of Labor, about 70 percent of American women with children are in the workforce. 在有孩子和处理工作之间, we still manage to hold high-powered positions across different industries; we start businesses; we raise families, 和 有时 设法把衣服洗好.
但是一天只有24个小时，我们怎么做到这一切呢 和 照顾好自己? This question inspired me to reach out to five local professionals who work full-time, 抚养孩子, 保持他们的家园, 同时也要有个人时间和成长的空间. They are in industries ranging from hospitality to nonprofit, 和 have children that range in ages from tweens to a 13-day-old infant! 他们是这么说的.
克莱尔Cro好吧, 首席运营官, A. 马歇尔的款待在工作中:, Claire oversees the operations 和 management teams of a portfolio of restaurants, 包括帕克特的Gro. & Restaurant, Deacon’s New South, Americana Taphouse, Scout’s Pub, 和 Hattie Jane’s Creamery. At home, Claire is mom to 6-year-old Hattie 和 3-year-old Eliza.
你现在是做母亲的哪一个阶段?
我是两个小女孩的母亲，一个3岁，一个6岁(还有3/4岁).
做母亲如何丰富了你的职业生涯?
Being a mom has clarified what is important to me, both in my personal 和 professional life. 它磨练了我，在我缺乏的地方给了我勇气, 它也软化了我有时过于强硬的一面. 我不会在小事上浪费太多时间, 和 I’m better (but not great) at shutting off work when I’m with my family.
What are the challenges you face with work/life balance that you wish others would underst和?
Women need to underst和 that work/life balance doesn’t exist in the way we idealize that it does. 关键在于我们所做的选择, 理解并发挥我们的优势, 然后让其他的一切都过去. I love to cook, 和 I’m a planner, that is a strength for me 和 something I can give to my family. I spend a good portion of my weekend cooking meals for the coming week 和 to put into the freezer. I get asked how I have time to do that while working full time. 我选择这样度过我的空闲时间. I am not spending time on DIY projects or crafts because I’m terrible at them. My laundry tends to stay in the dryer for a few cycles before it finally comes out to be folded or to sit in the basket for a few extra days getting wrinkled. 总是互谅互让. Don’t look at what others are doing that you wish you were; look at what you are doing 和 what you are capable of. Otherwise, in the wise words of Elsa from Disney’s Frozen, “let it go.”
What is your most significant piece of advice for other working mothers?
跟随你的直觉. 每个妈妈都不一样，每个家庭都不一样. You have everything you need to be a great parent, 和 you’re doing a fantastic job.
安吉Boyd-Chambers, 总统, Boyd-Chambers通信:安吉, 博德钱伯斯通信公司的创始人和所有者, 对工作和建立人际关系有热情吗. 她最近担任首席营销官 & 圣托马斯健康促进会通讯干事, 她过去12年的职业生涯是在哪里度过的. At home, Angie is mom to 5-year-old daughter Corinne, 和 sons Cason (8 years) 和 Cole (11 years).
你现在是做母亲的哪一个阶段?
我有幸被称为“妈妈”已经11年了. I have a newly 5-year-old daughter 和 eight 和 11-year-old sons. 这一季的母性不知从何而来, 正如大家所说, 我只是不知道我们怎么走到这一步的, 时间过得真快. I honestly still feel like I need to pinch myself to make sure it is real that I have three young kids, 我抚养的人, 我喂, 穿, 他们和住所. LOL – seriously, it is just a fantastic gift we are given to raise kids.
做母亲如何丰富了你的职业生涯?
母性让你更强大, 确定, 非常高效。, 开门见山, 理解, 和有同情心. These are qualities you need as a leader 和 someone who wants to advance in their career.
What are the challenges you face with work/life balance that you wish others would underst和?
Unless you are a working mom, you just cannot underst和 the life we live in. 我们起得特别早去工作. Maybe we workout, or just need to prepare for the busy day ahead, 和 we need to get an early start. When we leave the office or close our laptops, our day is just beginning. We have to keep our spirit 和 energy up for the little feet that will run to our arms because they have missed us all day, 我们想花时间陪的丈夫, follow-up on text messages to our girl朋友 so we can keep our 朋友hips healthy (we all need good girl朋友) 和 most likely with working moms being the overachievers we are, we still have work to get done sometime before we go to bed at maybe 1 or 2 a.m. 但我们第二天早上醒来, bright 和 early with a can-do attitude 和 ready to take on the world – we do it all over again with a smile 和 joy in our hearts because we have been given the gift of being called Mom.
What is your most significant piece of advice for other working mothers?
不要试图变得完美，要知道你并不孤单. The only thing our kids want is our attention 和 love – they will not remember if we homemade their valentines cards, cakes or had their birthday perfectly decorated – but they will not forget if we were always “too busy” to watch them when they were doing something, 或者和他们玩个游戏, 或者当他们需要爱的时候，就坐在那里，抱着他们. 我的家有时会很乱, 无组织的, 和玩具到处都是, 但我总是告诉我的孩子-团队, 如果在我们的生活中一切都是完美和顺利的, then we would not have any fun memories of all this craziness we live. 让我们一起笑, 和 I want to teach my kids that things do not have to be perfect to be happy – you have to work hard, 生活诚实, 多多爱——那才是给你幸福的东西.
Liz Veyhl 执行董事, 小世界瑜伽: Liz is the executive director 和 founder of 小世界瑜伽, a nonprofit dedicated to inspiring growth 和 possibility by increasing access to yoga. 目前, 小世界瑜伽在60多个地方分享瑜伽, 包括低收入社区的儿童和成年人, 无家可归的人, 癌症患者和护理人员, 从家庭暴力或毒品中恢复的妇女 & 酗酒，以及更多得不到充分服务的人群. At home, Liz is caring for her newborn son Porter – born two weeks ago on April 25!
你现在是做母亲的第几个阶段了?
全新品牌，13天还在继续!
做母亲如何丰富了你的职业生涯?
It’s probably a bit too early to know how motherhood will enrich my professional life. 仍然, 在一个女性主导的行业, I’ve already been amazed at the compassion 和 support of so many coworkers, 董事会成员, 和 fellow teachers who are mothers (和 fathers) as I’ve gone through pregnancy 和 now entered into this new adventure of being a mom.
Community has always been a big piece of my “why” for the work we do at 小世界瑜伽, 和 I have a feeling that it’s this same community of teachers 和 students who will become an extension of family to my son 和 allow for me to feel ease in the blend of work 和 motherhood. I’m excited for Porter to have lots of yoga aunts 和 uncles looking out for him regularly.
What are the challenges you face with work/life balance that you wish others would underst和?
I feel lucky to work 和 collaborate with a good number of working moms who are dedicated to their families 和 their careers 和 passions outside of the home. While I can’t say what my greatest challenge will be with adding a new baby into my work/life balance, I know that work/life balance seems to be a challenge for anyone who is driven in their career, 但也想给自己留点时间, 家人或朋友，这对我来说不是什么新鲜事. I’m guilty of picking up the laptop at all hours 和 not giving enough time 和 energy to my self-care or time with my husb和, so now that’s going to be amplified with a small child who deserves all the love 和 attention. I’m excited to bring more focus to family in the weeks 和 months ahead 和 trust that things will get done during regular working hours just as effectively.
What is your most significant piece of advice for other working mothers?
好吧, 在这个阶段, I’d say don’t take opportunities for quality sleep lightly 和 don’t discount the importance of self-care you enjoy doing for yourself like yoga, 走, 或者来杯酒.
I’ll probably have more thoughts around this once I’m further into it, but I think the best “advice” I’ve received is merely watching other 朋友 和 coworkers’ step into motherhood 和 still maintain their passion for their career. I think we live in a time where we really can balance both happily 和 successfully, 和 it’s inspiring to watch others lead in different areas of both family 和 business.
丽贝卡·安德森, 通讯及慈善事业总监， 田纳西州中部的女童子军作为传播和慈善事业的总监, Rebecca oversees the communications 和 development strategy for the 田纳西州中部的女童子军, one of the largest nonprofits servicing youth in the state. 今天, the 田纳西州中部的女童子军 serves 39 counties that include more than 20,000名女童子军和志愿者. At home, Rebecca is mom to 8-year-old Haddi 和 2-year-old Hayes.
你现在是做母亲的第几个阶段了?
My daughter Haddi is eight years old 和 in 2nd grade, 和 my son Hayes is two 和 a half. Having kids 5 ½ years apart means we are constantly in very different stages with each of them.
做母亲如何丰富了你的职业生涯?
做一个母亲在工作场所提供了一个独特的视角. On the one h和, motherhood gave me a heightened sense of empathy 和 理解 for others. 但它也包括动力和决心. I want to instill in both my daughter 和 my son that women don’t have to choose between working as a mother or having a professional career outside the home. I’m doing both, 和 I want them to see that I am proud of that. 每次我女儿告诉我, “妈妈, 真希望你不用工作,” I use it as an opportunity to share with her how much I enjoy my job 和 how other people are counting on me. And at work, I am constantly using my experience as a mom to make decisions 和 solve problems.
What are the challenges you face with work/life balance that you wish others would underst和?
啊,工作和生活的平衡. You know this is so hard because it means different things to different people. But one thing I think I’ve realized over the years is that a state of perfect 和 continuous “balance” is almost unattainable. There are times when life 和 kids have to be the priority 和 other times when work dem和s more focus 和 attention. 这是一个不断的跷跷板. I have missed important meetings 和 events because I needed to be somewhere with my kids 和 I have also missed some things with my kids because I’ve had professional obligations. The “balance” comes over time 和 isn’t necessarily a reflection of everyday life.
What is your most significant piece of advice for other working mothers?
给自己的恩典. As a working mom, it is impossible to do everything as perfectly 和 precisely as you may want to. So accept help 和 lean on others, both personally 和 professionally. “Mom guilt” is real, but you can’t let it define your actions 和 your behavior. 要意识到给自己留点时间是可以的. You 和 your individual needs are just as important as the dem和s of your children or your job.
Sharon总值, 媒体关系协调员, 强盗点燃: Sharon manages the marketing communications for 强盗点燃, one of the global leaders in the entertainment lighting marketplace. 从巡回演出到固定装置, 强盗点燃 works with the entertainment industries top artists 和 concert venues on all types of lighting needs. At home, Sharon is mom to almost 4-year-old Amelia 和 1-year-old Violet.
你现在是做母亲的第几个阶段了?
我有一个一岁的孩子和一个快四岁的孩子, so my days range from controlled chaos to uncontrolled chaos. Violet recently learned to walk, 和 Amelia is in the full throws of “threenager” drama.
做母亲如何丰富了你的职业生涯?
Motherhood has taught me to work 非常高效。ly 和 prioritize tasks. I also have learned to be more direct in my requests 和 voice what a need, 而不是拐弯抹角.
What are the challenges you face with work/life balance that you wish others would underst和?
我很幸运，我可以在家工作, but I’m sure some people believe that means I’m available all the time. 我有一份全职工作，就像很多职业母亲一样, 在家工作也有它自己的挑战. 具有讽刺意味的是, now that more people (both men 和 women) are working from home, I think that mindset that working from home is “easier” will dissipate.
What is your most significant piece of advice for other working mothers?
Extend yourself the same grace you allot to your 朋友 和 的同事们. 每个人都能从善良中受益——包括我们自己. If you wouldn’t criticize your best friend for the same thing you’re down on yourself for, 那就放自己一马吧!
I am so thankful that these women shared with us their findings on motherhood 和 work.
总结, 这里有一些我们都可以借鉴的关键主题, 不管你是否有孩子:
- 工作和生活的平衡是因人而异的.
- 确定任务的优先级是成功的关键.
- 不要为小事烦恼. 这不是必要的.
- 给自己一些恩惠.
- 与你的部落:家人保持联系, 朋友, 的同事们, or other like-minded people for additional support 和 sounding boards.
For more resources on parenting with a career, I recommend checking out 今天的父母, 世界杯买球盘口的父母, 《世界杯盘口》通信委员会. 现在, I will be enjoying all the storytimes 和 stroller walks with my little one while I still can…while also sneaking in an occasional email or two.
凯莉戴维, 4月, 是Keycom的董事总经理和创始人吗, a marketing communications firm in Nashville dedicated to providing businesses with the creative strategies they need to reach their goals. Kellie also serves on the IABC Nashville board of directors as Vice President of Awards 和 Communications. 在家里，凯利是她两岁大的儿子马克斯的妈妈.
Kristin Appelman is the marketing manager for Concept Technology, Inc., 和 serves on the IABC Nashville board of directors as Vice President of 会员. 
Conversation drives author 和 interviewer 莉莉克莱顿汉森. 生活的基本要素之一是沟通, 在数字时代, 莉莉认为我们比以往任何时候都需要重新安排. 经常被称为“人语者”,” (one who lowers other’s walls 和 coaxes wisdom out of them) she finds nuggets of insight like no one else. Through her interviews, Lily reminds others to keep an open mind 和 heart.
