by Michele Newbern Gillis
Staff Writer
How do busy working moms balance it all and still be successful?
The Commercial Real Estate Women of Jacksonville invited three successful businesswomen to a panel discussion during their luncheon at Jacksonville’s Omni hotel where they shared tips and ideas with the group on how to balance it all and still be successful.
Elaine Brown, the Jacksonville city council president and director of Corporate Relations for PRI, Cindy Stover, Northeast Florida Market president of Mercantile Bank, and Erika Meinhardt, executive vice president of Fidelity National Financial participated in the panel discussion.
Brown is married to Atlantic Beach mayor Dick Brown and between them they have six children. Stover is married to Dan Stover and they have two sons. Meinhardt is married to John Parks and also has two sons. She commutes between Jacksonville and Atlanta.
When asked about time management skills they have learned, all three agreed that setting time aside to return phone calls is a must, and Palm Pilots help immensely as does a good assistant.
“I prioritize each day and make sure those are the things I accomplish first,” said Brown.
Stover backed up the idea of prioritizing, and added delegating, if needed.
“It’s important to communicate with customers and employees,” said Stover. “But, even though I have an open door policy, sometimes in order to get things done, you have to close your door and get them done.”
Meidhardt agreed about using a digital organizer to organize time and the importance of delegating.
“Don’t feel as if you have to do it all,” said Meinhardt.
Though all the women have children that are older, they were working their way up the corporate ladder when the children were small, which is really when they need the help.
Brown, Stover and Meinhardt agreed that depending on family and friends really does help when it comes to managing a career and family.
The women were asked how they balance home and family.
Brown said it is important to protect time with family. She said to covet it and put it on the calendar, so you make sure you spend time with the family.
Stover said to teach the children to do chores around the house when you are not there to do them. This teaches them responsibility and helps free the mom up to be able to spend one-on-one time with the children instead of doing housework when she is home.
“Family is priority,” said Stover. “To be successful at work, you have to be successful at home.”
Since her children are older and she is financially able, Meinhardt said she pays for people to take care of the small things so she can take the time to spend with her family.
“Anything I can outsource, I do,” said Meinhardt. “Over time, I’ve learned to depend on other people and delegate.”
Brown said it is importance to make sure that whatever you are doing, do it well.
“Set aside time to do what you need to do well,” said Brown. “Where ever you are, be there!”
In this day and age, many more men are becoming more involved in the children, home and family than in past years. More and more women are choosing a career and motherhood, which gives an opening for men to step up and get more involved, which, if they do, helps the situation immensely.