Who said overcoming mom guilt was impossible?

I used to work a desk job at a boutique marketing agency. Yes, Umommy was once a boss babe hor! While being a working mum at the time made me feel like a superwoman at times, it often felt like having two full-time jobs.  

For the case of most WFH mums out there, there’s that added pressure from physically being at two full-time jobs at home. Boundaries feel non-existent and it’s OT all day, every day!

While the pressure is real for working mums, so is the guilt. We are always expected to be 100% present at home while still delivering 100% at our jobs. While there may not be a way to get rid of mom guilt, it’s possible to reduce this, at the least. 

These 10 tried-and-tested tips will help working mums just like you save time with zero guilt and help you regain that sense of self again.

1. Done is better than perfect

Unfortunately, deadlines are something we cannot avoid in the corporate world. When you’re strapped for time, successfully finishing a task is more important than taking ages to get it perfect the first time around. 

When I took on this mindset during my working days, I no longer felt paralysed by my need to be perfect all the time! It’s all about picking your battles and focusing on your priorities. Don’t let perfection get in the way of your progress; it’ll only hold you back and drain you in the end. 

2. Shorter emails, greater impact

When it comes to sending out emails, remember to keep it short and sweet. Sometimes the fewer the words, the bigger the impact. I used to have a bad habit of writing emails that were more like long-winded letters to a pen pal. 

But lengthy emails often lead to slow response times, low response rates, and even miscommunication. Shorter emails are more likely to catch the attention of your colleague than long ones. 

So stay organised, be objective, and cut to the chase.

3. Don't be afraid to outsource and ask for help

Whether it’s getting your groceries delivered or hiring a part-time cleaner, moms shouldn’t feel guilty for asking for extra help on occasion. Most moms would use the weekend to catch up with their chores, but things started to look up for me when I started hiring help.

Some of the most common household tasks to outsource include house cleaning, laundry and dry cleaning, telemedicine, meal planning, and errand-running. 

Let’s get rid of the shameful stigma surrounding outsourcing. As working moms, we’re doing our best and shouldn’t feel guilty for asking for additional help around the house.

4. Clear your calendar and dump unnecessary meetings

Let me guess—your calendar is probably filled with meetings upon meetings as you’re reading this. Ask yourself: does this really have to be a meeting or could this simply be an email? 

Consider skipping your next call if it’s an optional meeting. If it’s simple instructions that could be communicated in a minute or two, just send an email or a quick message to your colleague. For the WFH mommies out there, this would be the best time to sneak in a quick 20-minute yoga session or a quick walk to get your daily dose of Vitamin D.

5. Eat the frog

Ever heard of the phrase “eat the frog”? It may sound cheem but it just means getting the hard things done out of the way before it eats you up the entire day. By getting the difficult tasks done first, you are building momentum while you’ve still got the most willpower and mental energy, allowing you to speed through the easy tasks later.

I used to be one of those corporate employees that were obsessed with handling my emails first thing in the morning and replying to them as and when they come. But all that did was drain my brainpower, which I could’ve been using for more important tasks—clearly not the best use of my time. 

So, you better eat the frog before the frog eats you, hor!

6. Timebox or make a time-limited game

Timeboxing is a productivity method used by scientists and renowned CEOs, including Elon Musk himself. Rather than prioritising what’s in your schedule, use this method to schedule your priorities. 

Here's how it works:

The reason why people love this technique is that it forces them to focus and get started. Deadlines make you work faster; even if they’re self-imposed. When you get started, you are naturally inclined and driven to get stuff done. 

It’s simple, yet effective.

7. Delegate

Picture this. It’s a Wednesday afternoon and you’re working from home. As your to-do list piles up, so do the household chores. What can you do to save time? Delegate. 

Think you won’t be able to make dinner on time for the family? Ask your spouse if they can take care of it for the day. This is also the best time to motivate your kids to get involved in simple house chores like watering the plants, washing the dishes after a meal, and sweeping the floor. Not only does this tick off some of your tasks, but it also teaches children to be more responsible at home.

8. Say no, a lot

As a kiasu people pleaser, I still find it hard to say ‘no’ sometimes. But when you’re a working mom, it’s almost ten times harder. To demonstrate efficiency as a mother and an employee, we often find ourselves saying yes to everything and anything just to prove our worth.

When you set healthy boundaries and make them known to the people around you, it saves you from work overload and burnout and allows you to reclaim your own time again.

9. Exercise and watch your favourite series

If you can’t afford to make time for a quick workout after watching your favourite series, why not do both at the same time? This allows you to stay fit and active while also catching up on your Netflix queue. 

Moms are queens of multi-tasking, so this should be easy peasy for you.

10. Meal plan and prep

When my daughter Cathy first told me all about meal prep, I thought it was some kind of fitness nonsense that only all the youngsters were into. But meal planning saved me tons of time and is one of the ultimate life hacks for moms.

Start with recipes that are familiar to you. Then map out what you want to make, put together a grocery list, and ensure that you have enough ingredients to cook in bulk. Remember to store your food properly in the fridge with air-tight storage containers after you’re done. Consider using a multi-cooker or slow cooker device so you can leave things to cook as you work at the same time. 

If you have little ones around the house, try involving your children as you prep their meals as a fun activity! 

By meal prepping at the start of every week, you can save yourself at least an hour of cooking time every day. That’s seven hours saved per week! (But if you’re really strapped for time, ordering takeout or eating out from time to time is perfectly fine too.)

Save time without the guilt

As much as we’d like to, mother’s guilt may not be something we can get rid of in its entirety. But what matters most is finding the middle ground; acknowledging that mom guilt will always linger in the back of our minds, but also making it a priority to balance and manage it to gain some of our life and sanity back. 

Remember that it’s not selfish to make yourself a priority and that being gentle with yourself matters. Moms can’t run on empty cups. So before you take care of others, make sure to put yourself first. 

Choosing the right clinic and doctor is key. You have to make sure that you are engaging an experienced and ethical doctor that you trust to advise you with your health in mind. An experienced doctor with a keen eye for beauty and detail will be able to give you the best, natural-looking result. You also want a doctor who is not just doing excessive or unnecessary treatments for you because they want to gain profits. Look young, but be safe!