With the continuous progress and development of society, women have been increasingly entering the workforce. Today, many women want to be successful in their careers on the one hand; on the other hand, they want their families to be happy and prosperous. Getting the best of both worlds can sometimes seem to be quite a challenge, but it doesn’t need to be! Read on for some tips on finding a good balance between family and work.
Communicate.
Communication is the most important thing at all times! Keeping an open line of communication with family members can make all the difference in you thriving at both work and life. Your family’s understanding of your goals and dreams can help you immensely as you juggle responsibilities on both ends. While you’re working hard, do also ensure that you set time aside for your family, attend friends’ gatherings, or use some of your hard-earned money to travel together regularly. Such acts can help to create more opportunities for everyone to communicate, and also deepens relationships at home.
Try not to take work home!
You’ve probably heard of the phrase “work-life balance” a few too many times, but have you considered what it really means to you? Setting healthy boundaries between your work and personal life is important, because it brings along benefits for employee motivation, as well as relationships at home. You can start to establish work-life boundaries with strategies such as creating a set schedule for work (e.g. no work after 6pm!), unplugging yourself from technology, or simply make it a point to leave the office on time. When you’re at home, you can focus your attention on your loved ones, if there are no urgent matters to attend to, fight the urge to check your email!
Make a life plan
We all go through many different stages of life, and each stage has its own significance. If you want to balance family and work, it is prudent to make a plan for different stages, so that you can be well-prepared for each stage. For example, during the career advancement period, do you postpone the plan to have a baby? When welcoming your baby, do you slow down your career advancement a little? In any case, each of us has limited energy, so it is particularly important to work out a plan for each stage that everyone agrees with in advance with our family. Of course, this doesn’t mean that you have to plan every step of your life meticulously, it just means that you are prepared for what’s to come.
Listen to your heart
Every woman goes through different stages of life at their own pace. It can sometimes be difficult to truly balance family and life, because there is really no absolute balance. For example, if you aspire to be a strong woman, you can focus on work with your family’s understanding and support. If you prioritise being a wife and mother you will likely place more focus on your family. Remember, it is ok to not win at both. No choice is good or bad – it's all about different choices and preferences that meet your needs, as well as those of your family.
Have some “me-time”
In today’s society, no matter who we are, and the roles we hold, there will always be an element of stress. Therefore, we need to have some private time to adjust our life and learn to decompress ourselves. Having some time to yourself can help you destress, and re-energise yourself to achieve more. For example, you can take some time off to read a book, do a facial mask, exercise, meditate, or even indulge in a space session!
