Being a working mum often comes with so much associated guilt. We beat ourselves up for wanting more than just staying at home with our children, we feel guilty that we want to earn our own money, and we feel guilty that we want time away from the family doing something that we love, which doesn’t involve them.

We want time to go to school plays, pick the kids up from school, but we don’t always want to be a stay at home mum. Then we feel guilty for wanting more, for wanting our own spending money, for wanting more than to be just ‘mummy’.

We’re often told we can’t do it all or we can’t have the best of both worlds and have to choose.  So is it going to be money or mummy? 

But, what if it didn't have to be that way? What if we could do both? How amazing would it be if we could   have financial independence and be great mothers at the same time?

How wonderful would it be to do something that we love outside of the family and still be wonderful people inside of the family?  Well these days, it’s ok to be ambitious and want to be a mum and to combine them at the same time.

In fact, we, at Pocket PA, believe doing something we love outside of the family can make us better family members, because we’re feeling more fulfilled, financially independent, and overall happier. 

That’s not to say that being purely a stay at home mum isn’t enough. There are many wonderful women who love their stay at home mum role, and that’s brilliant, and we applaud them for being true to themselves and doing what they love. 

However, for those who are struggling with the guilt of wanting to have something outside of their children, let's look at some of the upsides in combining the 2 things. There can be some great benefits when working for yourself when you have your own business and a family alongside, and one of the greatest is the element of time freedom.

If your child is in an assembly that you want to watch, you have the freedom of booking out that slot so you can attend.  Not only that but you can book out slots for the school run, if picking up the children is important to you, and you can book out slots to have playdates or work around your kids activities.  

We know it can take some juggling, we’ve been there, but being a working mum and a great mum is doable. You don’t need to be a superwoman, you don’t have to be independent every single day, or take care of everything all of the time. In fact, we don’t advise that at all. You’re allowed to ask for help and support.

We have 3 tips to help you take control of your choice to be a working mum

1. Know yourself - It’s easy to be swayed by others telling us that we won’t want to go back to work when the baby comes and that we’ll want to be at home 24/7. When you know yourself well, you know what you need to make yourself  happy. If you know that you do want to go back to work, then stick to it and don’t allow yourself to be pressured by others. You’re allowed to go back to work if that's what you decide to do.

2. Know you have the power - it’s your choice, and you can make it happen. You have the power to determine what you do in your life. If you decide it’s time, then put things in place and make it happen.

3. You don’t have to do it alone - and this is not to put you down. Trying to do everything on your own could lead to burnout, sickness, and misery. Ask for help from your family, or look for  paid help - whether that’s nursery or home childcare.  Whatever help and support looks like to you, you deserve it, it’s available and you can use it.

Pocket PA was made by a mum for her own daughter - so we know it's been created to help take away the admin stress of your business.  As a busy working mum this powerful software tool can take  your business admin from admin stressful to admin blissful as it  literally joins up all the dots in your business tasks, leaving you with way more time for the school run.

Why not give it a try for free by signing up to our free 14 day trial. You get daily support emails helping you set up your profile, client base, services, diary, income and expenditure, and we’re on hand to answer any questions you may have. We’re mums too, so we totally get it!