Contents:
- Medical Video: 4 Time Management Tips For Work-Life Balance
- 1. Eliminate guilt
- 2. Look for a quality child care center
- 3. Make the morning atmosphere fun
- 4. Create a family calendar
- 5. Talk to your boss
- 6. Stay in touch with children
- 7. Reduce distractions and time-wasting activities
- 8. Create special events for families
- 9. Spend time with your partner
- 10. Create a special time for yourself
Medical Video: 4 Time Management Tips For Work-Life Balance
Being a mother who is busy working while taking care of family is not an easy thing. Here are tips that you can apply to balance the two.
1. Eliminate guilt
If you feel guilty because you don't spend time with your child, think about your role in the office which can also be influential and beneficial to your family. You can put your child in a good school and save for their tuition later. If a career woman as well as a housewife wants to successfully undergo both, they must focus on their current priorities. You should be aware that there will always be a fun and annoying day, besides that you are not alone and can always discuss their feelings to your partner or friend. You can discuss anything about the world of work / family with the people mombloggers.
2. Look for a quality child care center
Find out information about caregivers and daycare for your relatives or friends. Make a list of criteria that you want to have with your caregiver or daycare center, then you can interview caregivers who are close to where you live. Experts recommend hiring caregivers who have often handled children from many families. This shows that they are experienced and able to adapt to all ages of children ranging from newborns to children who need help while doing homework. Experts also advise families to do "play date" or an experiment to take care of your child by the caregiver candidates. This is done to see how caregivers interact with your child. Good caregivers usually have a lot of experience, good advice, and notes to prove their strengths. A good day care center usually has flexible opening hours, a small teacher-child ratio, has an open space, the latest business permit, and workers whose background has been well checked.
3. Make the morning atmosphere fun
Avoid rushing to prepare your child's needs in the morning by preparing everything on the night before. Prepare school supplies and their clothes, and make sure they are bathed and clean. You have to decide what breakfast you will make and also put your bag with children's needs, school bags, purses and briefcases at the door, put the vehicle key next to your bag so you can take it easily. See also the schedule for the next day, take turns with your partner about who tomorrow has to bathe the child, shop for daily necessities, and cook. At breakfast is a good time to discuss the division of tasks because other trivial things are done and you can have breakfast and relax for a while without having to rush.
4. Create a family calendar
Find out what activities all family members must do. Make a calendar that marks the date of payment of bills, a list of tasks for children, a list of school and family activities, extracurricular activities, birthdays, and others. Experts recommend using Google Calendar that can be easily synchronized with your smartphone. This application has a colored label so you can make more than one schedule at a time without bothering you. Experts also recommend reviewing and preparing the next schedule on Sundays, only 15 minutes. This can minimize sudden plans that might occur. Provide caregiver schedules and calendars so that they also understand and follow a predetermined schedule. Next is to adjust neatness so that the room always looks neat. Make sure you have a spot or place to put important family needs, for example near the entrance you can put important documents and letters, keys, chargers, batteries and small money. This is done to shorten your time.
5. Talk to your boss
Before talking to your boss or HR department in your office, make a written list of what you need. Experts advise to ask your office friends who are more experienced with this, because who knows they have info that can be your advantage when talking to your boss. This information can help tailor your proposal to the requirements that your boss needs. Every boss has a different nature so you know what information you can give but try to be honest as is. Also prepare other solutions such as the trial period of the work schedule you have prepared so that you can show that schedule changes will not limit your productivity.
Mothers who are looking for maternity leave should ask two important things to their superiors, the first is, "How long can I take this time off?" And "How much time will leave to be paid?". Discuss this by adding vacation time / sick time to add to your vacation several days. Try to answer all questions correctly in order to reduce the risk of misunderstanding.
6. Stay in touch with children
You must keep in touch with the child even if not together. If you have young children, you can record yourself singing or recording your voice reading stories to your child. If you cannot attend your child's rather large school program, make something special for them in the morning, for example by making a lucky bracelet or encouragement note. If possible, you can ask the teacher at the school to record the part of your child when they appear so that you can still watch it later. Maybe, you can also make encouraging posters / banners with photos of you and your partner, and ask the person in charge of the event at the school to install it in a place that he can see. At breakfast, ask your child to tell him to feel comfortable and not nervous because you are nearby.
7. Reduce distractions and time-wasting activities
Discipline in determining the time limit for checking email or making phone calls, or other things that can be done when children are sleeping. Reduce watching TV once a week to maximize time with your partner at night. Try to avoid doing many things at the same time, especially when you are spending time with your children. At your workplace, try to avoid wasting time. Of course you want to have a good relationship with coworkers, but many send e-mails, play the internet, gossip, and long lunches make you less productive. Focus on your tasks at work and only talk to colleagues at rest or lunch, so you can go home quickly.
8. Create special events for families
Providing free time for children is very important, whether on weekdays or on weekends, to maintain dynamic family relationships and allow everyone to discuss. If you are being hunted for time, have breakfast with your family or dinner together, followed by an exciting game or watching a movie. Create regular activities according to your schedule so that all family members know what to expect and what to do. If you have to attend a family event, avoid talking about work or using your cellphone. Instead, focus on the interests of your children like their friends, class, and hobbies. Ask for activity suggestions for them and try to meet their needs. In the end, it's not really important what you do as long as you do it together with your family.
9. Spend time with your partner
Remember to keep your relationship with a partner who will certainly be number one on your side. Start by taking time once a month to get closer, feel as young as before, and enjoy the presence of each other. Often, if you are busy with work, children, and home affairs, your partner is the first person to be ignored. Building relationships will bring joy to marriage and help you understand each other. For some couples, frequent dates out of the house will be burdensome because of the cost, but that doesn't mean you can't focus on each other. Having time together by cooking elegant food together or even sitting together with a cup of warm tea / coffee and talking (but not about work or children) can also.
10. Create a special time for yourself
By managing your time wisely, you will be able to have a break that will help you recharge your spirits while taking care of your personal needs. Because your time is divided between home and career, make sure to manage your energy well. You cannot be an effective partner or parent if you are often fussy, so take the time to take care of yourself and feel relaxed and effective. Read a book before you go to bed, take a bath with warm water and aromatherapy once a week, or treat yourself to a spa. Take time for sports (such as yoga classes) or focus on hobbies. Remember to eat well and have enough rest because simple things are often overlooked, even smart mothers.
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