From my experience, I can truly say that balancing a home and a career is a lot like rollerblading downhill with a set of dishes on your head. I’m writing this article not because I’m an expert at balancing work and family but because like readers attracted to the title and the magical tips it must possess, I’m constantly seeking ways to keep my home life happy, my work life satisfying, and my mind sane. I’m in the thick of this along with millions of other parents who work fulltime outside of the home.
You may have heard or read these tips before, but we all need a refresher when it comes to finding balance in our lives.
Make time for yourself – usually this one is listed last, but I think it should come first. To bring balance to your family and your job, you have to take care of yourself. Whether it’s an hour to yourself each day to take a bath, go for a jog or a fifteen minute walk during your lunch break, make sure that you do something for yourself every day. It will help you set your priorities.
Forget perfection – Perfectionists don’t get a lot done and they’re usually miserable trying to make everything just so. I say throw perfectionism out the window and learn to say “good enough!”
Take short cuts – Look for easy ways to do things, for instance, the clean clothes (unless they wrinkle) don’t really have to be folded. I purchased four large plastic bins and when we do laundry I stick my clothes (underwear and socks) in one, towels in another, the baby’s clothes in the third, and my husband’s clothes in the fourth.
Communicate – Be sure to tell your spouse and your partner where you’re at and what you need help with. Don’t bottle up your frustrations. Set up methods to communicate on a regular basis. My husband and I usually touch base with our upcoming week’s schedule on Sunday evening just to iron out the details. My supervisor and I meet on Monday morning to set my work priorities. This leads me to the next tip which is....
Don’t do it all – this one is really important. Moms (and Dads too), you don’t have to do it all. Let your husbands, supervisors, and co-workers know that you are NOT Superwoman, you cannot do it all. If you think you can and you let others think you can, then you’re headed straight for Burn Out City. Sit down with your husband, your boss, your co-workers and figure out what you can and cannot do and be very honest. You don’t have to do it all! If your children are older, get them to start doing tasks they can do on their own: preparing dinner, washing dishes, doing laundry – folding and putting away. It’s a win-win, the more you delegate and give them responsibilities, the more they learn to manage their time, gain skills, become responsible and give you time to get other things done. Call on help from relatives and friends. My neighbor and I have a deal where she takes care of my daughter on occasion and I take care of hers and it gives us each a night out with our husbands with no baby sitter costs.
Use convenience services - forget the guilt, if you can afford personal services like cleaning, grocery delivery, or a professional organizer to help you straighten out the toys or paperwork (http://www.mnnapo.org/). Look at it this way, your fueling the economy and saving yourself time and energy.
Plan Your Meals Ahead of Time – make a list of all the meals you like to make. Then set up a monthly calendar listing those meals (http://www.calendarsthatwork.com/ has great calendars you can print out). Next, make up a weekly grocery list of the items you need to make the meals you’ve assigned to each day that week. Meal planning software is free at http://www.mealsmatter.org/. Visit http://www.quickcooking.com/ for easy-to-make recipes in under 30 minutes, perfect for after work when everyone’s starving.
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