How Motherhood Has Made Me Better at My Job

In honor of Mother’s Day in the U.S., and in recognition of everyone doing the unseen and under-appreciated but critical work of caretaking, I wanted to spend some time reflecting on what being a mother has done for me as a professional.

In addition to a wealth of personal and spiritual gifts motherhood has brought me, it has also made me stronger, more creative, and more effective in my work life.

Here are a few thoughts on why that has happened:

1. I take real breaks from work.

There are a whole host of parenting situations that are just not conducive to multi-tasking. Years ago when my kids were tiny and I was pumping breast milk in a closet at work, I had to look at photos of my babies to be able to produce. I wasn’t able to work for 20 full minutes while I labored to make milk, which led me to a bit of an epiphany: taking time to completely divorce my thoughts from work gives my brain a break that is actually very productive.

When I return to work from a brief but real break, I feel refreshed and ready to tackle whatever challenges come my way. In these moments I often find I suddenly have a creative rush that results in something innovative I couldn’t have conjured up after hours of head-scratching.

2. My creative juices are flowing.

While I believe this is a side-effect of creating life itself, there’s more to it than that. Since becoming a parent, I find myself doing many more creative parenting activities, like making collages, cooking dinner, searching for fairies in the woods, and sewing teddy bears’ eyes back on. There’s something about making things and allowing yourself to delve into the land of imagination that spurs greater creative thinking, which is essential to being a visionary leader.

3. I am super efficient.

If something is due today and the kids have to be picked up at 5:00, you better believe I’m going to finish it on time. As a journalism major and a former dancer, have always taken deadlines very seriously, as the show must go on. But now that I’m a parent I no longer have the luxury of working late or pulling an all-nighter to finish a deliverable. Work must be completed during work hours. I have learned to not let the perfect be the enemy of the good, and I have honed my ability to work backward from a deadline and make every minute productive.

4. My criteria for decision-making are clear.

When I am making decisions about taking on a new client or expanding Tide Risers, I ask myself whether or not this work will enable me to proudly tell my daughters that my work is contributing to the overall good of the world. I also ask myself whether or not this work is going to be worth the time it will require me to be away from my family. This has forced me to be selective when opportunities come my way, which has hugely contributed to my overall satisfaction with my work and has made my businesses stronger.

5. Being a role model has never been so important.

I have two daughters who need strong female role models, and I know I have to be one of them. I want them to see me in leadership roles, comfortably holding my own even when I’m the only woman at the table, working to address structures of inequality, and bringing home the bacon. My desire to address inequality and help other women be strong leaders pushes me to be courageous and ambitious so my girls can see that they can do the same.

Lara Holliday is the Founder + CEO of Tide Risers.