The Parent Project: Month 9

ByElizabeth Harrin Last updated: Research & Case Studies

Saucepan filled with apple that has burned on the bottom of the panWork and making baby food do not mix. This was the scene when I tried to cook apple purée and do some work at the same time. When I sat down at the computer I said to myself that I only had 10 minutes – but an hour later I wondered if one of our neighbours was having a BBQ. Then it dawned on me – it was burnt apple! And no breakfast for Jack.

Some boiling vinegar and wire wool later and I did manage to salvage the pan. But I’m worried that I’m trying to do too much.

At The Sanderson hotel
At The Sanderson hotel

So, my NCT buddies and I decided we needed a spa day. Six babies were dispatched to other responsible adults one Sunday and we went to The Sanderson hotel, which has a lovely spa upstairs. Each area is separated with white curtains so it’s like walking through a giant maze. It’s also very quiet, because you can hear everything through the curtains, so they encourage you to whisper.

We started with lunch. Then we all went off to our different treatments. I had a rose facial and a pedicure, and joined the others sipping iced water with cucumber in. It was great – both as an opportunity to dress up a bit and wear something that wasn’t covered in baby sick and also because I really needed the time to switch off. I nearly fell asleep with the face mask on.

Being a good working mum isn’t about finding a work/life balance. Life, after all, is about purées and nappies and a playdate calendar organised with project management precision. Being a good working mum is about finding a work/life/me balance. You can’t be a top performer in any area if you don’t get time to recharge your personal batteries.

I don’t think I’ll get a pass to do the whole spa thing very often, but it is nice to do once in a while to remind myself that I’m me, as well as a mother and a project manager.

Elizabeth Harrin wearing a pink scarf

Project manager, author, mentor

Elizabeth Harrin is a Fellow of the Association for Project Management in the UK. She holds degrees from the University of York and Roehampton University, and several project management certifications including APM PMQ. She first took her PRINCE2 Practitioner exam in 2004 and has worked extensively in project delivery for over 20 years.
Elizabeth is also the founder of the Project Management Rebels community, a mentoring group for professionals. She's written several books for project managers including Managing Multiple Projects.