Achieving a perfectly balanced and healthy work-life balance can be a difficult juggling act for most individuals—especially for working moms and dads. In fact, according to surveys, nearly half of parents in the United States reveal work-life balance is a significant source of stress. Keeping up with the ongoing need to arrange and pay for childcare and working extra hours is an everyday routine for most parents, which can be debilitating in the long run, but luckily, it’s manageable.
If you’re struggling to balance your personal and professional life, here are some work-life balance tips to help you out.
Talk to your Manager
If you’re having troubles at work, such as long commutes or your workload keeps increasing, it’s time to talk to your employer about the issues you’re facing and review priorities together. Some employers go beyond and help their employees, such as renting out all-inclusive apartments for their workers to avoid long commutes or provide flexible schedules for better work output.
However, before approaching your manager, make sure to prepare what you’re going to say and come up with a proposal that benefits you and your employer.
Limit After-Work and School Involvements
Although parents have good intentions and wish the best for their children, they often get trapped in the endless opportunities available for kids, leading them to create hectic schedules for their children and themselves. Doing that can be stressful to both you and your kids, so it’s best to limit the number of outside activities your kids participate in. Instead, do activities together as a family, such as skating and riding bikes. Additionally, you should also limit your after-work activities.
Get Organized
Planning things, especially for hectic times, like mornings where you’re getting ready for work while taking care of your children’s needs as they prepare for school as well. You can do some of the things the night before, such as preparing your kids’ clothes and making their lunch, mitigating a lot of stress in the morning, allowing you to prepare for work stress-free.
You may also create a family schedule, including reminders about everything, ranging from appointments, birthdays, and dates when bills need to be paid.
Relax on the Journey Home
If you’re in a great mood and are relaxed when you arrive home, chances are your family will be too, especially your kids. Just because you had a bad day at work doesn’t mean you need to bring it on your way home. So, while you’re on your way home, leave the day’s pressures behind you and calm yourself down to enjoy your time with your family.
Switch Off
Thanks to advancements in technologies, it’s easy to be available 24/7 to your job—however, if you have the habit of checking work-related texts and emails after office hours while at home or during the holidays, it can disrupt your time with the family. So, try setting deadlines every day to switch off your work phone and avoid checking emails.
Take Some ‘Me-Time’
Taking some time for yourself needs to be a priority. It’s something you need to do no matter how stressed or tired you are. You can enjoy personal time however you want. Whether it’s going to your fitness classes or binge-watching your favorite show during the weekend can go a long way. If you take care of yourself properly, you’ll be able to function better at work and tend to those you love, no matter how busy your schedule is.
Balancing work and life is a problem for almost every family, especially for working parents. Finding the right balance can be overwhelming, leaving many stressed and struggling to keep up with the demands of both. Luckily, several strategies can help you out—and those mentioned can help you cope with ease.
