By Lauren Smith Brody
Did you know that today (October 16) is National Boss’s Day? Here’s my take: The bosses who
should be celebrated with the most cupcakes and flowers today are Boss Moms—working
moms who do it all and get it done at all hours of the day, and with only a fraction of that time
rewarded with an actual paycheck. In fact, according to a recent survey by Total Wireless, 95
percent of moms say that the most stressful part of being a working mom is the pressure to
juggle work and family responsibilities to perfection. Do they always get it done without ever
losing their cool? Au contraire, ma mere.
In my version of this national holiday, being a Boss Mom means you bless the mess, celebrate
the journey that got you to where you are today and realize that a satisfied life is rarely a
balanced one…but a happy one. That’s why I’m teaming up with Total Wireless to celebrate
Boss Moms and how they do it all on National Boss’s day and beyond.
1) LEARN THIS TERM: “MENTAL LOAD.” The mental load is the reason that I know how
many eggs are in our fridge right now and how high the temperature has to be in order
for my boys to be allowed to wear shorts to school (love that dress code). It is also the
reason that I occasionally forget to sign a check that I put in the mail (thank you,
payment apps for helping me out here). The mental load is the labor we do in our minds
keeping track of 1,273,038 things even when we aren’t technically working or parenting.
And that work deserves to be acknowledged.
2) HOLD THE JUDGEMENT, PLEASE. Here’s something wonderful about 2017 (an otherwise
complicated year, to say the least): We are officially no longer living in a society where it
is socially appropriate for working moms to judge stay-at- home moms, and vice versa.
I’ve interviewed hundreds of moms for my book and company, and the general
consensus was this: We are all just doing our best to raise the next generation. And yet,
so many mothers still admitted to judging themselves. Enough, I say! According to the
same survey by Total Wireless, 95 percent of moms know that the journey to success
hinges on having the confidence to make the necessary choices…and often those
choices include sacrifice. Do not feel guilty. Instead, celebrate your accomplishments.
It’s all part of the journey of satisfaction we’re modeling for our kids.
3) SKIP SOMETHING. Want to know the best feeling in the world (better than the candle-lit
bubble bath you’ve been meaning to take for three years now)? Open up your calendar and delete one thing from next week. Here, I’ll even give you your excuse: “I’m looking
ahead and realizing I’ve overscheduled myself for next week. Let’s please cancel/move
our lunch/meeting/obligation/endeavor/commitment.” Another option if it’s something
you can’t miss entirely: Downgrade an in-person meet-up to a phone call. Everyone’s
more efficient that way, and you can order groceries online at the same time if needed.
4) CALL YOUR OWN BOSS MOM. Better yet, FaceTime her (because you know she won’t
mind if you’re not wearing any makeup…or if you have to leave her staring at the ceiling
while you attend to the 2-year- old’s bloody nose). Whether your mom worked out of
the home or not, the list of skills you learned from her is surely long and mighty. (The
same survey I reference above found more than half of working women consider their
own moms the ultimate “total boss.”) Did she teach you to drive (thus ensuring you can
do that last conference call of the day while in the privacy of your own car)? Did she
force you and your sister to “work it out between you two” (and give you team-building
skills that you use to this day?). It’s vital to acknowledge that stuff, not just because it
makes her feel appreciated…but because it makes you realize how much wisdom you’re
imparting to your own kids that they’ll use one day. Oh, tell your mom that part too!
This National Boss’s Day, join me and Total Wireless in celebrating working moms for
everything they’ve accomplished—including the choices and sacrifices they’ve made to get
where they are today.
With great coverage on America’s largest and most dependable 4G LTE† network, Total
Wireless gives you the confidence to plan and celebrate the ‘total boss’ mom in your life—all
from the palm of your hand with your smartphone. Learn more at TotalWireless.com.
Lauren Smith Brody is the founder of The Fifth Trimester movement to help businesses and families improve workplace culture together; she is the author of the best-selling book, The Fifth Trimester: The
Working Mom’s Guide to Style, Sanity, and Big Success After Baby. Prior to launching her own business, Lauren had a 16-year career in magazine publishing, most recently as the executive editor of Glamour magazine. She’s partnering with Total Wireless to share her Total Boss Mom strategies—hectic schedule, two little boys, messy home, and all. Check out TotalWireless.com to learn more about the latest phones and the best deal in wireless.
*The 30-Day cycle for Shared Data Family Plans begins on the day the first line/device is activated. Any
line(s)/device(s) activated later in the first 30-Day cycle will receive only the number of days remaining in that cycle.
A month equals 30 days.
†To get 4G LTE speed where available you must have a 4G LTE capable device and a 4G LTE SIM card. Actual availability, coverage and speed may vary. LTE is a trademark of ETSI. Please always refer to the latest terms and conditions of service at TotalWireless.com.
This survey was commissioned by Total Wireless and conducted by Survata, an independent research firm in San Francisco. Survata interviewed 1,069 online respondents between September 29, 2017 and October 4, 2017. For further information, visit www.survata.com.
