By Annsley Ferrari, Novitas Communications
People often tell me I’m a “working stay-at-home mom,” and honestly, that phrase has always sounded like an oxymoron. How can you stay home and work at the same time?
The truth is, though, that’s the reality for me, and for thousands of moms across the country. Every family has different reasons – some don’t have access to childcare, some simply can’t afford daycare, and others want to be physically present for every milestone while still contributing financially to their household.
No matter the reason, for me, one thing is true: motherhood completely changes what “work” looks like.
Before becoming a mom, work had defined hours. I clocked in, clocked out, and eventually my day was over. Once I become a parent, especially during those exhausting newborn months, that idea disappears. I am always “Mom.” There are no weekends, holidays, or summer breaks from that role.
Ironically, weekends and summers can sometimes be the hardest times to get anything else done because my kids need me even more.
That realization completely changed the way I think about work.
Instead of trying to separate motherhood from my career, I’ve learned to weave them together. My responsibilities at Novitas, running my own business, and motherhood don’t happen in neat little boxes. They overlap every single day.
Sometimes that means I’m writing a blog on a Sunday because that’s the uninterrupted time I have. Other times it means answering emails during nap time or tackling a project after bedtime. I’ve learned that productivity isn’t about working a traditional schedule—it’s about consistently making progress whenever the opportunity presents itself.
Routine has become my greatest tool.
Most days follow a familiar rhythm: my kids wake up, I take my oldest to preschool, spend time playing with my toddler, work through the priority list I made the night before during nap time, pick up my preschooler, make dinner, tackle bedtime, and then finish whatever work didn’t get done earlier, before finally taking a little time for myself.
Of course, real life rarely sticks perfectly to the schedule.
Unexpected phone calls happen. Deadlines change. Kids skip naps. Someone gets sick. Work doesn’t always wait for nap time, and toddlers certainly don’t care about meeting deadlines.
So, we adapt.
Sometimes that means setting up an independent activity. Sometimes it’s pulling out a special game. Sometimes it’s even allowing a movie so I can finish something that absolutely has to get done.
I’ve learned that flexibility isn’t failing. It’s part of the plan.
One of the biggest skills I’ve developed through all of this is something I call layering.
Instead of trying to perfectly separate each role I have, I’ve learned to layer them together.
Motherhood doesn’t stop because I’m working, and work doesn’t completely stop because I’m parenting. Rather than waiting for the “perfect” uninterrupted block of time—which honestly rarely exists—I look for opportunities to build one responsibility around another:
A phone call while folding laundry.
Planning tomorrow’s priorities after bedtime.
Writing during nap time.
Listening to a podcast while driving to preschool pickup.
Life becomes less about finding more time and more about making the most of the time I already have.
Some days I feel like I accomplish everything. Other days I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface. I’ve learned that balance doesn’t mean every area of life gets equal attention every day. It means knowing what needs us most in that moment and giving it our best.
Being a working stay-at-home mom isn’t always easy, but it has taught me something I never expected: time doesn’t magically appear. I’ve learned to create it. I’ve build routines that support my family, I’ve stayed flexible when life changes those routines, and I’ve layered my responsibilities together in ways that make life work.
It may look chaotic from the outside, but for our family, it’s exactly what balance looks like.
