The Secret to Finding Balance Between Family & Career
By: Jennifer Watt, Co-Founder of Avalon Wellness Center, Founder of Mindful Birth®, Registered Prenatal Yoga Teacher (RPYT), HypnoBirthing® Childbirth Educator (HBCE) & Mother of Three
“Balance” ha! What a fallacy that word is when it comes to your career and your family, especially when you are a mom! I find that I’m either 100% focused on my career or 100% focused on my kids. I cannot use 50% of my energy for either of these facets. So how do you turn one on and one off, and how do you find time to just focus on your own personal mental well-being? Well, that’s the key, isn’t it? It’s a pendulum, sometimes it sways on the career end, sometimes it’s on the family end, and sometimes it’s just right and you get to go inward for your own mental peace. If we dissect the word balance and think of how things in nature like trees, find balance, we will discover what we have always known, that balance comes from our grounding, our foundation, our roots. So, what even makes me an expert on this subject? Well, I have three young kids, three, five and eight, a four-year-old thriving wellness center, I am a certified yoga instructor, a certified birth doula and a certified HypnoBirthing® instructor. I have had my ups and downs but always surrounded myself with amazing partners and colleagues who have helped me every step of the way. And, I have the world’s best nanny who has become a part of our family!
Balance comes from securing a strong foundation. My key elements are my business partners, my colleagues, and trusting that my children are well-cared for. With this foundation in place, my life is stable. It is tricky enough having to juggle between my work hat and mommy hat. Your passion will drive the ship. Sometimes I’m working on a project or learning a new professional skill and I lean more heavily on my nanny for help with the kids, other times my kids get 100% of my energy and I need to lean more heavily on my partners and colleagues. But there is never a time when I am doing it all, all by myself. It’s a village mentality. You get to choose who is in your village, helping you raise your children with the right values that are aligned with yours. You get to choose who is in your professional village, helping you grow your business in alignment with your mission and core values of your company. If you don’t like who is in your village, if they are not aligned with your energy then it’s time to asses and rebuild. I have a wonderful business coach. I have a mind-management coach who taught me the practice of “Dashboarding”. I have my weekly & monthly Meet-Up Groups with like-minded peers. I have my yoga teachers who help me to go inward and reflect weekly… AND I have my nanny who helps tag team with my kids. I have the best village on the planet!
So, are you ready for the secret, how to create “balance” between your family and career? Here’s the answer….. by growing strong roots, by building a strong foundation, by being in the RIGHT village. You choose and create who and what you surround yourself with. Choose your village wisely friends! Your vibe will attract your tribe.
Want to join the Avalon Village? We have a group for everyone! Whether you are a new mom learning the breastfeeding ropes, a women in search of inspiration, tools & community to feel successful in your professional & personal life or a mom wanting to be around other MindfulMoms™ who want to feel supported and nurtured so you can feel empowered by your mothering choices, WE GOT YOU!
Laid Back Lactation Weekly Support Group- Wednesdays 1-2:30pm at Avalon Wellness Center
MindfulMoms™ Weekly Circle- Thursdays 10-11:30am at Avalon Wellness Center