How to Juggle a Career and Family Life with Success

Many parents face various difficulties when trying to handle their professional and personal duties. 

Single parents have different issues from parents raising their kids together. Still, this doesn’t mean that single mothers and fathers are less successful in organizing their activities. If they’re properly organized, they’ll be able to spend quality time with their kids and do their business tasks on time. 

Both types of parents can use some practical advice on time management, daily routines, and family arrangements to keep things in order. 

In this article, we’ll share some actionable tips that will help both single parents and couples juggle a career and family life. 

Set the evening and morning routine

Successful and organized people leave nothing to chance. 

In that light, it’s important that you know in advance what your day (and night) is going to look like. 

Both married and single parents should plan their time and make a list of things they need to do in the evening and in the morning. While having a routine could be a bit boring, it’s a prerequisite for proper family organization. 

A few tips for the evening routine: 

• Cleaning the kitchen. Include the entire family in the kitchen-cleaning process. It’s fun and useful. 
• Preparing clothes for the following day. Prepare what you and your kids are going to wear at work and in school, respectively. By preparing your clothes in the evening, you avoid the morning chaos. Let older kids choose their own clothes.
• Reading. Reading before bedtime will help you relax and fall asleep more easily. Apart from that, reading to younger kids and encouraging older ones to read boosts their creativity and imagination. 
• Limit the multimedia. Most people like to watch a TV-show or movie before going to bed. This can help you let off some steam from work and ease your thoughts. Still, limit the use of multimedia after 8 pm, especially to kids. 

Plan your weekends in advance

Some productive and successful people can’t sign out from work at weekends. Even though they might not be physically present in the office, they constantly chat with their colleagues or even take work home. 

If you want to successfully juggle your career and your family, you should devote most of your weekend time to your family. 

Making weekend schedules will help you stay away from work and get closer to your kids. 

When the weather is nice, plan excursions with your kids and partner. You don’t have to spend a fortune to make them feel happy. For instance, go to the local park or take the bus/train to a town nearby. Children usually appreciate the folklore around excursions and the fact that they’re participating in something special. 

Prepare sandwiches or bring snacks and fruit from home. Set a budget for each such excursion and let your kids know what you can buy to them. That way, you’ll teach them how to be economical with money without being mean. 

Whenever possible, take your kids to their grandparents. They can exchange so many emotions and experiences that will benefit all of them.

Find some me-time 

Apart from planning time with your kids and the entire family, you should look after yourself. If you have a partner, think about different things that you can do together. When your kids are still young, they probably take most of your time. 

What you can do is spend some quality time when they fall asleep or before they get up. Also, if you and your partner work near to each other, you can have lunch together. It will help you get out of the typical family routine, which we all need from time to time.

In addition to finding time slots for you and your partner, try to spend some quality me-time. 

Going for a walk alone, reading a book in the evening, and spending time with friends are only some of the ways that will help you recuperate from business and family duties. 

It’s important that partners and family members understand that parents should have the right to spend some time alone. They’ll come back more committed and fresher than before. 

Get an extra hand

We’ve already mentioned that kids should spend more time with their grandparents. This kind of bonding improves grandparents’ mood and adds another dimension to kids’ upbringing. What’s more, it gives parents more time to carry out their family and professional activities. 

Another option that parents should consider is hiring childcare professionals. There are various agencies our there that work with educated and experienced governesses and nannies. 

Many parents take their kids to kindergartens and nurseries, but it’s not an option for all families. Some kids don’t like these environments while others simply need different care. 

Even if your kids go to such facilities, you might still need an extra hand. When you need to stay longer in the office or you have social events in the evening, find someone to look after your kids. 

Still, some helicopter parents want to have the complete control over their kids. They’re often afraid of leaving their kids with nannies or governesses. While this is a reasonable emotion, you can work around such a feeling if you hire only superb professionals from renowned agencies. That way, you’ll have more trust in them and you’ll be able to do your stuff, knowing your kids are in good hands. 

Avoid procrastination

The time is the most valuable resource we have. So, it’s a shame to waste your time on things that bring no joy nor profits. 

Here’s what we suggest to busy parents who want to stay productive both at work and at home: 

• Limit your time on the Internet. You don’t need to check the news every hour. Choose one or two online news portals to follow, read the news in the morning and voila. 
• Control social media presence. If you constantly check social media, you’ll waste a lot of time, plus, your kids will probably copy you. 
• Make daily plans at work. Make micro-plans for every workday. Schedule when you’re going to handle each daily task and stick to it. 
• Install a screen time app. Install one of the screen-time apps on your smartphone to see how much time you spend on the mobile. Reduce this time and spend it doing something more practical. 

It’s not easy to handle a family and a career but it’s not rocket science either. It takes some planning, some self-discipline, and some love to cover all these bases. Follow our tips and you’ll soon be reaping the benefit of leading an organized and balanced life.