“I ain’t gon’ do your laundry, I ain’t your mama” — J Lo
I love this line from Jennifer Lopez’s song, “Ain’t Your Mama.” I’m a wife, mom and I can do laundry better than most, but at the peak of my career, I wasn’t doing much because I was busting my ass at work and trying to get ahead. The same can be said of J Lo, and look how that worked out for her.
I wrote a previous blog about the realization I had at an executive luncheon. The male executives had wives that took care of all things home and family so that they could give undivided attention to their jobs. Women executives do it ALL, or at least we try! My female colleagues and I worked 60 hour weeks — all while running our households.
We have unrealistic expectations of ourselves; we can NOT do it all. We don’t have to juggle work and all household responsibilities. Instead, do what you enjoy and are good at, delegate the rest to your partner, and/or hire someone to help. This is not admitting defeat (to an unrealistic expectation) rather, it is empowering yourself to bring your best self to everything you do.
It took me a while, but I’ve realized that I’m not a great cook, I hate going to the grocery store, and I despise dealing with household repairs and maintenance. When it comes to the demands of domestic home life, what I AM good at is knowing my way around a wine store, organizing my family’s schedules, and making reservations on OpenTable. And you know what, I’m okay with it! I encourage you to accept yourself for who you are — smart, driven, and a total badass boss. Focus on fulfilling your career potential and loving yourself for who you are!
Funny enough, my daughters are foodies and great cooks. They cook for their partners because they have a passion for food. They are also young professional women who love their jobs and actively manage their careers. They eagerly hire TaskRabbit for projects and chores to free up time for what’s important to them. And you know who is cheering them on — me!
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