Juggling home life with a family and a career whilst also trying to make sure everyone is happy can feel really overwhelming. You can’t be in two places at once, so what is the most effective way to spend your time and deal with all the stresses that come with working and having children at home? 

In this article, we will be giving you our top three tips on how to keep on top of your work stress whilst also juggling all of the uncertainties that come with having a growing family.

Plan and Do Things In Advance

Typically, it's the working days that tend to be the most busiest, with the weekends being prioritised for weekly errands and possibly, some fun activities. To help you juggle the stress of another upcoming working week, it’s vital to plan ahead and do as much in advance as you can. Especially when you have young children, it can feel like the tasks are never ending. For example, the washing of school uniforms, the packing of lunches and the unlimited amount of homework that has to be completed. But if you organise your time before Monday hits, then you may find yourself feeling more on top of these seemingly endless tasks. 

A good tip is to plan your meals ahead of time. Cooking, preparing ingredients, school lunch prepping and even food shopping can all take up a big chunk of time. On a Sunday evening, why not try sitting down and planning out what's on the menu for the week? It will make food shopping easier, as you will already have a good idea of what’s needed for the week and if you make slightly larger portions each night, you can even repackage the leftovers for the children’s school lunches. 

Negotiate Flexi Times & Holiday 

Having a career and feeling guilty for being a mum or parent in general, is a common feeling. It’s very typical, especially with new parents, to feel like having a job is taking them away from their everyday life with children. Whilst many people feel like this, it’s important for a lot of us to keep going to work and building our careers. With more money coming in, it offers a more financially secure future and general financial freedom. 

However, this is all down to personal preference and circumstances. If you are able to negotiate with your current employer about possibly getting flexi times or even if dropping down to part time would be more suited for your family life, then that could be a great route to go down for juggling both your house needs and career. 

Or, if this is not an option, then using your allotted holiday wisely is also another good option. Holiday days should be prioritised for fun, exciting things which break you away from your daily family routine and leave you feeling refreshed when you come back to your everyday life. 

Set Priorities & De-Stress

Setting yourself a list of priorities when it comes to balancing family and work life is really important. There are so many demands on our times nowadays and even a notion to be able to ‘do it all’, when it comes to raising children, having a successful career and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Like most people, you may find yourself juggling many personal and family goals, which, when it gets too much, can feel overwhelming.

Try sitting down and prioritising what you feel is of utmost importance, for example, being an involved parent, keeping a healthy relationship with your partner and spending quality time with your family can all be vital ones. Another thing to remember is to prioritise your happiness. We can feel extremely worn down and low energy if we spend too much time on things that make us miserable. We all have to do things we don’t always enjoy, but by prioritising a few fun and joyful activities which bring both you and your family a sense of contentment, you will find yourself feeling more fulfilled. When looking into these all-important priorities, remember to be firm. These are boundaries set in place to keep your family and yourself happy.

Prioritising happiness is super vital. Without you being happy, you’ll find yourself disliking most of your normal, daily tasks. Remember to take time for yourself and to destress regularly. For example, try lighting a Home Aromatherapy Candle, which will fill your space with a calming scent and help you relax further.