As a working mom, it’s often incredibly difficult to find the time to reach any semblance of balance while being stretched all directions throughout each and every day. It seems that unless you have an advanced degree in time management you just cannot find the available time to attend to the needs of the kids, your job, housekeeping and the other myriad tasks that seem so necessary today.

If we put off something until tomorrow, we feel guilty about it and this only serves to increase those daily pressures. Budgeting can be quite a challenge and if you only have a limited source of income you will always feel pressured to spend it on the kids and other household items, relegating yourself to last place in the pecking order.

As a working mother, you have to keep in mind one crucial point – you represent the “engine” that keeps the whole family going, and without you being at your best, other aspects of the family machine simply won’t work as well. Therefore, you should place any feelings of guilt in the back of your thoughts and remember that when you decide to invest in yourself it’s actually a well-spent investment in the family “machine,” your children and your overall existence. It’s essential that you feel good about yourself or, with the passage of time, you’ll feel increasingly burdened, and put yourself in a situation where depression could take hold and create a never-ending downward spiral.

One of the more important goals for you should be to create a strong support network around you. It’s a good idea to remember to lean on your close friends for support – you know who they are, they’re the true friends you can always turn to in situations like these at any time. Just remember that support is a two-way street. You may already have close family members who help you out, but don’t be afraid to seek the help of a professional coaching expert, specifically coaching for women in your situation as well.

Hopefully you can find a good friend who is willing to become a babysitter for you, so that you can take that special “me” time. If you try hard enough, there’s always a way to find a little bit of extra time to make yourself feel “yummy,” instead of slummy! Always keep in mind that no matter how much chaos seems to reign everywhere around you on a daily basis, you have to take control over the factors that you can manage.

Looking and feeling fabulous on a low budget is not that difficult. Your biggest challenge will be to allocate the time necessary to pamper yourself in the first place. Once you accept this as a priority, pay attention to the essential elements.

The best thing you can do for yourself on a daily basis is to commit to an exercise routine, and we don’t mean carrying around big bags of groceries or tidying up your home! A dedicated period of cardiovascular exercise is ideal, or you could even get started by working with a small set of free weights while walking through the streets of your own neighbourhood.

Before you know it you’ll feel better physically and mentally, and your skin tone will even start to shine brightly again. You can buy some supplies for doing an excellent home manicure and pedicure, make an appointment to see to a beautician or hairstylist and just focus on your personal time in the bathroom more often.

Always remember that feeling great is simply a state of mind. This process usually begins with a renewed focus on setting aside time for you, and then giving this time an equal priority.

For more hints and tips on how to feel great as a low-budget mum, check out the numerous online life coaching resources available!

Amanda Alexander is the CEO of Coaching Mums. She is a widely renowned ICF accredited coach, who for more than six years, has been providing her services to thousands of working mums from across the Globe in an effort to bring balance back into their lives, help them lose their guilt, show them how to find the time to reinvent their passions, and most of all, to have fun every day! For truly inspiring articles and cutting-edge professional coaching tips, sign up to receive our absolutely brilliant free newsletter “Inspire,” right now!