About three months ago, I met my most demanding client to date. In fact, the day I met her she was screaming and I cried.
Working 24/7 has taken on new meaning. She doesn’t care what hour she calls. 3 a.m. is no different to her than 3 p.m. Oh, and of course she doesn’t pay me.
But I honestly don’t mind, because being a mother is amazing.
I truly don’t know which is harder: being a stay-at-home mom or a working parent. Thankfully working for a company that has a flexible work policy makes it a little easier.
In fact, our CEO just touched on the topic in a recent Miami Herald article:
“There are career and family challenges for both men and women — they just differ in nature. Bosses can help all working caregivers by measuring results, not time in the office — give employees the freedom to work where and when they need to.”
Amen, Christine. As a new mom, I’ve had quite a few ‘aha!’ moments about work and life. I’ve come to realize just how similar PR and being a parent are. Cheers to the funny side of life.
- No one STILL knows what I do. When I was home for maternity leave, I was asked all the time, “So, what do you do all day?” Which isn’t any different than explaining to my family what my professional work really is. According to them, I play on Facebook and Twitter all day.
- The most stressful job. PR always ranks in the top 10 jobs most stressful jobs. Parenting should be on the list. Worrying how much my daughter eats and sleeps, as well as being mindful of her general wellbeing, is nerve-wracking.
- Multitasking. Who knew I could feed a baby, walk the dog, take a call and eat lunch at once?
- Prioritizing needs. A skill I have learned and nearly mastered in PR has trickled into my home life. Of course, I know who is number one, two and three. None of which are me.
- The “high.” Scoring a Today Show segment or USA Today cover gives people like me a high. Who knew that my daughter smiling and rolling over could give me the same rush?
- Read, read, read. On a daily basis, I read trade journals, mainstream publications, blogs and more to keep up with what’s going on in the world and my client industries. Now, I’m also trying to keep up with how fast my baby is growing.
Since I’m a new mom, I’m sure I have left off quite a few things. What has parenthood taught you that helps you in your own profession?