Everybody needs a sense of purpose, a reason to wake up each morning and hunker down to face the challenges and accept the rewards of yet another day. As soon as we hit that age when we are able to work, everyone has worked towards achieving a goal. And if you ask anybody why they’re working, most of them will say: I’m working for my family.
Work and family go hand in hand. It doesn’t matter which comes first – maybe you’ve started a family first and found work after to sustain your growing family. Or you’ve set your sights on building a career out of your work and in the journey started to raise a family. But if you’ve got both, it may seem that you’ve got the whole world in the palm of your hands.
Ah, but there comes a time when one gets to be more demanding than the other. More often than not, the conflict between work life and family life is the most common source of stress for all working individuals. At some point in your life, one aspect would demand more of your time. Say for example, the birth of a new baby. A huge chunk of your time would be devoted to your family. Or it could be a promotion and more work responsibilities. Then, work would be a priority. Be careful, letting go of the other could lead to disastrous consequences.
This could result in poor relationships, and depending on which one you’re focusing on, it could lead to inefficiency at work or strained relationships with your family. Not to mention, a few other repercussions that include a hit to your mental, emotional, and physical health.
We all recognize the need to find balance and a semblance of order in our lives. It is a lifelong process of trial and error and no one gets it right the first time. Here are a few tips on how to find the sweet spot – the perfect balance between work and family.
Establish limits
This is very important. Without it, you could find yourself getting drawn into obligations you want or have nothing to do with. You should make a list of non negotiables and set very hard limits for yourself. For example, most weekends especially Sundays are reserved for Families. You might set a hard “no work on weekends” rule.
Also, learn to let go of things that do not add value to your life. With the advent of the internet, there are a lot of time wasters available out there: games, tv shows, videos, etc. The time you spend watching cat videos over and over again could be time spent playing with the kids or having dinner with your spouse.
Compromise
Learn the value of compromise and the subtle art of negotiation. You can make time for very important life events in your family by being diligent at work. Finish the jobs you can, outsource those that you can’t. If that doesn’t work – set time to chip away at the task you have on your plate or schedule it for another day. It’s just a matter of moving things around and seeing where they can fit.
Share the load
Family means you already have built in team members who will always and forever be on your side. Leverage this by sharing the load. Nobody expects you to do this all by yourself, so get help and enlist the support of your spouse or other family members. Let your spouse understand your obligations and tasks. If you know you’re going to have a hectic day, tell your spouse about your workload so that he or she can adjust schedules accordingly and know when to expect an easier and more manageable schedule.
We’re all still trying to get it together. Even the most responsible adult I know can drop the ball sometimes. Like I said before, no one gets it right the first time – or even after trying a few times. It all boils down to what works for you and your family. If you know of any tips to make balancing work and family easier or would like to share what works for you, please share them with us in the comments. Remember to: Stay Humble, Hustle Hard. Good luck!
Written by Jaie O. – The Help