Author: Michelle Mamerto
Maintaining a balance between family and work life takes perseverance and time. There are different ways to go about achieving balance, and ultimately, it’s up to you to decide what works for you and your family. Here are a few tips:
While at work, limit personal activities like scrolling through social media, doing personal tasks, or checking your personal email. If it takes time away from your work, and has nothing to do with work, don’t do it.
Set boundaries at work. Leave when you are supposed to leave. If you are asked to do a project 5 minutes before you log off, ask if it can wait until the next day, or say “no.”
Determine what you value most. When you are able to determine what is important to you, it will be easier for you to decide what is going to help you reach your goal.
Don’t work during family time. This is something that is so difficult for employees to do, but just like you wouldn’t do personal things at work, don’t work during your personal time.
Take care of your health, your emotional well-being, and spend some time doing things that make you happy. My personal rule is every single day, I will spend at the very least 30 minutes doing something for myself- whether it’s playing an instrument, going to a movie, or reading a book, I take time out of every day to do something that I love.
Establish a support network and take advantage of technology. Ask for help from friends and family, or use professional services. There are apps for babysitting, dog-walking, and grocery delivery. If your child needs help with homework, there are free tutorials online. If your elderly parent needs a ride to a doctor’s appointment, and you can’t take time off, some cities have services that will pick your parent up to take them to their appointment. And if you have a teenager who has missed her carpool and you have already logged into work, there is a rideshare app available for teens.
Finally, accept that work and life aren’t always going to be in balance. There will be days when your family will need you, and you will need to take time off. There will also be days when you will be swamped at work and will miss dinner- and you are the one who is in charge of making it. Just know that with dedication and time, you will figure out what works for you.
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