8 Working Mom Essentials for a Happy Life

Working mom must haves for a happy and successful life

Working mom essentials are some of the things that will make you happy and successful.

Being a working mom is hard and stressful, but you can still have a happy life if you develop some good habits, have the right tools, and have a positive mindset.

I know there are lots of working moms who are miserable, but things don’t have to be that way. So in this post, I will share some must-haves or things working moms need to enjoy life and be successful. If you like the sound of this, let’s get right to it!

This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy anything using my links, I may receive a small commission.

1. GRATITUDE & A POSITIVE MINDSET

When you think of working mom essentials, you are probably thinking of a long list of items or products. While the right tools or resources can make your life better and more enjoyable, I’d like to focus more on habits, attitudes, mindset, and things like that.

If you want to be a happy and successful working mom, you need the right attitude, mindset, and personality.

Lots of working moms are miserable for one reason or the other. Some would like to stay at home with their kids, while others hate their job because it is stressful or doesn’t pay well enough.

Whatever the reason for hating your job (if you are one of those moms), you are not alone, and I feel you. However, being miserable is not the best way to go through life because the more miserable you are, the harder it is to have a positive mindset or be motivated.

If you want a successful and happy life, you need a positive mindset and lots of motivation. So, instead of being unhappy, change your mindset to one of gratitude. Be grateful that you have a job (even if you hate it or it is not much of a job). Consider the alternative. What if you didn’t have this job?

How would you pay your bills or support your family?

Most of us work because we have to. Not having a job would put us in a financially difficult situation. That alone is enough for you to be grateful.

So, the first thing a working mom need is a positive mindset and a heart of gratitude. Once you have that, you can start to dream and plan how to make things better. For instance, if working is not optional, you can start to work on getting a better job or your dream job. But first, be positive and grateful for what you have today.

2. RESOURCEFULNESS IS ESSENTIAL FOR WORKING MOMS

As a working mom, I know how much time and effort it takes to juggle work and family. I have been doing this for a long time and I am still trying to find the right balance. I am sure you know what I mean.

As a single mom, working and parenting would have been so much harder for me if I didn’t learn how to become more resourceful.

For working moms who desire happiness and success, resourcefulness is one of the most important traits to possess. When you are resourceful, you can take on any challenge without feeling like your world is crumbling around you.

A resourceful mom knows there’s always a way even if she can’t see it at the moment. Being resourceful will allow you to juggle all your responsibilities without dropping the ball.

The ability to think outside the box, anticipate problems, and come up with solutions is an essential trait every working mom should develop. A resourceful mom is creative. While she may not have all the answers, she has no problem making things up as the need arises.

Lots of working moms are overwhelmed juggling work and family life. It’s hard to spend eight or more hours a day at work, do housework, and still be a great mom and/or wife. However, if you are resourceful, you can make life a little bit easier by learning how to make the most of what you have.

For example, you can become better at managing your time and other resources. You can become more organized and productive. Being resourceful is all about maximizing whatever you have and making it work for you. Whether that is time, money, effort, or something else.

3. GOOD PLANNING SKILLS

You can’t talk about working mom essentials without talking about the importance of planning. Yes, you can get by without planning if you like flying by the seat of your pants, but life will be much harder that way.

One of the biggest challenges working moms face is trying to stay on top of everything. You have to work, keep up with housework, spend time with your kids, be a good parent, keep in touch with family and friends, stay healthy, and maybe attend college. How is a mom supposed to keep up with all that?

There’s only one way. You have to become a master planner.

A master planner doesn’t leave anything to chance. She’s proactive, knows what she wants her life to look like, and does everything she can to create that life.

Now, becoming a planner doesn’t mean you should have every single minute of your life or day planned out. It just means that at any given time, you sort of have an idea of what you should be doing and what your day should look like.

Planning is the one thing that’s really helped me to stay on top of things, especially as a working homeschool mom.

If you are not used to planning your life, I want you to reconsider it. Your life as a working mom will be so much better once you start planning your life.

Here are some areas of your life that could do with some planning.

Meals
Child care (regular and emergency)
Appointments, errands, shopping
Cleaning and housework (see how to stop feeling overwhelmed by housework if you need help in this area)
Finances

If you can plan out these areas of your life or create a system to manage them, you will be well on your way to a happy and better life. If you need help planning your life, see below for some planning resources I recommend.

4. MOTIVATION AND PERSEVERANCE ARE WORKING MOM ESSENTIALS

One of the things that separate happy and successful working moms from their peers is motivation and perseverance.

Happy moms have embraced their roles and they are happy to put in the long hours and do everything they can to make life enjoyable.

Working moms (like all moms) have to put up with a lot. They have to make a lot of sacrifices to keep doing what they do. Lots of working moms are underpaid and underappreciated, yet they don’t give up.

To be a happy and successful working mom, you have to be self-motivated. That means you have to keep encouraging yourself even when you are going through tough times.

There was a time when I worked back-to-back shifts. My body ached so much that I felt like crying. But, I needed the money and I knew help wasn’t coming from anywhere. So, I had to learn how to motivate myself, so I could keep going. In other words, I persevered and accepted all the discomforts that came with being a working mom.

Well, it helped that the pay was good.

Now, I am not saying that you should suffer or ignore all your needs, but if we are being honest, we know that being a working mom comes with some pain and discomfort. So, if you want something other than a miserable life, you have to stay motivated and keep inspiring yourself.

Pro tip: Staying motivated is a lot easier if you have a job you like and enjoy. If you don’t like your job, one of your goals should be to do something about it.

5. GOOD DECISION-MAKING SKILLS

The reason some working moms thrive is that they know what needs to be done, and they are always up to the task when it comes to decision making.

As a working mom, you are going to make lots of decisions, so the ability to make good decisions at the right time is an essential skill.

Whether it is choosing a babysitter or childcare, deciding what job to take or shift to work, coming up with what to make for dinner, when to call out from work, or when to get extra help, there’s no shortage of decisions to be made.

Working moms who want to get things done have to become skilled at making the best decisions for themselves and their families. The wrong decision can be costly or throw your life into chaos, so work on your decision-making skills so you are always in a position to make the right decisions.

Finally, be proactive when making decisions. Don’t wait until something happens before your take action. It’s harder to get the results you want if you are always reacting to things.

You can take better control of your life and situation by making the right decisions ahead of time.

6. A SIMPLIFIED LIFE

As a single working mom, simplifying my life has been one of the best decisions I ever made.

A simple life is easier to manage. The more hectic your life is, the less fun it becomes (at least that’s how it works for me). A very busy and hectic lifestyle puts you under a lot of pressure because it gives you little room for rest or downtime. I enjoy life better when things aren’t too crazy.

A simplified life can do wonders for a working mom, that’s why I believe it is essential. However, it can take some time to find the right balance, but when you find it, life feels so much better.

Simplifying your life doesn’t mean you should get rid of all your stuff or cut out all the fun activities. Simplifying your life just means cutting out all unnecessary stuff and having some systems in place to help you manage your life better.

So, let’s take a look at a few ways you can simplify your life.

1. CREATE ROUTINES AND/OR SCHEDULES

Following a quick morning or evening routine will help you simplify your life, and also save you tons of time. Routines are an easy way to get things done faster and without too much stress.

Whether it is a morning routine before you head out to work or an evening routine before you go to bed, routines can help you simplify and plan your life. Also, life is a lot more organized and less chaotic when you follow a set of routines.

So, if you don’t have regular routines or schedules that you follow, take some time to create one. You can always tweak your routine if you don’t like it until you find the right one for you.

2. USE TO-DO LISTS TO SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE

You can use to-do lists to simplify your life. You can also use a planner. With a to-do list, you can see at a glance all the things you should be working on. A to-do list is a great way to break up and manage your tasks.

You can use a to-do list to plan out your housework and other tasks for the week. Instead of writing out your list every day, you can write them out weekly, so you can distribute your tasks evenly throughout the week. For example, don’t have ten items on your list on Monday and only two on Friday. I know some days are busier than others, but you can always try to spread things out evenly.

3. LEARN TO SAY NO

You are going to be one stressed and unhappy working mom if you keep saying yes to everything.

There are times when nothing else works and “no” becomes a mom’s best friend. You will save your health and sanity if you learn how to say no strategically.

Now, I understand that saying no, especially to kids isn’t easy, but you can’t let guilt force you into making bad decisions. Below are some instances where you should consider saying no.

Kids ask to add one more activity to an already busy schedule.
A friend, church or family member wants you to attend or organize an event, and you really don’t have the time to do it.
Buying something you don’t need, especially if it eats into your time or makes life more hectic.
Working overtime if you really can’t do it or it is too stressful.

There are lots of opportunities to say no, so you shouldn’t have a problem with that. As long as you do it judiciously and kindly, saying no can help you simplify your life and streamline your activities.

4. BE ORGANIZED AND REDUCE CLUTTER

We can’t talk about simplifying life without talking about getting organized and reducing clutter. An organized and clutter-free home reduces stress because the more stuff you have, the more time you spend on them. So, do yourself a favor, and reduce clutter.

Get organized. Organize your home, your space, meals, cleaning, and even your work bag. Getting organized is a great way to save time and keep things neat and tidy.

Instead of coming back to a messy house every day, try putting your home in order. It doesn’t need to be perfect. Clean and reasonably tidy is good enough.

A tidy home makes it easy to relax after a busy day at work. You don’t want to come home and start cleaning or tidying up. That’s why it’s important to try to come up with a system for staying organized.

Lastly, organize your wardrobe. Get rid of excess clothes. Maybe try a capsule wardrobe with only a few clothing essentials. Simplifying your wardrobe means you spend less time searching for what to wear. Now, if that doesn’t appeal to you, I don’t know what will.

7. INVEST IN YOURSELF

As far as I am concerned, investing in yourself and taking care of yourself are working mom essentials. None of the other things on this list matter if you don’t take care of yourself or invest in yourself.

Taking care of yourself includes staying healthy and looking after your emotional and mental health. A healthy mom is a happy mom, so make sure you make your wellbeing a priority too.

Investing in yourself means making time for personal growth, developing good habits, self-care, and doing everything you can to grow as a person. Also, don’t forget to invest in your career. Figure out ways you can grow in your career.

As a working mom, it’s important to keep growing and keep improving. Personal development should be a key part of your life and not something you do only when you have the time.

Okay, now we have gotten all that out of the way, let’s look at some products or tools every single mom should have.