Sometimes I wake-up and I ask myself “What was I thinking to take that project on?” But then again when the work isn’t there, I question what to do with my spare time (which isn’t much considering I have two kids!). It’s a fine line between the work/ life balance but so far this Mama has been able to figure it all out with a little schooling in time management.

For those that don’t know me, I used to be one of those that went to every after-work networking PR event and slaved away for a national PR agency for 70 hours a week but then a life-changing event took place – I became a Mama. From there I took my experience and spun it to my advantage, working from home here and there, all the while still maintaining my PR and media relationships for the future. When my first little one was born, I wasn’t quite ready to hang-up my PR career for good so I was lucky enough to do just enough work each month to keep my hand in the PR cookie jar. I was afraid that if I ever was not pitching or writing for at least a month, everyone would forget who I was . . . after all, in PR they hire you for who you know!

Here’s where the time management part came in – I learned to say “No” and only took on projects that I knew I could complete and that were of interest to me. If there was too big of a learning curve, I had to turn it down. The other helping hand that gets me by each day – technology! Thank goodness for iPhones – I can work from anywhere and not be worried that something is going to slip through the cracks. Often times you’ll see me at the aquarium or the park typing away on my phone but also having the benefit of being with my two little ones! I also have become much more efficient with my time, I make a to-do list for the week and know that once the little guy goes off to sleep, I better get to work because I have one hour to complete four pitches and ten phone calls. You learn to work fast and furiously and don’t get distracted by e-mails that can be answered into the wee hours of the night.

The moral of the story — you can have the best of both worlds and I’m a prime example! PR is one of the best businesses to be in as mom. I mean where else can you work from home and work crazy hours like really early mornings and late nights. The best part about those hours is that you can actually talk to East Coast media and reach those TV producers that wish you called at 4:30 a.m. instead of noon when they’re leaving for the day!

Christine Fox is Everyday Mama to two and a San Diego-based PR freelancer. She specializes in consumer PR and has her own daily blog at www.everydaymama.com. Her new found obsession is Twitter. Tweet with her @EverydayMama!

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