StrIf you found more than a few areas of stress on our survey, the following suggestions may help you balance work and family.
The Little Picture: Taking Charge of Daily "Flash Points"
Try small changes in the most stressful times of the day. Capture the "flash points" for tension and conflict that tend to occur at the same time each day.
Wake-up Time:
• Get to bed and get up earlier
• Rise early so you can avoid pressure to leave
• Get ready before waking others
• Have your children make their own lunches
• Encourage your spouse to share tasks
• Take time for breakfast
• Set your clocks ahead to give yourself a built-in time cushion
• Reward yourself for arriving at work on time
Pick-up/Dinner Time:
• Prepare nutritious snacks in advance
• Build in time to listen about a child's day
• Transition from work to home life with a change of clothes
• Share household chores with family members
• Allow your child to choose and help prepare his or her meals
• Coordinate meal preparation time with homework time
• Gather everyone at the meal table, and listen to each person
• Share cleanup of the dishes and the house
• Leave time for emergencies
• Make the next day's lunches before bed
Clean-up/Bedtime:
• Stick with an agreed TV cutoff time
• Create and stick to a schedule for routine tasks (homework, clean-up)
• Do a few maintenance chores daily (bills, dusting)
• Arrange items "to go" in a familiar place
• Plan what to wear tomorrow before going to bed
• Develop bedtime routines for each family member that can be self-managed
• Practice "rest-time" even if children can't sleep
The Big Picture: Taking Charge of Life
Plan Ahead:
• Prioritize your activities; let the lower priorities slide
• Schedule and budget your time, just like your finances
• Maintain good nutrition, regular exercise, and adequate sleep
• Create and stick to a financial budget
Work Together:
• Encourage cooperation among all family members
• Promote self-reliance; aim to have each individual manage their own routine
• Communicate clearly and frequently
• Forgive and forget
Learn from Experience:
• Provide safety and support, and ask for the same in return
• Think before you speak
• Describe rather than judge others' behaviors
• Create shared goals for improved communication, and develop a plan to successfully achieve them
• Try and try again, and support each other's efforts
Enjoy Time Together:
• Create time to relax together
• Laugh together
• Plan fun activities to liven up your routine
• Celebrate special occasions
Source: University of Wyoming Cooperative Extension Service
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