Working moms: PA Women Work shares 5 helpful ways to navigate the holiday season

The end of the year can be especially stressful for working moms, says Liz Gryger, director of programs at PA Women Work. 

Gryger originally came to PA Women Work as a client, looking for support and encouragement after layoffs at her job left her hunting for new employment. The organization’s blend of practical resources and a caring community gave her the tools to rebuild her career, she says, and in the process it also “gave me so much hope.” 

The team at PA Women Work know what it’s like to navigate the holidays as working moms. For many families, there are so many holiday events going on at schools, and kids have many things they want to do (and gifts they’re hoping for). At the same time, many jobs come with extra pressure as the year is ending. 

We asked Gryger and the PA Women Work team for their thoughts on how best to navigate this fun but sometimes challenging season. 

Take time to prioritize. 

We’re pulled in many directions at the holidays and it isn’t possible to do everything. “When my children were little, I tried to avoid what I call the Hallmark Effect: this feeling that everything has to be magical and happy and positive, and it all has to be wonderful,” Gryger says. 

Instead, take a moment as the season begins to think about what would be most meaningful for your family. Is there one event or experience that would really mean a lot to the kids and/or grownups in your family? What could you say ‘no’ to this year to minimize stress, while saying ‘yes’ to what matters? 

If finances are an issue, what might you do that has little or no cost, like spending an evening walking around the Cultural District to see the holiday decorations and trees, perhaps bringing special snacks with you from home or stopping somewhere just for cups of hot chocolate or coffee? 

How can you collaborate and delegate?

Is there a friend you can swap a few childcare hours with? Is there a retired neighbor or relative who might be glad to help by shuttling kids to an event or running some errands? Sometimes people are surprisingly glad to be asked, especially if you look for ways to return the favor when you can.  

Just one example among many, Gryger says: “the cookie exchange, where each person makes one kind of cookie, and then you go and you share them. So you all have a mixed variety of cookies, but you haven’t had to make 12 different kinds with all the ingredients and all of that, unless that’s something that really is meaningful to you.”

Make sure taking care of YOU is part of your holiday plan. 

Especially at the holidays, “practice self-care, whether that is just a few moments to breathe deeply, or making sure you are eating well, sleeping well and exercising,” she says. 

Self-care can be something as simple and accessible as going for five-minute walk when you feel your stress level rising. It’s about “being in touch in a mindful way with what’s going on in your body. And if you’re finding yourself really stressed, saying, ‘Hey, wow. I’m feeling stressed. Let’s take a moment for me for some deep breathing and calm.'”

Be where you are (which isn’t easy in our hyper-connected world). 

“If there is that year-end kind of activity and pressure at work, as well as with the family, really try to compartmentalize and stay present in the moment,” Gryger says.

“Especially when my kids were little, I tried to make sure when I was at work, I was at work. When I was at home, I was at home,” she says. “Especially now with us always on our devices, that’s so hard. But it’s important, because it helps you be more efficient and more present and productive in both of those areas.” 

Look for organizations that can help you. 

Although many women are incredibly good at handling things on their own, we’re not meant to shoulder everything alone. You can reach out and make a new connection this holiday season with organizations like PA Women Work. 

“Anyone who really feels they need extra support in their network for their career or looking for a new job or a better job, that’s what we’re here for,” Gryger says. “All of our programming is free,” and it combines practical support with a caring community.

Services include:

• one-on-one career coaching 
• career development programs and classes. 
• mentoring

Sometimes women come to PA Women Work “and you can just see they’re very discouraged,” Gryger says. “Then, over the course of time in their work with us, you can just see that hope. You can see it on their faces, that hope and that the job is out there. Maybe they haven’t found it yet, but it’s out there for them, and we can empower them with the hope and the tools to get there.”

Photo at top of story by Benjamin Manley via Unsplash.