Like your average marathon race, it feels like you are running a marathon with a laundry basket on your back. Sometimes chaotic, definitely tiring, but somehow you keep going. And if you are in the midst of it, you’re not alone.
Hundreds of millions of working parents are trying to balance the demands of their jobs, family life, and everything in between, and often feel like there is not enough time in a day. Yet with some simple tips (and a good dose of humor) you can achieve a balance that works.
So, this a helpful primer on your working-life balance, to make it a little less of a strain – and a little more fun. You’re welcome!
1. Plan Your Day with Time Blocking
Time blocking can help you work smarter, not harder to get more done. A simple trick for more efficiency is scheduling focused work sessions for specific periods while allocating family time and ‘me’ time to the rest of the hours in the day.
Academic studies show that when actively engaged in deep work (one of the two work styles), a person’s productivity improves by 30 percent. This means that after a time-blocked work session, you end up with both the energy and additional time for your family.
Here’s a starting point:
Morning: Tackle big work projects.
Afternoon: Handle emails and lighter tasks.
Evening: Make it family time, device-free.
This approach is a great way to learn whether time blocking can help you be more productive, as well as help reduce stress – all in just a week. With practice, you’ll also feel more in charge of your time.
2. Choose Flexibility When You Can
Work doesn’t need to take place from the usual hours of 9 am to 5 pm, especially since the majority of employers provide flexible working hours these days, and working parents today will vouch for how much they have increased their quality of life, replacing the old saying ‘the early bird catches the worm’, with ‘birds must find their worms’. Nevertheless, it is not about working less but about working smarter; schedule your time according to your family obligations instead of your work, like starting work in the mornings and fetching children from school afternoons.
3. Outsource Where Possible
It is easy to feel that one must do everything oneself, but here is the reality: you do not! Outsourcing affords the gift of time. Get a cleaner. Have your groceries delivered. Studies demonstrate that spending on time-saving services enhances happiness and reduces stress.
Try these ideas:
– Swap childcare with a friend or family member.
– Batch-cook meals and prep in advance.
4. Communicate Your Needs
Speak up and tell your boss – or your headteacher – what is needed to make work possible around your family lives. Many workplaces are family-friendly, but also don’t guess what employees might need until they are asked.
Employees who feel supported at work are 40 percent less likely to feel burnt out, so give it a go. Lowering your expectations can be helpful too for everyone, including you.
5. Self-Care is a Priority, Not a Luxury
Self-care doesn’t mean you are being lazy – it is crucial to your wellbeing. Go for a quick walk or take five minutes simply to sip your coffee. Self-care has been proven to decrease stress and help you be a more mindful, present parent. Think of it as a way to recharge for your kids… and you.
6. Set Boundaries and Stick to Them
The less ambiguity regarding the ending time of your work day, the less likely you are to feel burned out and the more time you will have for your family. The same sort of mental boundary must now be created when working at home.
It’s only natural to want to check an email a few minutes after you’ve left the office, but it’s just as natural to want to ease off the gas pedal. Many of us have tried making the 8 pm line work or unfortunately eliminated it.
But here’s the thing: if you don’t ‘clock out’ by 4 pm every day, you won’t be there to have dinner with your son, who would love to spend family time with you. You’ll be surrounded by your co-workers’ cologne and wearing a stiff white shirt that clocking out doesn’t loosen up. This boundary isn’t as neat as the others.
It’s not only about your work. Another boundary you need to set is the same with your family. Especially since you are frequently distracted from work by your children. When you can, sneaking in moments to do homework can justify feeling less bad.
But many times, sneaking work away from work is less justifiable. When you’re in the middle of a project, let your kids know that we need family quiet time.
7. Accept Imperfection and Embrace Real Life
Life is not always going to go as planned, especially because the expectations can be unrealistic. Thus letting go of this endeavour to be ‘perfect’ can alleviate stress. Parents are not supposed to be perfect; they are supposed to be present. Let yourself be good enough — your children will be grateful for the real you versus the one you might have invented to be perfect.
8. Involve Your Kids in Small Ways
Involving them in what you do, it can help them to see what you do: set your kids up at their own ‘workstation’ to color or finish their homework while you work. Findings show that kids report greater interpersonal connection to and understanding of work responsibilities in families in which they’re intimately involved.
9. Use Technology to Simplify Your Life
Tech might be the greatest help to parents with a full-time job. A few tools can take your family calendar and task management to a level you could never achieve without frustration and countless simple mistakes. Here are a few ideas.
– Google Calendar for family scheduling.
– Cozi Family Organizer to track everyone’s plans.
– Trello for work and family tasks.
For parents, a further benefit of using organization apps is that 67 percent report feeling more in command of their time, which in turn has a positive effect on the quality and amount of time they can spend with their family.
10. Lean on Your Support System
To have a support network: whether it is your next-door neighbor, a friend, or members of your family, it makes a big difference if you have someone you can call when you find that you need a hand. Working mothers and fathers report feeling less distressed and happier when they can count on good support.
Not only can you exchange ideas among yourselves, but you can also pick up some quick tips or get a different new point of view from an online parenting group.
11. Celebrate Your Wins, Big or Small
Even little wins are worth celebrating. With each day’s end, reflect on something that went well. Gratitude for your triumphs boosts your happiness and keeps you going as you endure the tougher days as well – from a completed work task to a toddler trying something new for the first time.
Final Thoughts: Remember, You’re Doing Great!
There is no magic formula for being able to accomplish everything, but if at least some of these tips fly with you, you will hopefully feel a bit more like you’re in command and a whole lot calmer. The next time you feel like you can barely keep all the balls in the air, remember: you are doing an awesome job and your family feels it. So just breathe, and carry on. Not alone (and that sure helps, too!).