Tips for Balancing Work & Family
The business moguls of today are often hard working mothers as well (pause for applause!). Women in the workforce are not only tasked with their own success, but ensuring the success of their family. However, it goes without saying that trying to balance work and family can become tricky and overwhelming.
In 2018, with one in three Americans working, maintaining a healthy work-life balance seems nearly impossible. It only becomes more complicated if you’re trying to raise a family alongside your career. However, there are some viable solutions these days that can lead to a more productive, more desirable schedule which will keep your boss, your family, and you happy.
Recipe for Success
Intuit fittingly deems women who embrace both roles of motherhood and entrepreneurship as, “mompreneurs.” The title seems perfectly appropriate considering mothers are often tasked with marrying their responsibilities of work and motherhood together while still trying to keep their sanity. Having an appropriate work-life balance makes this challenge possible and can lead to more overall successes with both work and family.
So what is this secret recipe for success? A good place to start is with organization. Thanks to the digital age we now found ourselves in, staying organized is a lot easier and can lead to better communication between you and your boss. Think: Google Calendar, the Cloud, Quickbooks, and even Excel. Keeping your schedule, work, and important information organized will save you time and future headaches. It’s also crucial to set up boundaries with your spouse, coworkers, boss, and kids.
Making an effort to separate work and family will help you stay focused and present instead of constantly worrying about work while at home, and vice versa. Leaving work at work will give you more freedom to enjoy those moments with your family, and if your boss consistently oversteps your clearly drawn boundaries, it’d be worth sitting down and explaining that, while you value your position at the company, you also value time with your family. It’s also worth mentioning that if you are the boss, it’s just as important to set those work-life boundaries with yourself. Making important memories with your family is irreplaceable, and ultimately work can wait, trust me.
Finding a Flexible Schedule
Finding a company that will allow you to work remotely can help you better utilize your time and create more opportunities to create a great work-life balance. However, while remote work can be convenient, it requires a lot of self-discipline and time management skills. As the experts at Fiscal Tiger explain, “if you are hired on as a remote worker, it’s a smart idea to refine your tasks within your working hours even further. You won’t have a boss right next to you telling you exactly what to do and when you should do it, and they shouldn’t have to. Set yourself up with a daily schedule and break it down by tasks.”
The distraction of kids, chores, and your partner could be detrimental to your workflow and put you further behind than if you’d gone into the office. Still, seeking remote work opportunities can be ideal for mothers who can’t always commute to work each day. As such it’d be worth, if you’re considering remote work, designating an area in home that is predominantly off limits to members of your family. Setting those boundaries are crucial in office and at home.
Most importantly for all the working mothers, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Despite what you tell yourself, you don’t have to do everything, perfectly, all on your own. Lean on mentors, therapists, and even support groups if you need to, as they can help you maintain the important work-life balance necessary for a happy life. Accepting help is not admitting defeat; rather, it allows your mental and physical health to remain intact while you respectfully hustle through life. Good luck!
Avery T. Phillips is a freelance human being with too much to say. She loves nature and examining human interactions with the world. Comment or tweet her @a_taylorian with any questions or suggestions.
