Balancing Work and Family Life

If you have a job and you feel like you have enough “quality” time for your family and friends, then congratulations because you probably have achieved work-life balance! 

But to those who struggle to manage their personal life and work, then a few tweaks in your lifestyle might be necessary to achieve a certain level of equilibrium that is essential to function as a happy and healthy individual. Moreover, keep in mind that there is no such thing as a “perfectly balanced life” unfortunately. No matter how much we try to stay in control, life is unpredictable, and change is constant. So be kind to yourself.

Setting realistic expectations is important. You may have to go through lots of trial and error phases until you find your own approach to having a more meaningful and balanced life. 

Do what you love

Since work is a normal part of our life, why not make it an enjoyable part of your life. Assess your current job. Is it something that you see yourself doing in the next five or so years while being happy at the same time? Do you really care about what you do now? Otherwise, it is time to rethink and seek something that you would look forward to doing every day.

Start your day early

Starting early is a good way to get a head start on your tasks at home or at work. Make it a habit to get up early. If possible, do some meditation or exercise which helps you to have a clearer mind and better focus during the day. 

Plan your week ahead

Planning your week is a great tool to managing your time and staying focused. Take a few minutes to sit down at the start of every week to think about whether it’s going to be a heavy or light week for both personal and work life. Write down the things that you need to accomplish within that week. Doing this will help ease the tension as you have set some expectations for yourself. Follow your calendar as much as possible. Getting things done will give you a sense of fulfillment. So, create a daily or weekly checklist and make sure that you will have everything checked off by the end of your day or week!

Have a work end time

It is OK to work hard. But staying late all the time and not knowing when to draw the line and say “OK it’s time to stop now” will have serious repercussions in your personal relationships and worse your health. Many work-from-home parents find this step challenging. That’s why it is important to schedule tasks and stick to it as much as you can to avoid working overtime.

Find a fun hobby or project

Whether it be playing tennis, gardening, or painting, spare some time during the week for a fun activity. Hobbies will help us unwind and forget about the mundane things of this world even for just a few hours. It’s always OK to invest in your own personal happiness. 

Spend time alone as a couple or individual

Have a quiet date night or spend the weekend off with your partner. Spending time alone with your husband or wife is super important to keeping a healthy family life. Speak with your partner eye to eye, revisit your goals and dreams, or simply enjoy each other’s company. Also, give yourself and your partner some “me time” if necessary. Remember, time alone is as important as time together in marriage.

Put down your cellphone

If you want to maintain a balanced family-work life, connect with people without the cellphone. Having real, in-person conversations is crucial to maintaining healthy relationships inside and outside of the home. 

Finally, continue to learn to be a better person. If some days aren’t great, that is totally fine. The important thing is you strive to be better and appreciate each day as they come.