Being a working mother requires you to handle an endless stream of to-do’s, problems, and difficult situations. There’s no training manual or clear benchmarks for success, and any candid discussion with your manager can feel taboo; you might worry about being labelled as unfocused or whiny. The problem persists for 18 years or more, without ever getting much easier. Years in, you may still feel as stressed as you did right after maternity leave.
Under these conditions, it’s normal to get tired, doubt your own choices and performance, and view your life as a constant juggling act. But it doesn’t have to be that way. We can gain more calm, confidence, and control, thereby strengthening our ability to succeed at—and even enjoy—being a working mother.
This eight week programme will help you to gain clarity about what you really want, discover what is possible, and find the support you need so you can start to really enjoy this important and beautiful phase of your life. It will give you the “comfort in your own skin” that lets you navigate all aspects of your life elegantly, plus the self-belief and confidence in your ability to do what is necessary while being true to yourself and your own priorities.
Purpose:
To bring together a group of women who are juggling to balance everything in their lives, with the intention of creating a safe space where they can share, explore, learn and grow together
Delivery:
The programme runs over a period of 8 weeks and consists of:
- Eight 90 minute workshops
- One coaching session (45 minute private coaching session with Mary Howick)
- A private Facebook group where you can receive support from me and fellow attendees for the duration of the programme.
- Delivered by Zoom to the comfort of your own home
Workshop Schedule:
Weekly at: 8.00pm (BST – Ireland time)
Commencing: Coming soon
Duration: 8 weeks
Investment
Total cost for the entire programme is €140 (paid in advance). Numbers are limited to ensure a great experience for all participants.
( $160 USD / £130 Sterling)
COURSE OUTLINE:
8 Workshops; delivered once a week in a series of 90-minute sessions , these workshops will be a chance to slow down and open to new insights that can change your perspective on life and what is possible for you. They will be delivered through a series of talks, stories, exercises and discussions so you have the opportunity to learn from your own deeper wisdom and that of your peers as well as from the workshop facilitator.
45 minute coaching session (optional): If at some stage during the series of workshops you need more help to experience a mind-set shift in some area, you can book a coaching conversation with me by email; (mary.howick@hotmail.com) One session is included in the cost of the programme.
Private Facebook Group: You will have the opportunity to join a private Facebook group and interact with other Mums who face the same challenges as you do. This will be a safe space where you can receive support from me and from each other for the duration of the course.
WORKSHOP SUMMARY:
- Laying the foundation It is normal to question your decision to work, even if you love your job. Like most Mums you are probably exhausted, and your inner resources are depleted. If you are in this category, you will benefit from this workshop. We will look at what is really important to you. You will set your priorities and redefine who you are in the world. We will explore what could get in the way of living the life you want and see through any self-created limitations or culture induced beliefs.
- Dealing with Guilt One of my abiding memories of motherhood is the constant nagging feeling of guilt. Concern that I was not doing a good enough job as a mother, as a partner or in the workplace. Wondering if I was spending enough time with my son, bringing him to enough activities or rushing too fast through his homework. Feeling guilty because I enjoyed my job, applied for a promotion or took a course I was interested in. On the other hand, some of my friends felt guilty because they chose not to progress their career and envied my income. As Mums we feel as if we can’t win either way. In this workshop, we will explore guilt, why we feel it, it’s purpose, and how we can move past it.
- Setting boundaries: Work/Family/Me. In a world where we can never get it all done or please everyone, we need to concentrate on living a life that feels authentic and right to us. Having dealt with guilt and laid the foundation for the life you want, we can now look at putting the necessary boundaries in place. We will explore the implications of setting boundaries with your partner, children, employer, clients, school, etc. and you will learn how to overcome or see through the fear of doing so. We will look at the importance of unplugging from technology and work to enjoy close family time, and unplugging from the family to take time for you. In this module you will discover that filling your own cup first is essential, if you want to bring the best of you into all your relationships and life situations.
- Overcoming perfectionism Social media presents the picture of the perfect Mum celebrating her latest career success as she and her perfect partner serve the perfect meal to the perfect well-behaved children in a perfectly presented home. At some level we know this is not the reality for anyone. Yet we try to live up to this fictitious standard. In this module we will dash the illusion of perfectionism and explore what it means to be ‘good enough’. You will experience the inherit relief in being willing to be who you really are unapologetically.
- Delegating at home and at work There seems to be some unwritten rulebook stating that becoming a mother means you should be able to do everything, all the time. The worst thing is that we buy into this and are often afraid to ask for help. Even when help is offered we can be reluctant to accept it, seeing it as a sign of failure. As a result if we do ask, we do so apologetically and illicit a less helpful response than may have been forthcoming if we had felt more entitled. We will examine this topic using your real life examples and debunk the belief that trying to do it all yourself is of value to anyone. You will learn how to ask for the help you need and why you should always do so.
- Remaining calm As a working mother, I remember snapping at my son or an innocent colleague as a result of the level of stress and overwhelm that had built up in me. In this module we will look at how this happens and where we can break the cycle. You will discover the freedom of being able to see through the things that stress you in a way that leaves you able to respond from a place of clarity and strength in the moment.
- Managing time Working Mums are among the most time-challenged people in the world and I remember wishing for another few hours in the day to spend on myself or with my son. In this module we will explore the nature of time and learn how to slow down to the speed of life. You will discover that this, surprisingly, leads to enhanced relationships and a newfound sense of inner calm while enabling you to achieve as much if not more than before.
- Appreciating yourself and enjoying your life A wise man once said: “The feeling you are living in, is all you ever get”. The truth is that this moment, right here, right now, is your life. It’s not a dress-rehearsal for some better future that will arrive if you do everything in just the right way. We need to enjoy this moment with our children, partner, family, friends, colleagues or customers. We get so caught up in doing, that we forget to be, to live and to enjoy our lives. The biggest regret people have on their death bed is that they didn’t just enjoy their lives while they had them. In this workshop we will focus on learning to live well in every moment and to take ourselves and our lives less seriously.
No matter how things look right now, you have the ability to start fresh. It begins and ends with you and the choices you make. This time with your children won’t last forever, take your life back and enjoy them while they are with you.
You can do it – we all can!
Click here for more information
Watch this video to hear more about what you can expect.
A bit about me, your Programme Facilitator – Mary Howick
Having spent almost 30 years in leadership positions within large multi-national financial institutions, and as a single mother, I am very familiar with the challenges and stresses of life and how difficult it can be to balance everything, and find the energy to enjoy life and the people that matter most.
Following a brush with cancer, I took early retirement from my corporate career, and spent four years learning from, and working with various wise teachers to understand the purpose of life and how we function as human beings. In the process, I found a level of peace and clarity that I wish I had when my son was young. I am qualified as a Psychotherapist, workshop facilitator and Clarity Coach and now I use everything I learned from my studies in addition to my own life experience to help others find peace and wellbeing in their lives.
Using transformational techniques, in workshops and one-to-one coaching, I bring my clients through the key changes they need to make in order to live the life they desire. I encourage them to form a deep understanding of themselves, to awaken their inner potential and improve their innate abilities including better listening, deeper connections, and greater creativity.
We all have so much going on. A hundred conflicting demands, to-do lists longer than your arm. We all worry about things – money, deadlines, children. With all this whirring around in our heads it’s often a nightmare trying to concentrate on one thing. What if someone could show you how to empty your mind of all the noise? If you could be shown how to de-clutter your mind and concentrate on one important thing at a time? This is what I found for myself and now offer to others. I can teach you how to clear your mind and become less stressed, more productive and happier – and as a result, more confident in your abilities.