Balancing Work and Family
The National Council on Family Relations

Organize Your Time and Completing tasks
Decide what is really important in your life. List the five most important parts of your life.

Make taking care of yourself a priority. You will be better able to take care of your other responsibilities if you first take care of your needs, such as: eating well, getting enough rest, and taking time for yourself.

Decide what really needs to be done each day. Say "No" to activities that don't fit in with the most important parts of your life.

Make "to do" lists every day. Put the most important things at the top of the list. Start with the "musts" (things that have to be done), then list your "wants" (things you'd like to do, but that aren't necessary).

Pick the best times to do chores. Everyone has natural times of the day when they feel most energetic. It could be morning, evening, or any other time. Do really hard tasks during the times when you have the most energy, and do easier tasks at other times.

Let others do some tasks. Most school-aged children can be taught to make their own lunches and snacks, get their clothes and backpacks ready the night before school, wash dishes, pick up or put things away, and make their beds. If you take the time to teach them these things, it will save you much more time later!

Divide chores among family members. Think about what your children are able to do and what they are good at before deciding on their chores.

Planning and Scheduling
Put up a family calendar and message board in your home. Each family member can write down activities or things that need to be done on the family calendar, as soon as they know about it. You can plan around these activities.

Put notes, reminders, and messages for family members in one central place, like on your message board. Help everyone get in the habit of checking it often. Put the family calendar and message board in a place where everyone will see it, such as in the kitchen or near the telephone.

Avoid rushing to get ready for work. Set your alarm clock early enough so that you won't have to rush. Decide on work clothes ahead of time, make sure they are clean, and lay them out.

Plan on having a happy morning with your children. Some children are more active in the morning and some are still half asleep! A smooth morning can set the pace for your day and theirs.

Budgeting
Basic Steps to Budgeting:

1. Figure out about how much income you expect to have in the next month.

2. Create a spending plan, based on everything you think you will need to pay for in a month. Decide how much you expect to spend on different areas, such as food, clothing, rent or housing, electric or gas bills, transportation, child care, medical care, and savings. Make sure the total spending isn't more than your total income.

3. Try to follow your spending plan for a month, and keep track of how much you really spend in the different areas. You can do this by writing down everything you spend in a notebook, or by keeping all your receipts in a special place (a box, envelope or drawer).

4. After a month, compare your actual income and expenses to your spending plan.


After a few months of working and trying out different spending plans, you will probably be able to make a spending plan that helps you spend less and save more.

Relationships with Family and Friends
Think about who can give you personal support. Expand this support group. Get to know your neighbors, and keep strong ties with friends and relatives. It's important to have at least one person you can talk to about your concerns, decisions, or when you are just having a bad day.

If there is no one available for you to talk to, look in your community for people who give counseling (in places like churches or mental health agencies) and take advantage of it. You'd be surprised how much easier it is to handle a problem when you tell someone about it.

Work on getting along with family members. Be open and honest when talking to other family members. Tell each other exactly how you feel.

Listen carefully when others are talking to you; give them your full attention.

Have family meetings. Schedule a regular time for the family to sit down and talk about everyone's concerns and feelings about how things are going at home. You might want to have a meeting every week. Allow each person to share his or her problems and ideas for solutions.

Give children a few minutes of attention after work. Even though you will probably feel exhausted when you get home from work, try to spend a short time with your children right when you get home. For older children, it may only need to be a quick hug and a few minutes of talking or playing games. This will help your children to feel more safe and content, and it may keep them from getting irritable and upset that evening. (It may save you more time later!)

Summary
Although these actions will not solve all your work and family balance issues, they may help some in your transition. By organizing your time, developing a budget, and planning family time, you are on your way to great success!


For more information:
The National Council on Family Relations
http://www.ncfr.org/Default.htm