Balancing your work life and your home life can be a challenge, especially for parents of young children. There just isn’t enough time in the day to get it all done. Don’t be discouraged and overwhelmed if this is how you are feeling. We have some tips to better manage your time and hopefully leave you feeling less frazzled.
Delegate where you can at work and home. If you have a team at work that you can delegate projects and tasks to, take advantage of it. At home, share chores and meal prep with the rest of your family. If your kids are old enough, have them help with simple chores, such as setting and clearing the dinner table, loading the dishwasher, taking out the trash, making their beds, and putting their toys away. It will give them responsibilities and take some tasks off your plate. Even young children can help and learn skills at the same time! They love to be part of what you are doing.
Learn to say no. This can be really difficult, but incredibly freeing. No one can do it all and there are times when it is in the best interest of you and your family to turn down projects, opportunities, and commitments. Learn to say no and not feel bad about it!
Start a weekly schedule at home. Just like we often have schedules at work, scheduling everyday tasks and activities makes life feel more manageable and predictable. Schedule laundry, house cleaning, grocery shopping, family game night, homework time, workouts, and date night. Get it on the calendar and stick to it! It may even free up some of your weekends for more downtime and fun.
Meal plan. Coming home each night from work thinking “What are we having for dinner?” and then scrambling to prepare something relatively healthy is not fun. Take a few minutes during the weekend to plan your meals for the week, grocery shop, and meal prep. It will make the end of the day more relaxing to spend with your family if you aren’t stressed about figuring out what to make for dinner.
Create a more simplified life. Marie Kondo has inspired a national decluttering frenzy. We have so much stuff these days and it can feel stressful and overwhelming managing all the stuff. Over time go through each room in your home to declutter and organize. Your kids can even help with sorting through toys and games they’ve outgrown. Carve out chunks of time each month and soon you’ll have a house full of belongings that spark joy.
Be present when you are home. The time we spend with our families is precious and fleeting, so resist the temptation to check work emails while you are with your children. Multitasking doesn’t make us more productive, it makes us more stressed!