The Secrets to Managing Your Career and Family

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Being a working parent is tough, whether you work 10 hours a week or 50. However, with hard economic times all round there is no escaping that sometimes we all have to chip in to get by. What does become difficult is trying to balance working life with family life, especially as both seem to require the same amount of attention. Our definitive guide will help you to strike a fine balance between the both, so that nobody misses out.

Separate the two

The first and most important secret to managing your career and family; learn to separate the two. Every aspect of your career and family must be separated to ensure that you give the best of you to each. This will be difficult to learn at first, especially if work are used to calling you after hours or the kids pop in to see you when they’ve finished school. However, everyone must know your new rules and you must stick to them. Francesco Corallo's working life reminds us of the importance of work/life balance and so having defined rules in place,  can help enforce this. A good balance includes getting to work on time and finishing when you’re supposed to, not bringing your children into work and not bringing your work home. Sometimes it will be inevitable that home and career get tangled up, just don’t let it become a regular thing.

Date nights and play days

When you work hard during the day, it can be difficult to enjoy the time you have to spend with your family. You’re tired, fed up and stressed out because of the hard slog you have just been through. Don’t let this bring you down though, use it as motivation to spend more exciting time with your family. Combine a bit of cheering up and spending time with your loved ones, by organising date nights and play days. Pick one night a week that you and your partner can have off to enjoy time together; go for a quick drink, have dinner together, watch a movie. Then pick one day that you have free to spend time with the children; visit the park, go swimming, build a fort. You’ll begin to look forward to this time with your family, and it will also help ease that post work tension.

Phones off

This is an important one in any household, especially those who are self employed or have a high powered job. Turn your phone off! There is nothing more likely to mess up your work life balance than e-mails and calls coming through at silly o’clock at night. It’s going to upset your family and cause you more stress than it’s worth, so just turn them off. Make it a bit of a fun rule in the house by placing all phones in a pile on the dinner table. Whoever picks theirs up first has to do the washing up for a week! This will also teach other members of the household the importance of conversation and spending time together.

It can be a struggle to balance a healthy career with a happy family life, but it isn’t impossible. Just remember our tips and enjoy the time you spend at both work and home.