Establish clear boundaries between work and family time. Transition from work to family mode and avoid comparisons with others.
Identify and focus on key tasks for both work and home. Use a daily to-do list to manage needs versus wants, and let go of perfectionism.
Use technology and other tools to simplify daily routines. Calendar apps, meal planners, and delivery services can save time and reduce stress.
Share responsibilities and tasks with family members. Utilise shared digital calendars to keep everyone aligned and accountable.
Life as a working parent is full of unexpected twists and turns. While it’s handy to plan and schedule in advance, it’s also important to be flexible and adapt as you need to. Adjust your schedule when necessary, and don’t judge yourself too harshly when things don’t pan out as expected. It’s important to remember that work-life balance is a continuous process and it’s okay to adapt and change along the way.
Managing your time and workload effectively is a constant challenge for working parents, but not impossible. The right strategies and tools can be used to streamline tasks and reduce stress, and practices can be adopted to help strike the right balance between your professional and personal life. Here are five top tips for healthy parenting.
While it’s easier said than done, it’s fundamental to set clear boundaries to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Make sure you consistently and clearly disconnect from work at the end of the workday and re-connect with family. If you travel for work, use your commuting time to wind down from the workday, wrapping up work and transitioning to family time.
Remember what you’re doing is for your family and it’s important to do what works for you. Your family is unique so don’t compare yourself to others.
Prioritise and focus on important tasks, highlighting your top priorities for both work and home. Creating a daily to-do list can help identify what’s a need and what’s a want; and allocate specific timeslots per task. This can help in forward planning your schedule, to help reduce last-minute stressful decisions and ensure you’re focusing on what truly matters. It’s essential to let go of perfectionism. Remember, the more you let get of unimportant things the easier it will get.
Anything you can do to make your life easier is a win. Technology can be leveraged to streamline your daily routines and reduce your mental load. Whether it’s a calendar app to keep track of important tasks and set reminders, a meal planning app to organise your grocery list and meal prep, or a voice assistant to allow you to go hands-free so you can multi-task while caring for the kids – if it saves you time, reduces stress and improves efficiency, use it. Non-tech solutions like using slow cookers to create ‘dump and go’ meals and having your groceries delivered to your door are also handy time savers.
No parent can do it all, it’s important to recognise when to delegate tasks. Asking your partner to take over some household tasks, assigning age-appropriate chores to your kids, and sharing responsibilities at work so you can focus on your most critical tasks can all reduce stress and improve productivity.
Many apps and websites allow you to combine calendars with family members, share digital calendars, and view and update on the go. This allows everyone to contribute to the schedule as a family. Sync family calendars and set reminders through smart devices to keep everyone on the same page, reducing the chances of missed appointments or forgotten tasks.
Maintaining a sense of sense is often first to go, but it’s essential for busy parents. Don’t put your own needs on the back burner. Carve out time for activities that recharge you – exercising, reading, relaxing, anything that helps you stay grounded amongst the chaos of balancing family and career.
Practicing mindfulness to stay grounded, meditating to enhance focus, scheduling exercise like a post-dinner family walk – any stress reducing activity. Take care of yourself to take care of others.