Building and operating a business can be challenging, especially if you're also in charge at home. After a busy morning of getting everyone else ready for their day, you may not feel as ready to get to work.
Likewise, after a long day at work, all of the tasks you have to do to keep your house in order probably seem overwhelming. Here’s a little bit of advice on how to juggle a busy life at home and at work.
Let Go of Stress
Taking care of problems both at work and at home can lead to feeling stressed or overworked, which can make it difficult to work effectively or enjoy time with your family. It may help to get a little bit of “alone time” between work and your family whether it’s before you go to work or just after you get home.
For example, you might try leaving for work early and listening to your favorite music in the office, or go for a jog right when you get home. This will give you a chance to unwind and clear your head from the stresses of working or taking care of the household.
Find Quality Childcare
You may have a hard time staying focused at work if you're concerned about the care that your children are getting while you're not around. Make sure that you find nannies and babysitters that you trust completely, and that you feel are competent to be there for your kids while you're away.
If you'll be hiring help for childcare, make a list of all of the criteria that you think are essential in a caregiver. If they're missing anything on that list, they may not be the right childcare provider for you.
See if you can set up a trial day with the prospective nanny or babysitter so that you can see how they get along taking care of your kids while you're still there. That way, you'll have no worries while you're trying to take care of your business.
Stay Organized
Being disorganized or planning activities at the last minute can have a negative impact on your mood and your work efficiency. Try to keep your home and work area clean and well-organized so that you don't have to sort through clutter to get things done.
At home, this could be as simple as establishing a place to keep everything that you use regularly. You won't have to worry about finding your keys if you put them in the same place every time you come home.
Bring the Two Together
Last but not least, preventing your home life from interfering with your professional life often means keeping the two separate whenever possible. Instead, find ways to combine the two however you can.
For example, rather than withdrawing to a home office while you try to get business-related work done at home, get your kids and your partner involved. Even if they don't have any advice to provide when it comes to maintaining your business, talking to them about what's happening at work will give you a chance to vent.