Book Review- What Happy Working Mothers Know

I don't agree with every point in this book, but man I wish that I had read it years ago when I was trying to balance working full-time, as well as being a good wife and mom. What Happy Working Mothers Know by Cathy L. Greenberg, Ph.D and Barrett S. Avigdor J.D. offers a lot of insight whether you stay home full-time with your kids or you're a work-a-holic.
 This book talks about how happiness is not a luxury, it's a necessity. I believe this is true, it's just that sometimes we're so busy trying to get everything done that we forget this. People who are happy do a better job, are more efficient and take fewer sick days, thus being happy increases the bottom-line. (I really wish more employers would realize this.) The book talks a lot about finding a balance and making sure that you take time for your family. It also goes in depth on the idea that if you can find a career that you find to be fulfilling, that makes you a better mom. Being a mom gives you management skills that make you a better employee.  And don't let other people tell you what you need to do to be happy. (I really can get behind that idea. When I worked full-time, a good portion of my shifts were on a few Mother-Baby units. I was always so irritated when people would give me flack for working and not being at home more. If women, like myself, aren't the ones teaching post-partum mom's how to breastfeed, then who would it be? Do they really want men to come and teach them how to breastfeed?)

 Throughout the book there are happiness tips, given below:

1. Love yourself as much as you love your friends and family
2. Life happens. What you choose to focus on becomes your experience. Choose to focus on the positive.
3. Forgive yourself and others.
4. Happiness comes from a full, balanced life that includes hard work, time with family and friends, exercise, celebration, and even solitude. Withhold any of these ingredients and your recipe for happiness will fall flat.
5. Half the battle in life is finding something that you love to do. The other half is rejoicing over your successes along the way.
6. Realize that you're not perfect and allow yourself a few mistakes.
7. Set the same expectations for yourself that you give to your loved ones. Don't be too hard on yourself.
8. Know when to say "no" and learn to do it without feeling guilty. It will increase your satisfaction with life.
9. Life may not turn out exactly the way that you planned, but the detours are worth it because we learn more from our failures than our successes.
10. Happiness starts when you realize that you are loved and appreciated for who you are, not what you do.

I would recommend this book to every working mom out there (which really is every mom, even if you are at home seven days a week you still have a very important job) and anyone else who is trying to have a little more happiness and balance in their lives.