Tips for Surviving (and maybe even enjoying) the Demands of Motherhood

The job description for mom is pretty overwhelming. You’ll work long hours, the expectations of the “boss” (aka your child) will be unrealistic and you won’t be offered any paid time off, ever. Despite this, many women describe it as the best job on the planet.

So, how can mothers find balance with such crazy demands? Network Health associate Laura Borgens describes how she organizes her family’s schedule so that it all seems just a little more manageable.

Q – What is the best piece of advice anyone has ever given you about motherhood?

A – Some of the best advice I have been given is from my mom and my grandma. They told me ‘children need structure. Children crave structure. They actually want it.’ Boy, were they right. The more I kept things structured for myself and our family, the happier my daughter Chloe seemed to be and that way, I wasn’t wasting time. To help keep things consistent, I have pretty much everything scheduled out for the day and week ahead. Efficiency is key for us. But, I have also been reminded by my mom many times, ‘You need to do what feels right for you. You decide what’s best for your family.’ Reminding myself of this has really helped too because I was surprised at how many people had opinions after I had Chloe.

Q – What are some of the ways you find balance between work and home life?

A – I have time after dinner set aside to be with Chloe and my husband Kyle as a family.  Then, once Chloe goes to bed, Kyle and I have our time together—we can talk or just watch one of our shows, but it’s important to keep that time set aside for us. I make sure any laundry that needs to be done is typically always done in the morning before we wake Chloe. Then, I don’t feel overwhelmed with everything else I have to do in the evenings after we get home (like making dinner and doing the dishes and any other miscellaneous cleaning).

Q-  How do you deal with stress from both work and home life?

A – The three of us go to the gym every day after work. Working on our physical health and mental health is so important. I also talk to my parents and my Grandpa just about every day. Between all of them, they keep me grounded. It is pretty interesting, and sometimes funny, to hear how different parenting is throughout the generations. Family is super important to me, it’s above all else.

And, when I am at work, I make sure that I am focused on working so I am getting the most out of my day. I want to leave work feeling accomplished, this makes it easier for me to not take work home with me. It also helps knowing I can turn to Kyle for anything. He is a huge support system for me in all aspects of life.

Q- There’s a lot of challenges, surprises and rewards in motherhood. What is something Chloe does that surprises you?

A – She likes to quote music lyrics. That surprises me. I didn’t know she paid much attention so when she does, we sometimes have no idea where she is getting it from. She somehow knows my maiden name (Angsten) and can say it perfectly. I had no idea she even knew my maiden name but she’s called me, “Laura Angsten” before which was super weird because I don’t think I have ever even used my maiden name around her. She is also a car girl. She knows who drives what car and where our car is, even when we are in a big parking lot. I don’t know anything about cars, so she clearly gets that from Kyle.

Sometimes I take a moment to just look at Chloe and think how she is an absolute miracle and the best thing that has happened to Kyle and I. We are so lucky and grateful. It makes me smile just to think about it.