School drop-offs and pick-ups, sports days, class events – everything that goes along with having kids is challenging enough to juggle. Layer on top of that a career and things can get overwhelming quickly.
I’m currently a full-time working mum of an eight-year-old and a five-year-old. While every situation is different, after having my son, returning to work made the most sense for me. And from that moment on, my workdays have looked a lot different. Thankfully, my company offers a remote working option, which allows additional flexibility so I can bring my best self to both work and family time.
Here are some real tips from one working parent to another, to help you balance work life and home life:
Communicate your schedule
If you know school drop-off and pick-up times tend to be the same, mark them on your calendar and tell your team. Yes, meetings may occasionally require you to adjust your schedule, but if people know, they are much less likely to book time during those windows.
Multi-task (creatively!)
Ever heard of the walking meeting? Enter the laundry folding meeting or the tidy-up meeting! Finding time in the day to complete all the chores can be tough. Find a meeting that doesn’t require you to be on screen and take that time to do some household tasks. I find I can focus and listen better while doing an activity like this compared to sitting glued to my computer, tempted to check emails.
Take time off
This goes for everyone, not just working parents. It’s so important to take time off to disconnect from work and recharge. Not only do I like to take a proper holiday at least once a year with my family, but I also suggest taking mental health days here and there while the kids are still in school and childcare. A day to relax without the children gives you a chance to enjoy some time alone doing something just for you.
Don’t feel like you have to do it all
There will be many opportunities throughout the year for you to volunteer at your children’s school or attend their holiday parties. Don’t feel like you need to do it all! Have a chat with your kids about which events are most important to them and why you can’t attend everything. Or, if you’re lucky enough to have family nearby, have a grandparent, aunt, or uncle attend. Often, it’s more fun for the kids to have a variety of people come to these events.
Take time for yourself during the workday
Once the workday ends and the family chaos starts, finding a quiet moment can be difficult. Take 15 or 30 minutes every day to do something for yourself, whether that’s a walk around the block, a quick yoga session, eating your lunch outside, or simply taking some quiet time.
Set a solid start and end time
While this can be challenging, especially when dealing with colleagues in different time zones, try to set a start and end time for yourself and stick to it as much as possible. This allows you to focus on work during those hours and take time for you and your family at the end of the day.
Be open and honest
Be willing to have conversations with your manager about how you’re feeling. Mental health is an important topic, and if you aren’t taking time to focus on yourself, you won’t be able to do your best work. If you don’t communicate, you won’t be able to get the help you need.
Take sick days
Let’s be honest, when kids are in childcare and school, they bring home all the germs. When my son started daycare, he seemed to be constantly sick, which meant I needed to be home to take care of him. When I eventually caught the same bug, I felt like I needed to work through it instead of taking the time to care for myself. Not taking care of yourself can, in turn, lead to more sick leave.
Overall, being a working parent is tough. It helps to be part of an organisation that recognises this and offers support. Personify Health offers resources to help employees stay focused on their health and wellbeing. Take a look at our resources for even more health & wellbeing support.