Being a working mum is a hard job that comes with sacrifices. We spoke to Marianna Kottnauer, the owner of HappyLabel.cz, who talks about the trials of being a working mum and how she copes with long work hours while giving time to her family. When asked about how hard it is to give time to kids when you‘re a working mum, she smiles and replies “Well, I’m certainly not alone in this, right?“
“All around the world there are millions of working mothers who go through the same things that I do on a daily basis. But, I know that I need to be physically and mentally strong,“ she adds.
My kids love sports and always keep me active to ensure that I’m in good shape both physically and emotionally. I love to cook, so I look forward to spend time in the kitchen, prepare a nice healthy meal for my family and sit down to talk with them every day – that’s the most important part of my day.
Q How do you manage to spend time with your partner?
We work as a team, we respect and support each other. In winter, we skii on weekends, and in summer ride our bikes together. On weekends, we cook together and enjoy some wine as we chat into the wee hours of morning.
Even though my husband and I are both busy, we still sit together every day, spend time together during dinner, and talk about what happened throughout the day. And then when our kids finally go to sleep, we both head back to our computers and try to finish work. Despite this, we both feel guilty for not spending enough time as a family.
Q How hard is it to have a social life when you are a working parent?
We’re fortunate because we have a supportive family and tons of great friends who have kids about the same age as ours. So it’s really not difficult to meet up on weekends for some fun. I frequently see other moms from school, at least once a month, for Ladies Night.
Q How do you handle children‘s complaints about your unavailability at school shows, games?
I’ve never missed school shows, but I’d be lying if I said that I make it to every event. I’ve missed a few important sports games. But then my husband takes over here. My boys respect my work and they understand that what I do is for our family. I think they’re just happy to have me home for dinner and enjoy a good meal as a family.
Q How do you handle daily life and routines between work? Do you have a helper?
I have a cleaning service come to my house once every two weeks. If I have time to clean, I’ll certainly do it myself! We do most of our shopping online to save time.
Q Do you lay awake at night thinking of long ‘to do’ lists?
My ‘to do’ lists are never-ending. I used to lay awake until 2:00 am thinking about everything that I’d have to do the next day. Then I realised that I was too tired to get anything done. Now, I try to go to bed at the same time every night to get into a better routine. I usually try to read a few pages of my book to help relax my mind.
Read about Marianna’s sacrifices, being a mum and starting a new business.