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Mary Mary Inspired Me to Improve My Work and Family Balance

Monday, December 3, 2012

In my LB4K (life before kids) I was a hard-charging professional and very active in my community. At one point I was working full-time, taking night classes toward a graduate degree, and running a volunteer charity. You could say I had too much on my plate. Then I became a mother and I could not continue to burn the candle at both ends. I took a temporary leave from the workforce to focus on raising my babies, a decision I have never regretted.

Still, it was a confusing time for me. I was so proud to be a mommy, but at the same time I felt distressed that my degrees and work experience were going to waste. It wasn't long though before I was plotting a comeback...guess you can't keep a career girl down! I started slowly with work-at-home opportunities that provided some income and helped me keep up my skills.

Working at home has its advantages, but it's not easy street. I have to work around nap time and housework. It's also easy to get distracted by television! Reality TV is one of my weaknesses. While watching a sneak preview of the season 2 premiere of Mary Mary* I discovered that these two highly successful, high-profile women struggled with work/life balance just like other mothers.


The dynamic signing duo is back on tour promoting their latest record, but Tina is pregnant and pushing herself too hard while Erica is still recovering from recently giving birth. I could really relate with Erica's situation. I suffered a real identity crisis when I became a first-time mom and also faced some health concerns.

You have to tune in for the Mary Mary Season 2 premiere on Thursday, December 6th at 10|9c To find out how the sisters of Mary Mary are managing their professional and personal relationships (set your DVR if you are an early bird like me!).

The episode got me thinking about whether I am doing everything possible to maintain healthy work/family balance in my life. The lines sometime get blurred because I work at home and I feel like I am pulled in two different directions. The show gave me some ideas on how women effectively juggle career and family that I think are universal whether you work at home or outside the home:
  1. Get organized: keeping a schedule prevents you from overbooking your time, missing important appointments, and losing your mind.
  2. Ask for help: don't be ashamed to enlist family, friends or hired help to keep all the balls in the air.
  3. Be flexible: being open to an alternative work schedule can free up hours to spend with family.
  4. Know your limits: take a timeout once in awhile to regroup and then get back in the game! Also, learn to say no so that you don't get burned out
  5. Get centered: De-stress with prayer, yoga, or meditation. A mom with inner balance has a better grasp on work and family balance.

*Mary Mary is a reality television show that follows the three-time Grammy® award-winning gospel duo Mary Mary (Erica andTina Campbell). Season two will find the sisters experiencing the busiest time of their career. They are promoting their new single "Go Get It," touring across the U.S. (Joyfest, Gospelfest, Celebrate Brooklyn Concert, Chicago Gospel Music Festival, etc.) and capping their summer by receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Essence Festival alongside Aretha Franklin, Mary J. Blige, and others. Tina is due with her fifth child and Erica recently gave birth to Zaya, complicating the pressure that the sisters already feel when they are performing and away from home.

Mary Mary Singing Spotlight contest

Starting December 3, WE tv is giving you another chance to belt it like Mary Mary! Enter the second annual singing contest for a chance to win a getaway for 2 to LA, including a professional studio session and much more! More details and official rules available closer to the start of the contest.

It's situations like these that the three-time Grammy® award-winning gospel duo Erica and Tina Campbell face in Season 2 of WE tv’s hit series Mary Mary as they balance being recording artists, mothers, and wives. MARY MARY premieres Thursday, December 6 at 10|9c and moves to its regular timeslot on Thursdays at 9|8c, beginning December 13. Watch a sneak peek here!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of WE tv. The opinions and text are all mine.
Does your life feel like a reality TV show sometimes? Tell us about it!

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