Juggling a hectic career with a demanding home life can be the opposite of easy. While you might be contending with mounting tasks and endless emails, you will also need to dedicate time to caring for your children, cleaning your home and cooking up healthy, delicious dishes for the whole clan.
As a result, you might feel torn between performing in your job and being there for your nearest and dearest each day. Find out how to balance a career with family life.
Come to an Agreement with an Employer
If you need to take your children to school each morning or arrive home for dinner on schedule, you should discuss your situation with your boss to come to an agreement regarding flexitime.
For example, he or she might be happy for you to arrive an hour later or leave a little early to care for your children, and you could make up the missed hours later in the evening or during weekends.
You also should sit down with your children to discuss why you need to work from home, so they will give you the peace and quiet you require. Plus, it could help them to understand the importance of hard work, which could help them to develop a hard work ethic.
Create a Quiet Home Office
To avoid blurring the lines between work and home life, create an office you can visit when you need to work from home. You can then close the door to focus 100% of your time and attention on a project, while your other half or relative cares for your children within the home.
It will ensure you feel less stressed once you step out of the office, and it will indicate to your children that they will need to keep the noise down while you complete a task. Plus, as there will be few distractions, you will complete a task at a faster rate, so you will have more time to spend with your kids.
Find Support
It is likely many of your loved ones will be happy to help you if you ask. If you need to work a little late or take on extra shifts at work to increase your income, ask your partner to reshuffle their schedule or for your trusted loved ones to babysit your children if possible. Their help could allow you to flourish in your career and build a bigger nest egg for your family, so don’t be afraid to ask for assistance from others.
Find High-Quality Childcare
Unfortunately, your partner or loved ones will more than likely be unable to mind your children every day while you go to work. If this is the case, you must find high-quality childcare for your kids. For example, perform research on the best daycare centers and babysitters in your neighborhood, which will provide you with peace of mind that your son or daughter is in safe hands while you are at work.
If you need to hire an experienced nanny for your kids, organize a playdate before you offer them the job, which will provide an insight into how they interact with your kids inside your home.
You also must:
- Review their experiences
- Follow-up on their references
- Ask questions regarding their previous job roles and values
Dedicate Your Spare Time to Professional Growth
A demanding job and chaotic family life are a balancing act. However, they don’t need to stand in the way of your career goals. While you might be unable to quit your job to embark on a full-time degree at a university, it is possible to acquire additional qualifications in your spare time.
For example, once the children have gone to bed, you could pull out your textbooks to secure a qualification. For example, if you have an ambition to become a teacher, you could enroll in a TESOL masters online, which can fit around your busy lifestyle.
Stop Feeling Guilty
Many hard-working parents can often feel guilty for going to work each day, as it can prevent them from spending quality time with their children. It is, however, important to remember that you are working hard each day to provide your children with a secure and happy home.
Without your job, there might be limited money available for fun family days out, a summer vacation, their favorite toys, or even their college education. So, the next time guilt sets in, remind yourself your job will ensure your children have a better life.
Simplify Your Morning Routine
Getting organized for work and school can be hard work. To ensure you don’t feel frazzled each day, simplify your morning routine by prepping the night before.
For example, you should:
- Pack the kids’ lunches
- Layout clothing
- Organize your work bag
- Decide on what you will make for breakfast
It will make your life much easier the next day, and you might even have a few minutes to spare to sit down with your kids to enjoy breakfast together.
Look for Ways to Connect with Your Kids
Being away from your children for long periods of time can be difficult. To lift your mood and make you feel more connected with your kids, you should find ways to communicate with them each day.
For example, you could call them on your lunch break, send a loving voice note to their smartphone, or leave a personal note in their bedroom for them to find. It will make your kids feel loved when you can’t be there in person, and it could make your working day much easier.
Avoid Wasting Time
While gossiping with co-workers and scrolling through social media can prevent boredom from setting in, it can also be a big distraction that can slow down your productivity levels. If you want to avoid working late or feeling stressed, you must avoid wasting time in the workplace, so you can quickly cross a task off your list and move onto the next job. It will ensure you arrive home to your kids on schedule, and it can prevent you from feeling tense or anxious both inside and outside of the workplace.
Prioritize Your Task List
Complex tasks could result in you leaving work later than expected, which could lead to a stressful rush home or a late dinner for your family. To reduce the pressure on your shoulders and ensure you don’t need to stay at work any longer than necessary, you should aim to complete your most challenging tasks at the start of the working day, if possible.
Try Not to Neglect Your Other Half
If you are struggling with a demanding boss at work or trying to care for your children as best as possible, it can be easy to neglect your partner. After a busy day at work and home, all you might want to do is curl into bed to enjoy an early night.
It is, however, important to nurture your relationship with your partner to maintain a strong connection. For example, book a babysitter to enjoy a much-needed date night, cook a romantic dinner at home, or cuddle up on the sofa with a movie.
Set Time Aside for Yourself
In addition to making more time for your partner, you must also set some time aside for yourself. If you don’t, you might feel overwhelmed by all the tasks you need to complete, as you might be contending with stress and tiredness.
While you might tell yourself you haven’t got the time for self-care, you must make the time. After all, you will be unable to perform in your job or be a happy, loving parent to your children if you are battling exhaustion and/or depression. So, enjoy a hot bubble bath once the kids are asleep, practice meditation before bed, grab an early night when you feel tired, and maybe even treat yourself to a well-deserved spa day.
Separate Work from Your Home Life
While there might be times when you will need to work from home, you must only do so during set hours. Once the working day is done, aim to set boundaries between your career and your family life. For example, if you are spending quality time with your children, tell yourself you will not take any work-related phone calls or answer any emails unless it is an emergency. It will ensure you provide your kids with your undivided attention.
Conclusion
Striking a balance between family life and a flourishing career isn’t easy, but it is possible. If you can surround yourself with supportive loved ones, prioritize your task list, and find ways to spend quality time with your partner and children, you could soon enjoy a greater work-life balance. The key is to improve your organization skills and set priorities at home and in the workplace, which will ensure your kids feel both loved and cared for each day, which is what every parent wants for their children.
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