Balancing Work and Family

By Elizabeth Dannheim, keyetv.com

More and more women are choosing to continue to work after having a baby but find it hard to keep a foothold in both the corporate world and at home. An Austin, Texas author and business owner is doing it.

Karen Steede Terry knows what it's like to balance both a career and her family. But the difference between her and some other women is Terry's flexible schedule.

Terry says, "I teach in a very specialized field: Geographic Information Systems."

When she moved to Austin, she decided as she tried to start a family and not go back into the corporate world. Instead, she became an independent consultant and software instructor.

Terry remembers, "Once my daughter was born I could schedule things around her schedule. I taught and had a babysitter on the day that I taught."

After her classes, women would approach Terry and ask her how she managed to juggle both a career and a child at the same time. This led her to write a book called Full-time Woman, Part-Time Career.

"A lot of women get pregnant and then they say, I want to do something flexible," Terry says. "What I counsel is for women to do something flexible they get pregnant."

Terry says find a way to stay in your career field and use your existing skills to build your own business. Some words of advice for making this happen: Number one says Terry, have the desire and motivation.

She says, "If you don't have the motivation, it's never going to happen."

Number two: research certifications in your field.

"I have two certifications in my field teaching software," Terry says. "The certifications replace your corporate identity and give you credibility."

Number three: Sell yourself.

Terry says, "You can set up a blog and a Website and get an on-line presence. The key is whatever you, increase your visibility."

It's hard work, but worth it says Terry; "I had her home with me most of the time when she was an infant and those are irreplaceable years. Those are so valuable."

It's about balance, finding time for your kids and for a job, you love to do.

Reprinted with permission.
Originally published at keyetv.com

Karen Steede-Terry is author of Integrating GIS and the Global Positioning System and Full-Time Woman, Part-Time Career

www.karensteedeterry.com

See Also: Career Woman, Wife, Mother - Can You Have it All?

judythpiazza@newsblaze.com

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