#myworkingmomstory | Jasmine Silver

Jasmine Silver runs a recruiting company that keeps her plate very full, while also being mom to 2 children ages 9 and 7.

What keeps your plate full these days?

I’m super busy running my recruiting company with my business partner. We’re focused on placing professional female talent with flexible employers, and many of our candidates are mothers returning to the workforce after a career break. My two wild little boys keep me busy outside of work!

I work to make money of course and to have a purpose outside of my home and my children. Mainly though, I’m working to fundamentally change the face of the modern workplace and make it more inclusive, and to help women and mothers succeed there.

What does your day to day look like?

I wake up with my kids, spend about 15 minutes checking my calendar and getting myself ready for the day, and then I start making breakfast and getting them ready for school. After I drop them off, I jump straight into my to-do list, which includes several hours of calls, emails, texts, work projects and errands. More than half of my to-do list is work-related, but depending on the day, the messages, calls, projects and errands are usually a mix of work, personal, school, extracurricular and volunteer commitments that require my time. After I feel like my inboxes are somewhat clean and I have my to-do list updated, I work for a few more hours before I leave to pick my kids up from school and take them to their activities. Then we have dinner, do homework, play or read, and head to bed. After the kids are asleep, I try to have an hour of downtime reading books, scrolling social media, or chatting with my husband. I also catch up on work if I have to at night, and I love to go to bed early when I can. A few days a week I also squeeze in a workout or tennis – and I should also mention that I spend a lot of time refereeing between my children. It’s a non-stop balancing act!

How does being a working mom impact your kids — either positively or negatively?

My kids are so proud that I started my own company and they love to talk about what I do, so that is really fun. But my work takes up a lot of my time when I am with them and I’m often distracted by my phone, and that makes me sad.

What holds the biggest tension in trying to manage everything?

Feeling pulled in so many directions and not getting the chance to really focus on one thing at one time.

What’s one resource that would make your life easier?

More hours in the day :) And a daily chef and housecleaner.

How would you encourage other working moms who are overwhelmed and in the thick of it?

So many aspects of the modern workplace were not designed by or for women and mothers. The fact that you have a hard time balancing everything and working within this restrictive societal structure is not your fault. My company and so many others are working towards modernizing the workplace so it works for women and mothers too. Keep your head up – we are getting there! Also, overwhelmed is better than bored (sometimes)!

Every mom is a working mom, whether you are home with your children or working outside the home, and each experience has its positives and challenges. We are all doing our best and need support, so let’s work on supporting each other even when someone’s experience is different from our own.

Find more from Jasmine at:

@foundherllc