Feel like you’re fighting a losing battle when it comes to juggling your work and family life?
Whether you work from home, you work flexible hours or you’re back in full-time employment, finding the perfect work/life balance can be a struggle. And when you have young children, knowing how to switch off after work and enjoy some dedicated downtime can be easier said than done.
We spoke to some of the UK’s most popular parent bloggers to get their advice on how to achieve the perfect balance, and learn more about their top tips for working parents:
How to deal with childcare dilemmas:
Question: Do you have any tips for balancing childcare and work responsibilities?
Becky Gower is a Social Media Manager, living in Kent. She has two children.
BG: Make sure that you use your childcare effectively. Sometimes a Childminder can give the flexibility that a nursery cannot so it may be worth looking into.
Emma Button is a mother of two, and writes software for the financial services industry.
EB: Don’t ever feel like you have to stay at work longer than the normal working hours. I have found that making a hard stop at the end of the day has not only helped me ensure that I find time to spend with my daughters in the evening, but it has benefited my career too – I’ve learned to make sure that every minute of my working day is effective so that I can get all of my work done without having to stay late.
Tom Briggs is a freelance writer, father, blogger and podcaster, based in East Sussex.
TB: Defining boundaries for yourself is essential. Inevitably you’ll spend more of your waking hours at work and, however fantastic your colleagues are, it’s no substitute for family time. Try and ensure that you don’t bring work home with you if at all possible and, similarly, it’s essential to keep family issues at home – people quickly get annoyed with colleagues who are spending more time in the office sorting out family plans than working.
The Parent Trap:
Question: In terms of your work and career, what’s the most difficult thing about being a working parent?
BG: I think the most difficult thing is learning to switch off, especially when working from home. I have had to make an effort not to think about the children too much when I am trying to work and not to get too distracted by work when I am with them. The boundaries often blur, but I think it’s always best to try and maintain some distinct lines.
EB: Switching off is a challenge, but I also find myself all too frequently applying the same approaches to managing my team as I do to parenting… let’s just say parenting tactics don’t always work!
TB: The lack of time with your family is the toughest thing. You feel it particularly in the winter months when you don’t seem to see your children in daylight until the weekend and then you’re really tired and feel like you’re letting them down.
Learning to say no is also hard, especially when working from home or jobseeking. Even when I think I have a few minutes to concentrate, my sons inevitably want to see what I’m up to, and it can be difficult to refuse a bit of impromptu playtime.
Kids say the funniest things:
Question: What’s the most memorable experience or episode you’ve had as a working parent?
BG: During an important conference call with a client whilst working from home, my son yelled very loudly to me that he needed to use the toilet – unfortunately, they were not his exact words…
EB: In our office, we sometimes have grapes, strawberries, sweets and chocolates on a Friday afternoon and the girls would often look forward to coming to the office simply to help themselves to treats. Shortly after my eldest daughter started school, one of the teaching assistants asked me what I do for a living. She was very confused because my daughter had told her that I go to work to eat fruit and chocolates all day!
TB: Having to go in to work when both my sons’ due dates were fast approaching sticks in the memory. At the time, I worked in the middle of nowhere and relied on a combination of a 20-minute bus ride (which was only every 90 minutes and highly unreliable) followed by a 45-minute train journey. It was nerve-shredding and, every time I got a text message, I jumped out of my seat. Fortunately, my older son arrived in the middle of the night and my wife went into labour with his younger brother at breakfast time, but until their arrivals I was constantly fretting about missing it all!
Top tips:
Question: Overall, what are your top tips for working parents?
BG: Go with your instincts – you will know the limit if you are working too much and there may come a point where you feel ready to take on more. And getting friends to help out with childcare can be a lifesaver, whether they do the nursery run some days to give you extra time in the morning, or you take it in turns to collect the little ones from preschool and bring them home for a snack – allowing both of you the chance to work a bit later.
EB: Don’t let anybody make you feel guilty. Everyone has different reasons why they want or need to work so stand by your decision and do what you need to do, not what others think you should do.
TB: Striking a work/life balance is essential. Attempt to go to bed as early as possible during the week and ensure that quality time at the weekend is just that. If you have the type of job that does spill over from the standard nine to five, using time to answer emails while commuting (if possible) saves some precious family time too.
Our top tips
Here are some of own top tips on how to achieve the perfect working parent work/life balance:
- Switch off – No matter how hard it seems, always attempt to draw a line between work and home life
- Be realistic – know your limits, both at work and at home. Things will be easier if you don’t expect too much
- Don’t feel guilty – and don’t measure yourself by anyone else’s expectations
- Use your friends and family – whenever and wherever you can (in the nicest way possible)
- Never get too busy to enjoy being a parent – it might be hard at times, but it’s worth it…
Here are a few more tips on how to achieve the perfect work/life balance.
The bloggers:
Becky Gower (@mummyadventure) is freelance writer and Social Media Manager, who lives in a rather remote corner of Kent. She blogs at The Mummy Adventure.
Emma Button (@jumblymummy) is a Software Writer and mummy blogger, based in Berkshire. She’s blogged for brands from Persil to Leap Frog, and is part of the Tots 100 blogging community. Her blog can be found here: http://www.mellowmummy.co.uk/.
Tom Briggs (@DiaryOfTheDad) is a Digital Content Editor. He’s also an award winning blogger at his own blog, Diary of the Dad, and part of the @LoveAllDads podcast team, who recently won the innovate category at the Brilliance in Blogging Awards.
