Being a working parent can be tough. You are constantly transitioning between your two roles - as a parent and an employee. This can be mentally exhausting, leaving you feeling drained by the end of the day. Sometimes it can seem as though you are giving neither role your all and that can leave you feeling guilty and overwhelmed. It may feel like there just aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done now that you are a parent. However, there are plenty of strategies to help you to balance your work and parental responsibilities effectively, and we will highlight some of these below.

Work Together

You must have heard of that age-old saying, “it takes a village to raise a child”. It’s true - no one can negotiate juggling work and parenthood alone, so find your village to help you navigate through the tough times. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, family and friends, can all play their part in making things easier for you. Also, your spouse can be your biggest source of support as you juggle work and parenthood - if you let them! Even if it's just arranging for somebody else to do the school drop off and pick up - every little helps to make your life a bit easier. Now might be the right time for you to hire a cleaner to help you keep your house in tip-top shape so that is one less thing on your to-do list.

Plan Ahead

A routine doesn’t really exist for working families, there are constantly unique obstacles being thrown into your days, such as work meetings, doctor's appointments and school events. One of the best qualities to have as a working parent is flexibility, being prepared to adapt to whatever is thrown your way. However, wherever you can, you should try to plan ahead and introduce some structure into your day so that you can use your time efficiently. You could create a daily work and childcare calendar for your household, so everyone knows in advance what they are doing each day. Make sure you plan in some rest breaks and plenty of family time, where your attention is just focused on your children.

Find Great Childcare

An essential part of balancing work and family life is finding good and reliable childcare. Get recommendations from your network of family and friends as you need to find a childcare provider that you trust and feel confident with and that your child feels happy going to. A good childcare provider will offer you flexibility and peace of mind, with a clean and safe environment and all of the necessary safety checks and certifications. Look for childcare that operates with a low carer to child ratio, so that your child gets the attention that they need.

Keep the lines of communication open with your chosen childcare provider so that they can help you wherever possible, and so that you know how your child is getting on when they are not with you.

Keep Your Employer In The Loop

It is important to keep your employer in the loop when it comes to your childcare arrangements and family life. Hopefully, you have a considerate and empathetic manager who appreciates the complexities of juggling your job and parenthood. Discuss the possibility of flexible working arrangements, that allow you to do the school runs or work a 4-day week. If you communicate freely with your manager, they will likely appreciate your transparency and your commitment to both work and family life will shine through.

Prioritise Your Health And Wellbeing 

In all the chaos of work and family life, you must remember to prioritise your health and wellbeing. By taking good care of yourself, you will be able to look after and support your family. While it's often not easy to find the time, you should set aside some time each day for yourself. Think about what activities you enjoy doing and try and plan these into your day. Don’t feel guilty about taking time out to go to the gym - this is important for both your mental and physical health and so should always be a priority. You can also plan activities to do together as a family, such as going on a hike, a trip to the beach or for a family swim session. Family games or movie nights are a fun way to reconnect when you have been away from each other all day - just remember to choose a game that doesn’t lead to family arguments!

Final Thoughts

Finding the right balance between your career and family time is key to living a happy and healthy life. While it is possible to have the best of both worlds, enjoying a successful career and a happy family, it takes effort and requires you to support each other along the way.