Balancing Work And Home

By Hilary Basile

According to a Time magazine article, there is a trend for people bowing out of the rat race (or at least contemplating it). Many are realizing that what really matters in life is having time for family and friends, rest and relaxation. To do this means changing one’s career, learning to live with less, or moving to a quieter place. Or, a less radical approach may be to leave work earlier to spend more time with the kids. Following are some tips for balancing work and home.

Avoid the Morning Rush

• Go to bed 15 minutes earlier than usual and wake up 15 minutes earlier to allow more time to get organized to leave the house in the morning
• Lay clothing out the night before to make morning dressing hassle-free
• Finish your personal morning routine (shower, getting dressed, etc.) before the kids wake up
• Keep necessary items, such as your car keys, purse, briefcase and school backpacks, in a consistent location for ease of locating during the morning rush
• Empower your children to get themselves organized (if they’re older) by making their own lunches the night before, laying out their clothes, packing up their school supplies, etc.
• Ask your spouse with help in organizing for the following day
• Set the table for breakfast the night before
• Set your clocks and watches ahead 5 to 10 minutes to keep you on schedule (yes, it’s psychological but it does tend to work)

Mealtime

• Prepare meals ahead of time (on non-work days) that can be frozen then used for meals during the work week
• Shop with the kids to make sure they select options they will eat
• Provide nutritious appetizers before dinner to give you time to prepare the meal
• Pack lunches the night before

Bedtime

• Be consistent with the bedtime schedule
• Develop a routine so your children know it’s almost bedtime, such as taking a bath, brushing their teeth, reading books, singing songs, etc.
• Shut the TV off to encourage bedtime
• Tell your children they need to stay in their rooms and do quiet activities, such as reading, until they are tired enough to fall asleep

Be Organized

• Keep forms and messages on a central bulletin board
• Make a list of items to be done
• Maintain a calendar with important items noted, such as school events and doctor appointments
• Place mail in one location

Hilary Basile is a writer for http://www.myguidesusa.com The MyGuidesUSA.com network of sites is the ultimate guide to the USA. Individual portals offer valuable tips and resources for dealing with life’s major events. Find parenting tips and resources at http://www.myguidesusa.com/becomingaparent

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