Single parents, working couples, and other
working-class families often struggle to find the perfect balance of family
time and work time. Many try to keep the two separated, which can be
beneficial, but sometimes if not done correctly it can backfire.
While there is no surefire way to strike the perfect
balance between work life and home life, there are ways and methods you can use
in order to find what works best for you. Some of these tips include:
● Find time to relax/unwind
● Have dinner with your family whenever you can
● Unplug when not at work
● Figure out what and who is important in your life
● Plan some special family trips when time allows
This list is by no means comprehensive – there are a
multitude of ways in which you can find the perfect relationship between your
work life and family life. However, this small list is a great place to start
for the individual or couple looking to relieve some of the stress of work
interfering with their family life!
#1 – Find
Time to Relax or Unwind
Allowing a moment or two for yourself is incredibly
important. While you might feel like you need to spend every moment not working
with your family, this could ultimately prove just as harmful as constantly
working. You need to give yourself a chance to decompress after work, or if
there was a particularly stressful day in the household. Your mental health and
stability will allow you to enjoy the good moments to their fullest, as well as
allow you to achieve the most at work.
Whenever possible, find the time and place for you to
do something you like that relieves tension. Perhaps you enjoy reading a good
book, taking a nap, or drinking a cup of tea, doing yoga, or just sitting in
the quiet in front of your air conditioning. Whatever the case, make sure you allow yourself some private time to
do something you enjoy. When you are relaxed, you will find life a lot easier
to take in stride.
#2 – Have
Dinner with Your Family
Whenever possible, depending on your schedule, have
dinner with your family. Studies have shown that eating dinner together
strengthens the familial bond and builds trust and respect between the family
members. During this time, try to insure that there are no phones or
televisions on or nearby, as these can detract from your family time.
Have conversations with each other and your children
about how your day went, and see where it goes from there. Nurturing that
family bond will allow your children to feel that much more comfortable coming
to you with problems and create a mutual respect within the family. This dinner
time also allows you the chance to push work from your mind for a while in
order to simply enjoy your family’s presence.
#3 – Unplug
When Not at Work
Even if you are not directly spending time with your
family, “unplugging” is supremely beneficial. If you disconnect from your phone
and computer or log off from that addictive online casino game you’ve been playing, you will find yourself far more
engaged with the world around you, including your family. Unplugging relieves
some of your tension (i.e., you will not be constantly awaiting a call that
will not come), and you will be able to truly enjoy your family time. Take that
time offline to truly enjoy your family, whether it’s laying in bed on your cozy mattress to watch a movie or playing
a fun board game.
#4 – Figure
Out Who & What is Important in Your Life
This might seem silly, but often cutting things out of
your life will not occur to us. However, if you wish to take full advantage of
your time between work and family, you must determine for yourself what is
important. Obviously work and family, but what about the activities you partake
in? Do you miss the days of getting geared up to hike the trails? Or have you secretly been wishing to install a personal tennis court to get back into the game? Maybe you’ve always had a
dream of trying your hand at becoming a music producer for a chance at the spotlight. Whatever interests
you, it’s good to remember your passions and get back to doing the things you
love.
On the flip side of that, if there is something you
have been doing that you no longer enjoy, then do not do it. If there is a
friend or coworker that you feel has been a negative influence, do your best to
respectfully sever the relationship.
Finding out what matters to you will do a world of
wonders for your emotional and physical well-being and will also allow you to
find more time to spend with your family doing things you enjoy.
#5 – Plan
Special Family Trips
When you have a few days off, plan some special family
time away from home. You can do a simple day trip, an out-of-state road trip,
or even plan for an extravagant but affordable trip to Kuala Lumpur
if you’re feeling really adventurous. Regardless of where you go, the new
environment will only facilitate more bonding and you can create amazing new
memories with your family, while giving yourself a true breather from work. Of
course alert employment that you will be out of contact, and then you can truly
let yourself be free for a while to enjoy your family!
Again, these are just a few tips to get you started on
striking the right balance between work and family, but hopefully these will
provide you the stepping stones you need to live life to the fullest!
Some great advice here, my work is my family as I am a mum and nanna and taking care of my family is what I do
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