The most important working mom goals that will make a big difference to your life
Are you a working mom who wants to set some goals but can’t decide which goals to go after? Do you struggle with setting or achieving goals?
Goal setting for working moms can be a little bit challenging. With so many goals to choose from and so little time to work on your goals, it can be hard to make a decision or narrow things down.
Thankfully, goal setting for working moms is not as hard as it seems. By the end of this post, you should have an idea of what some of the most important working mom goals are, and how they can improve your life.
So, if you are ready to set some goals that will make a big difference in your life, let’s dive in!
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1. IMPROVE YOURSELF PROFESSIONALLY
If you feel stagnant at work or feel like you are in a rut, one of your top goals should be to improve yourself professionally.
One of the reasons working moms fall into a rut or become demotivated is that they no longer feel excited about their job. When that happens, it means you are ready for some new challenges, or ready to move on to the next stage of your career.
As a working mom, you should have a plan to grow professionally. No matter what kind of job you do or what stage you are in your career, there’s always room to improve. For example, if you work a minimum-wage job or a low-paying job, the next step is to look for a job that pays more. If you are an assistant manager, the next step is to become a manager.
There are lots of ways and many opportunities for you to improve yourself professionally, as long as you are interested. Because at the end of the day, no one can make you do something if you are not motivated to do it.
So, for working moms who want to improve themselves professionally, here are some ideas to get you thinking.
1. CHOOSE YOUR CAREER OR PROFESSIONAL PATH
Goal setting for working moms begins with knowing where you want to go. If you don’t have a destination in mind, it’s very difficult to come up with a plan to get there. In other words, “where” should come before “how.”
If you want to improve yourself professionally, you should start by choosing a career path. For example, do you want to change careers, become a manager at your current job, or move into a different role with the same company?
Once you choose your career path, you can move on to the next step. That is, identifying how to get there.
2. IDENTIFY THE SKILLS OR CREDENTIALS YOU NEED
So, you have decided on a career path and you are ready to improve your professional life. The next step is to identify the skills or credentials you need to get to the next level or the in-demand skills that will take you to the next stage of your career.
There are a few ways to identify the skills you need. For example, you can read job descriptions, speak to someone in the position or role you are interested in or speak to HR. You can always do a Google search to get more information.
It doesn’t matter which avenue you choose. The only thing that is important is that you get accurate information, so you can identify the skills you need to acquire (if you don’t already have them).
As soon as you know what skills you need, then you are ready to work on a plan to acquire those skills.
3. WORK OUT THE BEST WAYS TO ACQUIRE THE SKILLS OR CREDENTIALS YOU IDENTIFIED
So, you know where you want to go, you know what you need to get there, now it’s time to work out the best way to get there. You know what they say. It is one thing to know what you need, but it’s something else to know how to get it.
In my opinion, choosing a career path and identifying the skills or credentials you need to get to the next level is the easy part. The hard part is figuring out how to acquire those skills, then actually following through.
Depending on what skills or credentials you need, there are a number of options to choose from. Let me list some of them below.
- Get a higher degree or a degree if you don’t have one.
- Get a professional or industry certification.
- Attend a training program or workshop
- Become a member of a professional organization
Also, if you need to improve your tech skills to advance your career, make sure you include that in your plan.
If you need more help improving yourself professionally, you will find a lot of useful tips in the articles below.
9 Tips on How to Get Promoted at Work
7 Ways to Develop Professionally in 2021
2. WORKING MOM GOALS: EARN AND SAVE MORE MONEY
There is nothing like earning a good salary to keep a working mom motivated. I believe that all working moms should be fairly compensated, and if they are not, they should do something about it.
At the end of each pay period, I want my paycheck to reflect the time and effort I put into work. I am sure you feel the same way.
So, if you are not happy with your income, one of your top goals should be to earn more money. I can think of a few ways to earn more income.
You can negotiate a higher salary, change jobs, or work overtime. Of the three, the last option is my least favorite, especially for moms who are trying to find a healthy work/life balance.
Yes, there are times when it is necessary to work more hours. For instance, to pay off a debt, save for a vacation, car, or down payment for a house. However, it shouldn’t be the case that you always have to work more hours to meet your basic living expenses.
Because the more time you spend working, the less time you have to spend with your family or other personal interests. It’s okay if it is just temporary, but working overtime is not a good long-term strategy to earn more money.
While earning more money is good, do you know what is more thrilling than earning more money? It is saving more money!
Why?
Because it’s not what you earn but what you keep. It doesn’t matter how much you earn if you don’t have anything left at the end of the day.
Saving more money is one of the most important working mom goals, especially for moms who plan to enjoy some financial security after they retire.
So, have a savings plan and get into the habit of saving more money. At a minimum, you should have a regular savings account, emergency savings, and some retirement savings.
Saving money starts with creating a budget and tracking your expenses. If you are new to this or you have a hard time with saving money, you can start with a budget binder and cash envelopes.
Using a budget binder and envelopes is a good money management system and it is pretty easy to use. You can check it out for yourself on Amazon.
If you are married, you can do this as a family. It helps when the other party is on board. However, whatever the case is, make earning and saving more money a priority.
3. FIND A HEALTHY WORK/LIFE BALANCE
Most working moms will tell you that one of their biggest challenges is finding a good balance between work and personal or family life.
A working mom who is always tired or stressed will struggle to have a life that they enjoy. That’s why many moms keep on trying to find the right balance.
As a single working mom, I must admit that finding a good balance is quite hard for me. On one hand, I want to work as much as I can, so I can earn lots of money and achieve my goal of financial freedom. On the other hand, I don’t want to be an absent parent or completely sacrifice family time.
It’s a bit of a conundrum, that’s why I am always tweaking things, trying to find a better balance between work and family life.
One thing that has helped me in my quest is accepting that I can’t have everything I want, and I will still need to make some sacrifices. And, I am okay with that, as long as it improves my life and general wellbeing.
So, if you are struggling with finding the right balance, know that there are lots of moms in the same situation, and we are all just trying to do the best that we can.
Now, with all that out of the way, I believe there are a few things you can do to maintain a healthy work/life balance. Below are some suggestions for you.
- Get a job that is more family friendly. Or, ask your existing employer for some flexibility. A family-friendly job will offer some flexibility.
- Change your shift or schedule. Some years ago, I changed from the third shift to the first shift because it allowed for a better work/life balance.
- Have set work hours and try to stick to them. I think this mostly applies if you work from home or are self-employed.
- Become a better manager of your time. Don’t procrastinate at work. Get your work done early, so you can leave when you are supposed to.
- Try to get a job closer to home, so you can cut down on your commute time.
- Learn to say no to things that are not a priority or will put you under more pressure.
- Delegate and outsource some tasks. This is a great way to free up some extra time for rest or time with your family.
- Plan rest times and holidays. Yes, sometimes the only way to make this happen is to plan and shedule it.
- Avoid jobs that are excessively demanding or where you have too little control or say. Working in an environment that is too demanding can lead to overwork and burnout.
- Get a good paying job, so you don’t have to work very long hours or multiple jobs, to afford your living expenses.
- Share the responsibility at home. One person shouldn’t be responsible for all the housework or taking care of the kids.
- Avoid working longer hours. If possible, reduce the number of hours you work each week, especially if it is affecting your health.
Now, I know some of these ideas are not going to be feasible for everyone, but I am throwing them out there in case you haven’t thought about them, or for those who can make it work.
4. INVEST IN YOURSELF
Goal setting for working moms begins with knowing and understanding your priorities, so you can focus your time and energy on what truly matters to you. And, in my opinion, nothing deserves your time and energy more than investing in yourself.
Most working moms are conditioned to put their needs last. They think about everyone else while ignoring or failing to take care of their needs. While it is admirable to care for others, the truth is if you completely neglect to take care of yourself or invest in yourself, sooner or later you will start to feel the effects.
This can manifest in a few different ways. For example, increased stress, discontent, lack of motivation, anger, or resentment.
As you can see, these are all negative consequences that can happen when you ignore your needs for a long time. So, if you want to keep thriving as a working mom, investing in yourself is a no-brainer.
You deserve some fun and happiness too, and you shouldn’t feel bad or ashamed to acknowledge that fact (and also do something about it).
If you are ready to invest in yourself, here are some ways to do it.
- Learn a new skill or language.
- Make time for that hobby you put aside or start a new one.
- Start that business or side hustle you keep postponing.
- Go on that vacation you keep talking about.
- Cross out a few things on your bucket or wish list.
- Attend that retreat, conference or workshop you keep promising to attend.
- Buy that course or pay for that coaching you really want. Not too long ago, I used to fret and talk myself out of buying something for myself because money was tight or I needed to spend the money or someone else. So, I understand if you are facing the same dilema.
- Get that new wardrobe you keep promising yourself. If your clothes need an upgrade, invest in new clothes, shoes, bags, sleepwear, bras and undies, and other accessories.
- Pay off that debt so you can have peace of mind.
- Start that exercise or fitness plan you know you need.
- Take care of your physical, mental and emotional health.
- Break off that toxic relationship. Leave that toxic group or church.
- Go back to school to finish your degree or start a new one.
- Invest in those time-saving household gadgets or appliances like an instantpot or a crockpot.
As you can see, there are so many ways you can invest in yourself. This list hasn’t even scratched the surface. Hopefully, there are a couple of things on this list you can use.
How you choose to invest in yourself will depend on your needs, priorities, and of course, what you can afford. But, whatever you do, please invest in yourself.
Final thoughts on 4 working mom goals that will improve your life
As a working mom, there are lots of goals to choose from. It all depends on your personal circumstances.
In this post, you will find lots of ideas, so it is up to you to decide which ones you’d like to achieve. Whatever goals you choose to pursue, don’t forget to invest in relationships that matter to you, build solid connections and a strong support system, spend more time with your family, and get rid of toxic people.
What are your top working mom goals and how do you plan to achieve them?
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4 Working Mom Goals That Will Improve Your Life
