Power of Perspective: How Being a Mom Makes Us Better at Work

LinkedIn added two feature that support the value of motherhood. First they added “Stay-At-Home Parent” to their job title options, validating the transferable experience that parenthood brings to your professional sphere. Then they added the option to easily add a career breaks right on your profile, removing some of the stigma associated ith career breaks and allowing your to describe what you were doing at the time and the value that it brings to you as a . However, a staggering 60% of Americans believe a child is better off with at least one of their parents at home, and within that group, nearly half believe that that parent should be a mom.

It’s no secret there is an underlying gender bias when it comes to working moms. In fact, many applicants experience something called the “motherhood penalty”. Studies show moms are 79% less likely to be hired and half as likely to be promoted when compared to a child-less colleague. 

The stigma against working moms is unfounded, and in fact, disproved. So how exactly does being a mom make us better at work? 

Time Management

Balancing 3am pumping sessions, 5am wakeup calls, 7am bus stop drops, and every wildfire that pops up in between is no different than balancing a full schedule of client meetings and fielding their needs. Whether you’re packing lunches or ordering meal prep packages, switching laundry or scheduling dry cleaning, you’re delegating tasks just like a manager. 

Once you’ve become a mom, you’ll likely agree: motherhood is one of the toughest jobs out there. Once returning to the workplace, moms are in a unique position to tap into their time management skills on a professional level. 

Empathy

From stubbed toes to bad report cards, our babes challenge us to be more empathetic each and every day. We have more patience and understanding for a crying baby in public or delay in the drive-thru line. This empathy serves as a great foundation for leadership roles for moms at work. 

Perspective

Motherhood naturally shifts your perspective. Raising a tiny human turns those mountains you once gawked at into mole-hills. You’ll find your conflict-resolution skills strengthening as you’re able to offer new perspectives to problem solving.

How has being a mother strengthened you as a professional? What mom skills transfer to your work? Have you experienced working mom guilt? Let’s continue the conversation over on our Instagram, @heymamaco.