#Mompowered: A Mom’s World at Home

Moms have always been our unsung heroes and during this pandemic, working moms are tested in balancing household responsibilities, virtual meetings, homeschooling, and other commitments while keeping the kids entertained and the family safe in this challenging time.

Ayala Center Cebu caught up with 7 empowered moms as they share their stories, tips, and insights in balancing full-time work and family life at home:

 

 

Gretchen Choa, Businesswoman, and mom of two boys

“Understand that “balance” doesn’t mean equal, it just means that you are happy with the choices you have made. Some days you could work while having the extra time to leisurely make dinner with your kids and play board games with them after.  While other days, work needs more attention, so you order food; turn on Netflix to occupy your kids’ entertainment. Do not feel bad. You are not alone in this. Some hacks do help ease the mom guilt, here are some of them.

1. Delegate/ask for help
2. Plan ahead — I am a planner, so I have learned to lay out my top 3 goals in a week, and top 5 main tasks I want to achieve in a day.
3.  Realize that sometimes you need to compromise, and that is okay.”

 

 

Kristine Kokseng, Product Development Manager at Golden Cowrie, and mom of three

“As a working mom, it was a difficult situation to be in as we were tackling problems and challenges in the restaurant, trying to shift from a dine-in to a delivery-based resto and at the same time helping and guiding the kids with online school.

 It was easy to lose your cool and it was very important for me to be conscious about that. We had constant talks, (and we still do) with the kids about their challenges and ours too so there would be a better understanding of each other’s situation. And as a homemaker, it did not stop with kids but also with the team that I work with at home. It was important for me to make sure that our help at home was adjusting well too. Coming up with activities for the kids and the help at home was something we did during the first 6 months until we reached a point where we were used to the fact of being home.”

 

 

Kd Tiu, Owner of Cabana Cebu, and mother of two

“I’ve accepted that there’s no perfect work-life balance so I just ride the waves & manage my expectations. If things don’t go as planned, I try not to waste my time dwelling on it and just move on to being more productive. It is also important to try to let go of mom guilt.

I’m able to keep things together because I have a strong support system. It really takes a whole village to handle my businesses and our household at the same time & I’m pretty grateful for them. “

 

 

Dyan Gayas, Proprietress, Nono By Dyan, mother of two

“As a working mom, I make sure everything is scheduled and plotted. I try my best to work only on Tuesdays to Fridays and every other weekend between either 9:30 or 1:30 only. So I can still have time to prepare food and other needs at home and spend more time with my kids and family.”

 

 

Tiffany Tan, IT Entrepreneur, Artist, and mom of two

“I find it very important to keep my long-term plan in mind as I go about my day-to-day activities. I am a visual person, so I have a clear picture of where I see myself and my family in five years or ten years down the road. I work backwards from my future goals and take steps today to bring myself and my family closer to those goals. Having a clear vision helps me to keep the balance between my roles.

Taking care of my physical, mental and emotional health is essential so that I can find clarity in my vision. I take breaks as needed, allocate time for my hobbies, and for regular exercise. It’s important for me so that I don’t get burnt out and lose sight of my vision.”

 

 

Gillian Uang-Uy, Interior Designer, and mom

“Try to let go of mom guilt! It’s okay to do something for yourself once in a while to help you recharge.”

 

Kim Gothong, Wife, Entrepreneur, Resource Speaker, and mom of three

“It’s all about setting priorities. This may seem a little technical but I employ Stephen Covey’s Time Management Matrix. I categorize my to-do’s into four quadrants, urgent and important, not urgent but important, urgent but not important, and not urgent and not important.

This matrix somehow guides me on how I go about my day or week. Sometimes, this may all get jumbled up, but, I somehow always find my way back.

To avoid burnout, once in a while I step back and re-center through physical activity, baking, and of course a good Kdrama marathon.

We moms, can’t keep pouring from an empty cup. When we learn to love ourselves, then we can take care of others better.”

 

This Mother’s Day, we honor and celebrate all the hardworking moms and mother figures for their unconditional love, courage, and sacrifices. This special day allows families to bond and make mom smile in different ways. You can take your mom to an al fresco dining at The Terraces, just order from your favorite restaurants and have them deliver your food at the specially curated al fresco in the area, or surprise your mom with some gift ideas at the Activity Center with your favorite brands. If you’re too busy to head out, you can order your gift via ANA. With a minimum spend of P3000, you get a special BOMB cake from Cakes by Nicole or Mango Toffee Jr from Banapple. Add a special touch to your surprise and say it with flowers, have yours arranged on the spot at the Drive Buy station along Cardinal Rosales Ave. near Torque Lounge.

Celebrate empowered moms and say thanks to all the important women in our life this Mother’s Day at Ayala Center Cebu. The region’s premier lifestyle destination keeps amazing going while continuing to provide a clean, healthy, and safe environment for all. For more information and updates, like @AyalaCebu on Facebook and follow @AyalaCenterCebu on Twitter and Instagram