Name: Meg Masten
Location: Highlands Ranch, Colorado
Professional Industry: Sports Marketing
Company: Basketball Travelers
Job Title: Executive Assistant to COO
WIXII-ISM™ FROM MEG:
“Appreciate what you have while you have it. Find joy in each stage, and embrace new challenges and goals. Change is life’s way of helping us evolve into our true selves.”
PERSONAL INFORMATION:
Meet our featured Wixii™, Meg Masten. She is in her early 40s and mother to son, Sam, 13 and daughter, Riley, almost 11. She and her husband, Jason, were married 3 years before they welcomed their children into the world. Meg received her B.S. in Physical Therapy from Marquette University. She recently transitioned from a 20-year career as a physical therapist to an executive assistant for the COO of Basketball Travelers where her responsibilities include scheduling, planning, research, and communications for national and international collegiate sporting events. Her husband is the Senior VP of Sales for Silver Sky.
As the primary caregiver, she devotes 16-20 per week to her career and would rate her work-life satisfaction level as 9 on a scale of 1-10 (10 being highest). She describes the policies of her workplace as extremely family-friendly. As the 60-80% caregiver in the family, Meg responsibilities include 80-100% of cleaning, shopping, and laundry and 60-80% of the cooking and children’s homework each week. Her husband helps more evenly with the caregiving and extracurricular activities of the children, when he is not traveling.
To maintain her own well-being, daily Meg fits in time for exercise, connecting with loved ones, eating well and prayer/meditation. On a weekly basis, she aims to catch up on sleep and connect with friends. Monthly, Meg finds time for hobbies, travel and pampering. She volunteers up to 10 hours a month at her children’s elementary school.
WORK-LIFE MIX:
My current work-life mix is possible (manageable) because of…
My current job has a flexible schedule, I have good carpool partners, and my husband’s job also allows some flexibility. Jason is my greatest supporter, and I could not be this happy in my work-life mix without him.
In what ways did your work-life mix change after having children?
Prior to children, I worked full-time (now part-time). I used to explore my hobbies more often. Now, I’ve grown to love being a housewife when I am in that role. I draw a great deal of satisfaction knowing that I am raising and caring for my children during the short time they will live at home. I also truly enjoy witnessing their progress in school, sports, and life.
Growing-up, what was your vision of work and life?
I never envisioned myself having children! I thought I would get married, work, travel, and play. After I met Jason, I quickly had a change of heart and vision for my life.
What has surprised you most about juggling work and family?
How much goes in to running a busy household. I thought working part-time would be easy to balance with my family responsibilities. As a result, I have gained a great deal of respect for full-time, stay-at-home parents – the most under-valued, misunderstood job in the workforce.
Describe a current “day in your life” from waketime to bedtime:
4:30am: Wake
5:00-6:00am: Workout
6:00-8:30am: Wake up kids (make lunches, breakfasts, get to school).
8:30am-12:30pm: Work
1:00-3:00pm: Run errands
3:00pm: Kids start to arrive – make snacks, prepare dinner
4:00-9:00pm DRIVE! Kids to/from all activities, squeeze in dinner as able.
10:00pm: Bedtime…4:30 comes very early!
On a daily basis, I am energized/motivated/inspired by:
My husband and kids. Exercise helps. I also get a boost from a daily dose of sunshine, so I try to get outside briefly. Coffee dates with girlfriends are a good pick-me-up. Prayer.
On a daily basis, I am drained/frustrated by:
The never-ending laundry and silly errands. Also, my husband can travel up to 50% of the time during busy periods. I find myself more drained when he’s gone due to the extra workload.
What do you wish you could change about your current work-life mix?
I wish I could find 1 or 2 more hours in the day! I would use this time to enjoy my hobbies, such as mountain biking, snowboarding, and reading.
What does “having it all” mean to you?
A thriving marriage, healthy and happy kids, a satisfying career, and the ability to enjoy each day, even when our day is chaotic.
Do you think that you “have it all”?
I do. I am fulfilled, supported, happy, and look forward to each day, generally 🙂
WIXII™ WISDOM:
Share your key(s) to maintaining order (“managing it all”) and any tools you highly recommend:
Find a way to get organized, period. Practice “everything has a home.” Maintain a structured schedule during the week. Practice good communication as a family each day. And, the iphone is the best invention of all time.
What advice would you give a pre-child version of yourself?
I wouldn’t change a thing, I have no regrets. My education provided me with a fulfilling career that allowed me to explore my interests and find my path. My husband and I were ski bums for two years prior to having kids. We traveled the country, often on a whim.
WIXII’S™ LAST STAND:
Is there anything else you would like to share regarding your work-life mix?
Dogs are the Zen masters, they find a way to truly enjoy every moment of everyday. So, I try to take a daily moment with our golden retriever, Gus, to gain awareness and perspective. Also, my practical tip for any busy working mother: Do a load of laundry every day. I collect it and wash it first thing in the morning, dry it after work, and fold it before I go to bed. That way, I’m never swallowed up by the mountain of dirty socks.
