How do you balance the work life, with the home life? Any work-at-home parent faces this battle daily. The delicate balance between the two is difficult for many of us to maintain. Even if we manage to maintain the balance perfectly one day, it is uncertain whether we will be able to maintain it the next, or if ever again! The most we can do is strive to better our time management skills, as this is the key to obtaining a balance between the two lives. So, here are some time management tips that will help any work-at-home parent in the never ending battle of balancing work and family!Plan, Schedule, and Prioritize. Take time each day to plan the next. If you know what you have to do, then you will have a better chance of getting through your list each day. In addition to your planning, you will want to focus on priority, making sure you get to the most important things first. Many people prioritize by time consumption; however, this is not always the best way to go. Scheduling helps, but with children in the home, you cannot always stick to it. Whatever schedule you make, keep it flexible, and do not get down if you cannot follow it.
Wake up Early/Stay up Late. To get an extra boost on things, try waking up early before the rest of the family, or staying up after the family goes to bed. If waking up or retiring next to your sweetie is important, choose one to sacrifice, or cram. You can get more done in the time that you are alone, than in the time you find while the children play during the day. Even if it is only 30 minutes or an hour, you will find yourself becoming more productive.
Learn to say no. If you effectively plan, then you will be able to see what you have on your plate at a quick glance. If you are approached about a project, then you will see whether you can take it on. If you honestly do not think you can, or if it will be an extra stress to make sure that it gets done, you need to learn to say no. It may seem easier to tell the family no because you have work to do, but the client is the one that needs to hear it. Simply explain that you have too much going on to be able to effectively serve them. The client is likely to respect you more for your decision to deny the project than to get a rushed project, or a late one.
Work in blocks. Because you cannot predict what your family life will bring you for the day, the best way to balance work and family is to work in blocks. Spend a bit of time with the family, a bit of time working, and so on. It makes the work drag on longer, but this way you can be sure you are not being negligent of any of your obligations, and nothing gets too monotonous.
Relax! A stressed parent is not a good parent. A stressed freelancer/employee is not performing optimally. If you stress, you are not doing the best in either department. Sometimes, you will need to say forget it, and relax. It may require extra work later, or quite a bit of juggling, but stepping back and starting refreshed is better in the end.
As long as you recognize the fact that you are only one person who can only do so much, you will be one-step ahead of most. Remember that you are not the only one struggling with balancing work and family life, and that it can be done efficiently. Also, take a day off from work occasionally to spend with your family! This will help you regenerate and prepare for the next week of battle! Hold your head up and keep on moving, because you, my dear, have achieved the ultimate goal of working from home. It is most certainly always worth the struggle in balance.
Take this Life Balance Quiz, and see what it tells you! (It will open in a new window!)
And as always, share what works and what does not work for you when it comes to this delicate balance!