Whether you’re working full-time or part-time, the key to survival is finding childcare you’re happy with, and striking a good work-life balance.
If you’re the queen of multi-tasking but flagging fast, check out these 10 tips for striking a great work life balance and juggling your work, kids, friends and family with ease.
At a glance
- Maximise your time by planning ahead
- Online grocery and other shopping can save hours
- Put your health first, the healthier you are the more energy you'll have
Maximise your time
Hone your time management skills and use every second effectively with invaluable tools like the Pomodoro technique.
Get seriously organised
Plan in advance, write everything down and set up a shared family calendar online so you and your partner know exactly what’s happening and when.
Halve domestic drudgery
Delegate so your partner is sharing jobs at home – agree who should do what so there’s no room for confusion or debate!
Get help
If you’ve got the cash, why not free up some valuable time by getting help cleaning the house, doing the garden or doing the ironing – it’ll give you more time for the important stuff like hanging out with your kids.
Plan those meals
Planning meals means you get in from work knowing what you’re having and when – so you’ve got the food in and you can serve up fast. This not only saves stress and extra work, but it gets your kids into bed on time too.
Online shopping
You can save hours traipsing around the supermarket, sprinting to the corner shop for supplies or buying last minute birthday presents, by planning in advance and ordering everything online.
Carve out time for you
Not only do you deserve it, but time to yourself will keep you sane, avoid burn out and give you the energy to keep operating at this slightly mad, high-octane level while the kids are little. Whether it’s a quick swim, luxurious spa treatment, weekly dance class or a spot of clothes shopping, make sure you regularly get that much-needed breather.
Build in time for family fun
Forget the jobs and cherish time with your kids, planning fun family activities, great days out or snuggling up on the sofa with a book.
Cherish your partner
Keep your relationship alive with a few fun date nights. When you’re both flat out with your jobs, running the house and looking after kids, the first thing to suffer is often your relationship. But you’re the glue that holds this family together, so you need to spend time together without the kids - to connect, have fun and remember just how much fun you have when you’re not having to empty bins, discuss nursery pick up and cook dinner. So get those date nights in the diary now to rekindle that all-important spark.
Stay healthy
Many hard-working mums put their health at the bottom of their list of priorities, but it’s easy to get exhausted if you don’t look after you too. So make sure you eat well, get plenty of sleep and exercise a few times a week. And if you’re worried about anything, make sure you talk to your GP.