A Mother's Work Is Never Done Unless Shared! Information supplied by Waukesha Memorial Hospital Countless working mothers are always on the clock - squeezed between work and family duties. While both parents may work out of the home, mothers, far more so than fathers, shoulder such childcare duties as monitoring homework, attending teacher conferences, arranging daycare, playing with the children, bathing and bed time. Plus, the family duties - dinner, laundry, shopping and cleaning - continue to fall more heavily on women. "Juggling work and home life can be truly exhausting," says Mary Jane Reichart, RN, MHA, director of ProHealth Care's Women's Health Services. "Likewise, many stay-at-home moms don't get much of a break from their duties and are equally exhausted." Here are some tips to help you stay healthy, keep your wits, and better manage this busy time. Establish responsibilities. Mutually agreed upon responsibilities (such as dad gives baths on weekdays) can ease conflict. Build in a break. Take a weekly break from the constant demands. Try splitting a weekend day (dad's in charge Saturday mornings, mom's in charge in the afternoons) or ask dad to take the helm one night a week, giving you time for yourself. Make stress management a priority. List your top stressors and decide how you can best stay on top of them. Organize. Less time and energy is spent getting things done in an organized household. Get help. Consider ways to ease your load such as hiring a mother's helper, a cleaning service, or asking another parent to split transportation duties. Cut back. If you like to keep a perfectly clean house, or routinely prepare beautiful dinners, try to ease up. Treat yourself. Small daily indulgences (watching TV, reading a page-turner) can go a long way. Practice healthy habits. Exercising, eating healthy food, and sleeping at least seven hours per night form a good foundation of stress prevention. Information supplied by Waukesha Memorial Hospital. Check out our message boards in Peer Perspectives. Back to Experts' Advice Legal Stuff You Should Know