Running a business, writing a blog and having a 6 year old child all at once is no joke - but Reeva Cutting talks about how she spreads herself between her roles and enjoys the challenges she faces in the process. Read on to find out how this inspiring career mum excels in the working world and the parenting one!
Name: Reeva Cutting
Website/blog:
Cutting Edge Digital and Proudly South African In Perth
Social media:
Cutting Edge Digital:
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Proudly South African In Perth:
Facebook
Instagram
Tell us a bit about yourself and your child/children….
I’m originally from South Africa, but spent 10 years in England before moving to Australia in 2013. My husband is English and our son is 6 years old. We decided to move to Australia to have a better way of life for our family, plus I really missed the sunshine, so we chose Perth as our new home.
What is the name of your business/blog and what does your work entail?
I have a business and a blog so both keep me really busy! My business is Cutting Edge Digital which is a digital marketing agency in Perth. I offer affordable SEO, content marketing, copywriting, blogging, Google AdWords management and social media management to small/medium businesses across Australia.
My blog is called Proudly South African In Perth and it aims to help people looking to migrate to Australia and settle into their new lives. I started it after seeing a gap in the blogging world when I was migrating myself.
What made you decide to be both a mum and a career woman?
I’ve always enjoyed challenging roles and never really been keen to be a stay at home mum – plus these days it’s often essential to bring in two salaries so I’ve always worked. I did have a year off for maternity leave which was wonderful. Now that my son is in full time school it’s a lot easier to balance work and family life, especially as a business owner where I can set my own hours.
What challenges do you face balancing both roles and how do you overcome them?
Time! It’s always the biggest challenge. Part of my job is being able to deal with any ad hoc requests that come up so I’ve become quite good at multitasking and responding to changes in priorities. Being well organised is a must when it comes to balancing work and family time.
What is one tip you have for unwinding after a stressful day?
Put your laptop and phone away and take a break from it all! Sometimes we think, ‘I’ll just send one more email, or tick off one more task’ but when it’s been a long and tough day, just put it down and take a break. You’ll come back feeling more refreshed and able to work better if you do.
What is one fun weekend activity that your family enjoys together?
We love going to the beach and enjoying the beautiful WA weather. Even if it’s not baking hot, just building sand castles or collecting shells always makes us feel relaxed and more connected as a family.
What is one time-saving parenting tip you can recommend?
Create a routine and stick to it. If you make school lunches in the evenings, do it every evening. As soon as you start straying from your routine it ends up throwing the rest of your day out and making it harder to get things done. Figure out what works for you and stick to it.
What benefits do you think there are to being a career mum?
Being able to teach my son about work and show him practically where money comes from is a valuable life lesson. There are always different benefits to being a stay at home parent but in the long run I think having had a career as well as being a parent will be the most rewarding for me.
Lastly, what do you do to ensure you maintain a strong bond with your child/children, despite having numerous responsibilities?
I always make sure there are times when work is off the table and my focus is on my son. Whether it’s tennis or horse riding lessons, doing homework, reading together or baking cookies, having things that we do together helps us to stay connected to ensure that he knows he can always count on me and talk to me.
Always make sure you have time for your little ones, even if it’s just having a play with them outside in the sunshine after school, or reading them a story before they get tucked up in bed! Make every moment count!
