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. These days, it seems that unless you've got a special gift for effective time management, it's just not possible to find enough time to take care of all the needs of your children, your job, your housework and the myriad of other tasks that are always so necessary.

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. Don't be afraid to lean on your closest friends - you know who they are, you only really have a few true friends that you can turn to in all these situations. 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.

If you're lucky, maybe you've got a really good friend who is willing to babysit for you, so you can have some precious "me time" all to yourself. There is always a way around and a way to find time to make you feel "yummy" rather than 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 actually accept this as a fundamental priority in your life, you need to make this happen regularly.

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 pick up supplies to do a really great home manicure and pedicure, schedule a visit to a beautician or hairstylist and just focus on your personal time in the bathroom more often.

Feeling good is 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 additional suggestions and great tips on how to feel fantastic as a tight-budget mother, check out the array of online life coaching resources which are readily available to you!

Amanda Alexander is the Managing Director of Coaching Mums. She is a celebrated ICF accredited coach, who for over six years, has been helping thousands of working mums from around the World bring balance back into their lives, lose their guilt, find the time to explore their passions, and generally, to have a lot more fun! For fantastic articles and hot professional coaching tips, sign up to receive "Inspire," our famous free newsletter today!