Empowering the Working Mom
Empowering the Working Mom
As a woman-owned and operated PR agency, LáLew proudly supports women of all backgrounds. Our virtual work environment offers support and flexibility to working mothers, enabling our team members to care for their children and build their professional careers.
We sat down with two working moms, Mariah Johnson and Jessica Riddick, who shared their experiences regarding work-life balance, the challenges of being a working mother and much more. They offered incredible insight and even had some advice for other working mothers.
How do you balance your professional responsibilities with your role as a mother? What strategies have you found most effective in maintaining this balance?
Johnson: “It’s not always easy; there’s definitely a give-and-take. I’m always trying to do my best, but setting boundaries and making sure that I can schedule the time I need to be the mother I want to be is vital to having that balance.”
Riddick: “I try my best when I’m working to put my all into my work, and when I’m with my kids to put my all into my kids. Of course, I can’t always do one without the other, but I think the biggest thing for me is that when I’m having family time I try to disconnect from work. When I’m doing work, I try my best to focus and put my mind to work so that I’m able to give my all there.”
What are some of the biggest challenges you face as a working mom, and how have you overcome them?
Johnson: “Working from home with my daughter can be a challenge. There can be a lot of interruptions, and it can be difficult to stay in the zone sometimes when somebody’s asking you for a snack every 10 minutes. I have to remind myself that, by working, I’m being a positive example. I want my daughter to be able to see women getting it done. Sometimes it’s hard, sometimes it’s a lot to manage, but it’s for a reason. I’m doing good in the world, and I’m also setting an example for my daughter.”
Riddick: “I love for my kids to have fun and enjoy being a kid, so for me, it’s strange to have to say, ‘I need y’all to be super quiet right now.’ I don’t want to take away from what they’re doing, but it’s necessary to get the job done. Communication is the biggest key. I want us all to be on the same page.”
What role does your support system (family, friends, employer, childcare, etc.) play in helping you manage your dual roles?
Johnson: “I couldn’t do it without the support of my friends and family, especially my best friend. She has a daughter that’s a couple of months older than mine, so we do a lot of back and forth. I’ll watch her kids for a little bit; she’ll watch my kid. ”
Riddick: “I have a sister who helps, and I have another sister friend who helps to watch the kids sometimes. My dad comes and helps. Having family and people who are like family step in and say, ‘I’ll cover you here, I’ve got you there,’ that’s been instrumental in my success and being able to continue. They say it takes a village, and I agree.”
How has being a mother influenced your career path and professional growth?
Johnson: “It’s definitely given me a sense of purpose. It’s made me want to achieve more than before; it’s made me reach inside myself more and be able to achieve more than I thought was possible. And I’m definitely a much better multitasker now than I ever was before.”
Riddick: “It has definitely deepened my why, because on days when I don’t feel like showing up, or there’s just so much going on, or I didn’t get much sleep last night because I had to make sure everything was done, I can’t stop. I have little people looking up to me, little people who need things. They keep me showing up.”
How has LáLew made a difference in supporting your role as a working mom?
Johnson: “It’s nice to know that my boss understands the experiences of working moms and has empathy for what I’m trying to do. I really appreciate working for an employer who recognizes that we work from home, and that our individual lives are going to be more important to us than anything else we’re doing.”
Riddick: “My boss really understands that I’m a mom working from home, so she knows what comes with that. Of course she expects me to deliver and be professional, but she also has an understanding leadership characteristic that helps me, and takes stress off of me.”
What improvements would you like to see in the workforce more generally to support working parents?
Johnson: “I would love to see more childcare support. It’s really hard to work and not have reliable childcare, and not everybody is lucky enough to work from home.”
Riddick: “I would like to see more time available for parents to take off that they can use for different things like activities, outside of everything else that comes up. Childcare incentives are also a big one.”
What advice would you give to other working moms looking to advance their careers?
Johnson: “Leverage those skills that you already have, and don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself. Don’t be afraid to reach for the things you want. It doesn’t hurt to try. There’s a lot of opportunity in the world, and if you don’t try to reach for it, somebody else is going to.”
Riddick: “Keep going, don’t give up. Continue to be strong, continue to take moments for yourself. Make sure that when you have the time to take a break to really be all present and focused on filling yourself up so you can continue to work and make things happen.”
