Three Tips for Making Time for Work and Family

Since we've entered the age where technology allows us to work from home and avoid a daily commute, more and more people are taking advantage of this wonderful opportunity. Finding a balance between work and family life, especially if you have small children, can be challenging at times but not impossible.

With your newfound freedom, you may find it tempting to change up your hours on a daily basis and not have any set schedule. But this can often be a source of frustration because it won’t allow you or your family to get used to a daily routine. Instead, try these tips to create a schedule with ease, and without taking away time from family and the life you love.

Have Set Hours – Although you're no longer working the 9-to-5 job, it’s still important to schedule regular working hours throughout the day. This doesn’t have to be the same for everyone, though. Obviously, you can adjust it to fit your situation and family life. It may be easier for some to work early in the morning and others to start their workday late at night. 

Keep your family involved and come up with a plan together so everyone is aware of the daily schedule. Of course you might have to change your hours every so often. There are always things that come up and exceptions that can be made. It helps to know ahead of time what hours you will be working, however, and make life easier on everyone.

Take Time Off – If you are new to working at home this may seem like a foreign concept. You may not feel like you need or deserve time off because you are home every day. You have to remember that even though you're home, you're still working and providing for your family just as if you were working the 9 to 5. It’s important to schedule some “you” time and also family time every so often in order to avoid burnout and simply spend time with those you love.

Be Present – There's a saying that you shouldn’t take your work home with you. When you work from home that's somewhat hard to do but the concept is still the same. When you have worked your set number of hours, turn the computer off, shut the door and be done with it. Take the time to be present with your family and spend precious time with them without thinking about work and what still has to be done. This is hard especially when you're first starting out but you'ill get the hang of it. Don’t get caught up in wanting to get so much done that you're avoiding that important family time.

A daily schedule is going to be different for every single person. There is no right or wrong way to set a routine. The important thing is that you stick to it once you choose one that fits for you. Family and work balance is always tricky because you're being pulled in two different directions on a daily basis. Don’t stress yourself out trying to be everything for everyone. This is especially hard if you're new to this type of lifestyle because you want to get so much done and still fill your role within the family. Make a schedule that works for you, stick to it, and don’t overdo it.

Hope this helps!