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As a parent, all your responsibilities can sometimes seem overwhelming. This is the case for an increasing amount of Australian families where both parents work to support a family.
Every working parent wants to know the secret to perfect their work-life balance. But the unpredictability of parenting, especially with younger children can result in more stress.
From waking up early in the morning, to getting everyone ready for the new day, to dropping kids off at daycare or school, to making your way through traffic to work and having to fulfil all your professional responsibilities, it can be overwhelming.
Below are some suggestions on how to manage and hopefully minimize stress as a working parent.
Table of Contents
Accept your Humanity
One of the first things you should do as a working parent is to sit down and have a sincere conversation with yourself or your partner.
Accept that you’re only human and what you can do is limited. Try to avoid guilt because a lot of parents feel guilty when they don’t do as much as they want to or don’t have enough time for the little ones. Remember, you are only human.
Flexibility
Being flexible can make both your work life and family life more relaxed. It helps if you have an employer and spouse that support and accommodate your needs.
For example, if your job or your partner’s job allows either or both of you to work remotely full time, it will go a long way in making life easier for everyone.
If you have a spouse that pulls their weight around the house, stress will be reduced.
Delegation
To get more done in less time, you should consider delegating. Nowadays, it seems like there is an application for everything, from dog walking apps to food delivery services and even massage therapists on-demand.
Chores often take up a significant amount of time and sometimes we can’t do them all. If you need your house cleaned in Sydney, you can make use of on-demand cleaning service like houseproud cleaning to make your home sparkle.
Do Not Bring Work Home
Not working at home might seem impossible for most of us, but separating work life from home life is essential to staying stress-free.
Try your best not to bring stress home. You can do this by being aware of how you’re feeling while on the commute home.
Additionally, talking to a neighbour, friend or your partner for a few minutes before entering your home will also help.
Plan
A parent with a plan is a prepared parent. Being organized is essential for working moms and dads. You may need to develop a supernatural ability to fix problems before they occur.
Anticipate the needs of your little ones and put things in place to ensure that you stay one step ahead of them.
By streamlining your routines, you forget fewer things, you are always prepared, and you know what you need to do even if things go wrong.
Learn to Say No
As a working parent and professional, you always want to go above and beyond in your professional and personal lives.
Still, part of maintaining your sanity is setting boundaries and saying no to some things.
Reducing stress does not equate to abandoning your kids or missing deadlines at work. It entails empowering those around you to flourish and prosper with or without you.
Maintain Relationships
It does not take much to get lost in our roles as parents and working professionals. It helps to have a support system of friends and loved ones to balance out the hectic life you’re living.
Arrange for hanging out with friends at least once a month. If you have a partner, schedule date nights with them a couple of times a month and get a drink with colleagues now and then.
Try some of the above suggestions to maintain your sanity and reduce stress.
Image source Pixabay
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