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Whether you like it or not, you live in a "have it all" society where you are constantly bombarded with competing demands and distractions.
For example, you are expected to be the ideal employee, parent, spouse, and friend in addition to crushing your professional ambitions. You wish you could have it all, but is it impossible?
There isn't a magic solution for our fast-paced era of digital existence. To save your sanity, you must draw lines between family life and work. So, What should a parent do to balance family life and work?
Today, Mental Health Wellness Kenya will give you practical ways to help you balance family life and work as a Parent.
Acknowledge Imbalance Is Unavoidable Sometimes
It's okay sometimes to have an imbalance between family life and work. Maintaining your boundaries and not prioritizing one part of your life over another may sometimes be necessary.
For instance, emergencies at home may necessitate giving up work time. If a family member is ill, you might miss a business event. Conversely, you may skip dinner at home and remain late at work to meet a deadline.
However, it would help to avoid creating emergencies that you could have dealt with earlier, from becoming the norm.
Getting the family life and work scale as close to the center as possible is essential for your mental health, even when it tips for a few days or weeks.
Master the Balancing Art by Working Smarter
You already have the hardest job in the world as a parent. You must use smart tactics to help you master your time and succeed in fulfilling most of your responsibilities in and outside the home.
For instance, you can do more if you set aside time in blocks for tasks. Consider breaking up your workday into three sections; meetings, breaks, and focused work time.
The table below breaks down how your typical day should look like.
| Time | Meetings | Breaks | Focused Time |
| 9 am | Team meeting | Respond to urgent emails | |
| 10 am | Short walk outside | Work on project A | |
| 11 am | Client calls | Work on project A | |
| 12 pm | Stretch and hydrate | Work on project A | |
| 1 pm | Lunch break | Start project B | |
| 2 pm | Department meeting | Work on project B | |
| 3 pm | Stretch | Work on project B | |
| 4 pm | Review completed tasks for the day | ||
| 5 pm | Prepare to go home | Plan for tomorrow’s task |
Furthermore, you accomplish more when you allot certain times to perform your duties. Hence, you're more motivated and determined to finish the report in one hour rather than two, which enables you to carve out time with your family at home.
Admittedly, working around the clock is appealing, especially if you can access your work email on the phone.
But forming a habit of carrying work at home will only lead to heightened fatigue. It also prevents you from rejuvenating and giving your child a relaxed and happier you.
Establish Limits Between Your Family life and Work
You must establish limits between family life and work if you want to achieve more on both sides. This move entails choosing between appropriate and inconveniencing tasks at work and home.
Setting limits creates a boundary between what helps you maintain a healthy family life and work balance.
You will easily recognize when your actions are not in the best interests of an aspect of your life if your boundaries are clear. For instance, you could decide as a family that cell phones are prohibited at the dinner table.
By establishing this rule, you will not have work interruptions during dinner, allowing you to enjoy the conversation with your family.
Additionally, you can disable email notifications from work and concentrate only on unwinding. For sure, this is easier said than done 
.
But balancing your family life and work is impossible without establishing priorities and setting limits everyone must follow.
Create a Routine
Consistency is the key to juggling family and professional obligations. Establishing a routine does not imply that you should simplify your everyday errands and responsibilities.
The following table gives you a sample evening routine.
| Evening Routine | Time |
| Freshen up/prepare/have dinner | 6 pm |
| Help kids with homework (do it earlier if possible) | 7:30 pm |
| Family activity or hobby | 8 pm |
| Prepare kids for bed | 8:30 pm |
| Read/watch news/ relax | 9 pm |
| Read the bible/journal | 10 pm |
| Go to bed | 10:30 pm |
Establishing a schedule for yourself will enable you to be more consistent and focused, allowing you to have time for your family and perform better at work.
For example, a morning routine could include waking up an hour earlier to complete household tasks, enabling you to spend valuable time with the kids before they leave for school.
Undoubtedly, making memories with your loved ones is part of maintaining a healthy balance in your family life and work.
Involve Your Family
Involving your family in your journey to create a family life and work balance can help you develop a sense of togetherness.
The effort is made easier if they are curious about your work. Here are some ways to involve your family in your work life:
- Regularly act out a typical workday with the kids
- Share stories about your workday with your spouse or partner
- Encourage your children to ask questions about your job
- Teach them why you work and the value of money
- Celebrate your accomplishments with them and involve them in your successes
Why You Should Balance Family Life and Work
Answering the question, what is work-life balance will help you understand why you should balance family life and work. So, what is work-life balance?
Work-family balance, also known as work-life balance, is the equilibrium between the demands of work and family responsibilities.
It refers to the ability to manage one's personal and professional life to meet the needs without sacrificing one for the other. Work-family balance is important because it helps you:
- Maintain your physical and mental well-being
- Reduce stress and burnout
- Enhance job satisfaction
- Increase productivity
According to research by the National Center for biotechnology information, individuals who perceive a good work-life balance are more likely to report good health and job satisfaction than those who feel they have a poor balance.
Here is to an Incredible Journey of Balancing Family Life and Work
It's difficult to learn how to juggle job and family obligations. There isn't a method that works for everyone. Each individual and every family must come up with unique answers to their problems based on their tastes and needs.In essence, a person achieves a balance between work and family when they can appropriately fulfill their obligations to their family and job duties.
There is nothing wrong with putting in a lot of effort to advance your career, but keep in mind the value of the things and people that are most important. Plus, don't hesitate to seek professional advice from Mental Health Wellness Kenya for a better version of yourself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you mentally separate from your busy life?
Yes. You can mentally separate from your busy life by:
- Working out
- Reading a book
- Listening to a podcast.
- Cooking your favorite meals
Are there effects of poor work-life balance?
Yes, poor work-life balance effects can begin with feeling overwhelmed. Afterward, you may:
- Distant yourself from your family
- Obsess feeling inadequate
- Feel fatigued
- Have a short temper
- Sleep poorly
Is it okay to ask for help when I can't create a work-life balance?
Yes, it is okay to ask for help. Balancing family life and work may not always be easy, and you might feel drained occasionally. If you feel spinning out of control, Contact Mental Health Wellness Kenya and speak with a professional mental health care provider.
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