You can't help but feel anxious about the coming year when you're a manager and a mom. You need to maintain a calm home environment while achieving your business performance goals. Absolutely no pressure! I'd love to say that I've found the ideal method to juggle all of my commitments as a mother of three young children and a manager of several direct reports. I must say, though, that I'm still getting my bearings. Consider coaching as an example. Moms and bosses, in my opinion, ought to aspire to behave like coaches. However, I must admit that I don't always act as a coach at home or at work. Instead, I discover that I need to course-correct my immediate duties and projects.

For working mothers in particular, burnout is all too common. Working mothers are 28% more likely to experience burnout than working fathers, according to a Maven analysis. In order to make things less difficult overall, it is crucial to set policies in place. In order to achieve that goal, I've created a list of dos and don'ts. This year, I'll do my best to stick to them, and I invite you to join me on the path to managing expectations and preventing burnout without surrendering your fundamental beliefs or aspirations..

1. DO Have Clear Expectations for the Year

Now is a great time to figure out what your yearly road map looks like. Be sure to make two road maps: one for work and one for home. Then, review your plans. Are they rooted in reality or what you think you’re supposed to do? It’s not a bad idea at this stage to figure out what’s achievable versus what’s more of a pipe dream.

2. DON’T Let Yourself Lose Sight of Your End-of-Year Expectations

Keep your road map in front of you in digital or old-fashioned paper format. That way, you can remind yourself of the expectations you hope to meet. If you just put your road map away and look at it weeks or months later, you’ll cause yourself unneeded stress. Certainly, you’ll have missed something along the way and be way off track by the end of the year. No one needs that extra stress, including you.

3. DO Recalibrate from Time to Time

As you move through the year, you might have to put some goals in a figurative “parking lot.” These are goals that seemed reasonable when you made your road map but just aren’t anymore. With that being said, make sure you know which duties are nonnegotiable or can’t be extended into the next year. For instance, you might have to finish a big client project by the end of the year — no ifs, ands, or buts. Flag some items as can’t-miss priorities so you stay on course.

4. DON’T Assume Your Family Members or Colleagues are Mind Readers

We all get into the habit of thinking that our co-workers, kids, partners, and friends can read our minds. Unless you’ve shared your expectations and goals, others won’t know about them. Have honest check-ins and open conversations about what you need and what you must accomplish to reach your goals

5. DO Reassess Your Level of Support

The more support you have, the easier it will be to cross the finish line feeling relaxed and energized. Be sure to take this step at home as well. Hire a cleaning person for the holidays or ask your family to take on more housework during spring-cleaning time. Resist the temptation to be everything to all people, because if you’re everyone else’s foundation, you’re at risk of wearing yourself too thin.

6. DON’T Be Rigid

Make it your policy to adapt to changing conditions. You’re going to encounter unknown variables that you couldn’t have predicted when you constructed your road map. Even if it’s not in your nature, roll with the lemons that life tosses your way. Revisit your ways of working if necessary. Flex your creativity and adaptability skills to the m