How to start the week strong as a working mum?

At ten past seven on Friday evening, I was still at my laptop, going through spreadsheets for the third time. The weekend had officially started. Nobody had told me. Somewhere in the house, dinner was being sorted by my chef husband who genuinely enjoys cooking while I was negotiating with a deadline.

I started this week strong, but it did not come without sacrifices. Friday night was one of them. Again, I was working extended hours just before the weekend.

When the task first landed, my gut feel said the lead time was too short. On second thought, I was not alone. I have a team who could work at the back end to sort out what needed to be done, so I accepted it on the condition that it would not be perfect. Not that I had a choice anyway, said “top management“. What annoyed me was the pattern. Again, we were being reactive, adding last-minute work on top of existing projects, assuming the team was not already stretched.

“It’s tight, but doable. Not technical, just administrative”. I said in the meeting, in the voice I use when it is neither. I pitied my team more than myself, and my actions spoke louder than my words. I took the hit silently. I discounted what needed to be done and made it sound easier on the surface. Why? If I am honest, it is a habit I am not proud of. Shielding people and shrinking the truth are not quite the same thing, and I did a bit of both.

At the same time, my cross-functional team was short of staff, and their meetings seemed to justify plans rather than moving the needle. Whether I like it or not, those plans will affect my team directly. Visualising the chaos and confusion ahead, I was not ready to spend another week of preaching. I am definitely not naïve to think that everything will be OK with time, simply because time is the only currency I do not have. Getting projects done through others is a painful process.

I am a trained, efficient working mum. So, I struggle to understand how a priority requires more than a week to complete. How can anyone walk out of a meeting without a checklist of actions? Following the pace of others is another juggle I refuse to tolerate. Waiting is only justifiable if it comes with a successful outcome, and if waiting only has a 50 per cent chance of succeeding, what are we doing while we wait?

Around half past seven, my kids asked what time I would be done. I said “soon” fully aware about bath and bed time, and went back to the screen. Friday night was not dramatic. It was the quiet kind of sacrifice, where nobody notices the evening you gave away because it looks exactly like an ordinary evening. Staying the course takes courage, but it also takes energy. By then I had very little left.

Here is what I keep coming back to. If dedicating an extra 20 per cent of my time can save 80 per cent of a potential mess, I will convince myself to doing it. Prevention is better than cure, whatever you call it, I am a big fan. It is as good as keeping my house clean to prolong the cleaner’s rotation: saving time, saving money, and so on.

What gets measured gets done, or rather, what gets controlled gets done?

If I am not grasping the project in front of me, how can I lead it towards the goal post?

So no, I did not start the week strong by luck. It came with the price of working late hours. Was it worth it? Well, it gave me a strong start, because I had done my preliminary homework and was equipped with the information I needed to make sound decisions. I protected my team from last-minute asks so they could focus on what was in front of them and enjoy a good weekend.

I could have had a little more trust in others to take ownership and responsibility. Instinctively, given the context, my observations and experiences told me otherwise. But it is a question I want to keep asking myself.

A few things I am taking into next week:

1. Say how hard it really is. Playing a task down to protect your team helps nobody for long. Give them the honest picture and the shield together.
2. Say “it won’t be perfect” out loud. If you accept a tight deadline on a condition, put the condition on the table, not just in your head.
3. End every meeting with names and dates. Who is doing what, by when. If nobody can answer, the meeting is not finished. Most likely, you can expect another round of unproductive meeting if the last meeting minutes isn’t constructive.
4. Hand one thing over completely. Pick one task, give it away, and resist the urge to check. Trust only grows with practice.

Last Friday cost me an evening. I will not pretend it was free. But I walked into Monday ready, my team walked in protected, we escaped the mess. The weekend, when it finally arrived, felt earned. Next time, I will aim to close the laptop a little earlier. Kids will need to go to bed on time for a smooth sailing weekend. After all, dinner is always better eaten warm.