Are you a career-oriented woman who also happens to be a parent? Today's career minded women are dealing with a number of different issues. Many women, just like you, find it difficult to balance having a career and a family. While it is more than possible to do both, it can be exhausting and overwhelming at times.

One of the many issues surrounding working mothers is their balance of time. Mothers who need to work or finish an upcoming project often do so, but then feel guilty about missing out on quality time with their children or their romantic partner. Some working mothers are concerned about putting their family first due to the affect it may have on the future of their career.

One of the many ways to balance family life and a career is by setting aside separate time for each. For instance, if at all possible, you will want to try and establish hours just for work or work related tasks and also create a schedule for your family time as well. While your days don’t have to be planned out hour by hour, it is nice to develop a template schedule. This schedule could include days of the week when you may want to take a trip to the zoo with your children, spend time visiting family or participating in a favorite hobby. Don’t overlook the small minutes you spend with your children either; a story book at bedtime or ride in the car to the doctor’s office. Those are all minutes that can be a meaningful part of your day. By having your plans already made and in place, you are more likely to follow through with them. Your family, including your children and your partner, will likely be pleased with this follow through.

Although raising a family is often associated with spending time with your children, that is not all that motherhood is about; you likely wear many hats in your household. Some of those things may include grocery shopping, the preparation of family meals, as well as, house cleaning, errand running and a list of many other chores and endless activities. To reduce the stress associated with some of these tasks and give you more quality time to spend with your family, you may want to consider limiting the number of structured activities you participate in or outsourcing some of your regular chores. Consider hiring a neighbor to mow your yard, a housekeeper to tidy your home, switch to a local dry cleaner or grocery store with home delivery service. The extra time you save can be added in to your new family schedule.

Although it may seem impossible to do right now, especially if you just recently started a new business or had your first child, it is more than possible for you have a great career, as well as happy and healthy family life at home.

Lee Anne Emig