How to Find that Work-Life-Balance as a Working Mother

Tina Lynn C positively glows as she poses with her 18-month old son, Archie. Her much-loved Instagram account shows a life filled to the brim with world travel, fitness and spending quality time with her family in her native Hong Kong. But with a demanding job in the finance industry, as well as currently training for a full Ironman in Australia this summer, how does she fit it all in?

 

Tina laughs: “Of course my husband and I often feel very tired at the end of the day, just like anyone else. What you don’t see on Instagram are our stressed-out moments or the times when things don’t go so smoothly. But we just try to stay grateful for our life and remember everything we have to be thankful for”. 

 

As she moves between her worlds – outdoor enthusiast, loving mother, fitness fan, traveling adventurer and finance specialist – she shares her tips on how to find the ultimate work-life balance.

My smartphone or laptop never seem to be too far away and it can be tough to resist the temptation to continuously check and reply to work emails, or check live updates on world financial markets for example. So I try to be strict about not looking at my phone when I am spending time with my husband and my son. I always try to give my very best during working hours, whilst ensuring that I leave the office on time every day and I don’t check work emails again until after my son has gone to bed. I try to be realistic about what I can and cannot achieve so I would be honest and very direct with people when I feel that the engagements or projects would be too much for me.

 

I consider myself an “Outdoor Enthusiast” and love spending time in nature, whether at home or abroad. This can be challenging in the tropical Hong Kong weather,it’s often too hot to run or train outdoors and the monsoon months are equally challenging, but I try to solve this with early morning or sunset runs, whilst the temperatures are still reasonable. It’s also very important for me that my son, Archie, gets to spend plenty of time outside where he can touch and feel the world, so we plan regular family outings to hike, or visit seasonal places like the Tai Tong Nature Trail in autumn or Clear Water Bay Beaches in summer.

 

I love spending time with my family, but for me it is crucial to take some time out for myself every now and again. Fitness is one way that I do this – a long run or hike helps me to calm my mind, organize my thoughts and reconnect to myself. I also enjoy doing exercise with friends – it’s a great way to catch up with a girlfriend. I also make sure that my husband and I spend time alone together regularly, whether that’s a dinner date or the occasional short trip away. Even if I am just taking ten minutes to sit down with a good book, I try to be conscious about doing this and be grateful for the small moments where I am able to press pause after a hectic day.

 

I believe that this is the key for all working mothers or anyone else with a very busy schedule! I try to organize as much as possible for the following day the night before so that mornings are generally less stressful and so that I have time for my early morning workouts.  I always try to plan ahead, whether meal planning or booking my travel schedule. I welcome anything that helps me be more organized – from technology to gear.