How to Leverage Your Mom Skills and Get a Promotion

It’s a well-known secret that every mom has her own superpowers. Although it can be difficult at times to juggle work, family, and other responsibilities, being a mom is the ultimate reward because it encourages us to grow in ways we never thought were possible before having kids.

One major advantage of being a mom is that we develop new skills along the way that can benefit other parts of our life — including our careers. If you are scratching your head right now trying to figure out how organizing school fundraisers, helping your kids understand their school assignments or always having snacks on hand are skills that you can transfer to the workplace, don’t worry! Keep on reading to discover how you can leverage your hard-earned mom skills to help advance your career and get a pro-motion.

Moms are Always Prepared for Everything

You can never surprise a mom because we’re prepared for everything! Moms tend to plan ahead of time and consider every possible scenario so we won’t be caught off guard in the future.

For example, you may have a habit of bringing extra snacks along during your family’s weekly trip to the park or packing an extra suitcase just in case of an emergency whenever you and the kids go on a family road trip. Being prepared during this pandemic can also look like strategically bribing your kids with food and entertainment just before your work meeting on Zoom so that you can concentrate in your makeshift home office without any interruptions.
When you transfer those skills to the workplace it can show others your ability to think ahead, anticipate potential problems and come up with solutions on your feet. Your boss and coworkers may also be impressed that you are highly competent and proactive about developing contingency plans.

Moms Know How to Have Difficult Conversations

It is impossible to go through life without conflict. We aren’t always going to agree with people, especially if we want different things. Luckily, moms know exactly when to step in and play referee when the kids are acting up or soothing them when they are crying and inconsolable. We also usually know the best way to diffuse arguments and help our kids regulate their emotions.

This type of skill can be invaluable on the job, especially if you work in a very competitive company or industry. Due to your experience in managing conflict and having difficult conversations at home, you can easily diffuse tense conversations while you’re on the job. You’ll also most probably be the voice of reason for your team whenever other coworkers are upset or angry.

Moms are Master Problem Solvers

There’s a famous saying that goes like “You can’t rely on kids, technology, and pets”. And that’s where you as a mom come in! I’m convinced that no one can solve problems like moms. Regardless if we’re working late at night and realize our computer crashed before we could save our important client presentation or we forgot to buy our kid’s costume for the school play, moms are usually very resourceful when we need to be. Life can be unpredictable at times, that’s why moms are some of the best employees to hire if you want someone who can think on their feet and is a quick problem solver.

Moms Know How to Juggle Multiple Priorities at Once

Previous gender studies suggest that women’s brains may be more efficient at switching between tasks and juggling multiple priorities at the same time than men’s. Due to our innate ability to process information at a faster rate, moms can seem to have the ability to run a household, take care of the kids, spend time with their spouse and handle other important daily responsibilities — seemingly at the same time.

This skill alone can make you a very valuable addition to any company. When you can demonstrate how capable and efficient you are as a worker, you’ll have a greater chance of beating the competition and moving up in the workplace.

The next time you want to improve your life and get a new job in a different field or receive a well-deserved promotion at work, don’t be afraid to mention the skills and traits you’ve learned over the years taking care of your kids. Motherhood can not only enrich your personal life but also better prepare you for the workplace.

If you’d like to work with me I’d be happy to set up a complimentary appointment so I can learn more about your big personal and professional goals as a working mom.

Originally published at https://www.careerreload.com on September 13, 2021.