Work-life balance? Ever heard about that? or struggling to maintain a healthy work-life balance while nurturing family time?

With a lot in your head and mind, if you feel like you are juggling two parallel worlds, from attending work meetings to taking out time to spend with your family, it is still a fruitful dream for many to live.

But do not lose all of our hopes yet; the world is still a better place, and with some management and changes, you can cherish the most beautiful moments with your family. So, fear not, even if you are a working individual and want to spend time with your parents, or if you are already a parent and want some practical tips to foster your connection with your little kids.

Whatever stage of life you are at, you do not have to be stressed. We have curated some of the applicable tips and a little pinch of humour to help you enjoy your life once again by balancing time with work and family. So, tighten your seatbelts and scroll down!

Tips to manage work-life balance

Scheduling is an art 

Knowing what you are supposed to do is the key to having a work-life balance. Always remember, you can be juggling from your relationships to your work, from your personal life to corporate, and so on.

That’s why it is vital to acknowledge what you are going to do each day. What is your time to get up, and how do you plan your day? So, you don’t waste your precious time on the hustle.

Plan your days and weeks; this is the only way to have family priorities. Set it up with your children, friends, and other team members; let them know your availability so the productive manners of anyone cannot be stopped.

Know when to sacrifice  and what’s negotiable 

Let’s accept that going over the moon and not finding your back isn’t going to work in this case. If you have started your start-up, it is natural that you have to spend your time with your business to make it known and stand tall. And in that period, finding a work-life balance can be hard or next to impossible. To nurture family time, you should know where you can negotiate and when you have to sacrifice.

 For example, you can reduce the number of events you have to attend that is not necessary to spend time with your family and be more confident with them. Try to reach your home when you get free from work. On some days, you can try to watch some movies together, have a healthy conversation with your loved ones, even on lazy monsoon days, and learn to differentiate between what is business and what is not to find the attainable balance in your life.

Keep your friends and family closer 

Yes! I know it may sound cheesy to some people when it comes to work and keeping your family close. But trust me, it is the only way to survive in the professional world when you have your family and friends close to you. You cannot even take a step forward without their help. Suppose your child is sick and you have to go to an important meeting. 

What will you do? If your family members are close to you, they will look out for your child and also assist you in not taking stress or getting anxious. Likewise, if they need your help to look over their child or their home, you can do the same and return the favour. So, be positive and do not find yourself juggling between your work and family, especially when there is a definite pathway to having the ideal work-life balance.

Embrace flexibility 

If your work allows it, explore flexible work options such as remote work or flexible hours. You can try to negotiate flexible arrangements that can accommodate your family’s needs. Flexibility can give you more opportunities to spend quality time with your family, attend school events, or engage in shared activities.

However, if you are a young entrepreneur, then you are not bound to anyone except your passion. You do not have to follow the 9-5 pattern, so establish your schedule, be creative, and use flexibility to your advantage rather than sticking with the status quo (current situation).

Unplug and disconnect

In the era of technology and the hyperconnected world, it’s crucial to make your distance from social media and get disconnected from technology to immerse yourself in nurturing family time.  Create “tech-free zones” or designated “no-screen time” during family activities. This ideal practice helps you to get fully engaged with your loved ones, encourages meaningful conversations and strengthens your family. 

Communicate and involve 

Maintain open and honest communication with your family members about your work commitments and the importance of family time. This step won’t make them disheartened, and you will also have less mistrust within your family.

 Moreover, try to involve your family in decision-making processes regarding family activities or events. In this way, you can easily create a direct connection and a sense of ownership to ensure that everyone’s needs and interests are considered and that no one feels left out just because of your work commitments and your busy schedule.

Follow the Ivy-Lee method 

You would be shocked to know that the famous Ivy-Lee method is a 100-year-old strategy for helping people become more productive at work. Every night, whenever your kids or other family members go to sleep, take out a notebook, make a list, and write down the six most important things you have to do the next day.

When you wake up, make your mind start following the list from the most important thing to the least one, and whatever remains unfinished, move it to the next day.

By using this method, you can easily attain a work-life balance, as this trick helps you plan and prepare for tomorrow so that you leave with less stress and more energy to finish more important work.

Foster-work life Integration 

Strive to integrate work and personal life harmoniously. Look for ways to involve your family in your professional life, such as by inviting them to company events or planning sporadic family-friendly get-togethers. Similarly,  include elements of your private life into your professional life, such as putting up pictures of your family or having engaging conversations about them. Work and family life becomes more harmonious and balanced as a result of this integration.

Getting perfect in the art of batching

The idea is simple, yet it may sound a little complicated to some people. To nurture family time, all you have to do is combine similar tasks and perform them at once. This way, you not only save time for yourself and your family but also get peace of mind and more time to think about what you can do next and how you can plan things to get more success or a positive change in your career. 

For example, if you have meetings to attend daily, keep aside one day per week to have all of your meetings; similarly, you do not have to check your emails every time you land your hand on your cellphone or laptop; just set aside three to four-time intervals in a day when you can check all of your emails.

In the end, I just want to say to corporate employees and entrepreneurs that any advice won’t work if you try to find perfection in every task you do or every step you take to maintain a precise work-life balance. The same goes for families and people with children.

No matter how hard you try, no matter what steps you take, there will be some mistakes and not complete perfection. There will be some days when things won’t go according to plan, your health won’t be good, or you won’t be able to follow your skin-care routine and eat that crunchy chocolate. But if you do not give up and your will remains high as always, then I am sure you will knock out everyone and shut their mouth.

 So do the first thing and believe in yourself; trust the timing; never abandon your family and friends; and do the right thing to find work-life balance and live the life you desire.