Time Management Guide: 5 Tips on How to Balance Work and Family Life

Do you ever feel like you’re walking on a tightrope, delicately balancing the demands of your life, worried that one misstep will throw everything off track?

If so, know that you aren’t alone. 

Research shows that a whopping 92% of working moms report feeling overwhelmed, and 89% of stay-at-home moms share the same sentiment.

It’s no secret that trying to figure out how to balance work and family can be a challenge. 

The good news? It’s not impossible.

Today, we’re sharing five tips that can help you push through the chaos, deadlines, meltdowns and dreaded mom guilt to become the #momboss you were destined to be.

1. Own the Morning

It’s nearly impossible to start the day on the right foot if you’re running on a few hours of sleep, dragging out of bed, making lunches with one eye opened and trying to curl your hair and slip on your flats while the kids finish their breakfast.

You’ve heard it before, but let’s repeat it together: Prepare the night before.

Sure, there are some tasks you can only do in the a.m. Still, there are others that you can tackle before you go to bed, including:

• Setting out clothes
• Packing lunches
• Signing homework
• Creating a to-do list

You’ll be surprised at how much time you’ll save with this simple step. Then, when that too-early alarm clock rings, you’ll have a shorter list of things to accomplish, and you can do them all with a clearer mind

2. Find a Tribe

Think about the most incredible mom bosses you know. Maybe it’s a celebrity, a social media influencer, or your colleague one office down.

Look past the powerful image and what will you likely find? A team of supporters helping that woman do it all.

From childcare workers and nannies to a circle of great girlfriends and supportive family members, find a group of people you can count on and love them well.

Worried you’ll appear weak if you let others in? Don’t be.

You’re strongest when you recognize that you can’t (and shouldn’t) tackle work and motherhood alone. With a bevy of helpers by your side, you’ll find that time management becomes easier.

This might mean hiring a babysitter two mornings a week so you can get some housework done. Or, you might arrange for a friend to keep the kids once a month so you and your partner can squeeze in a date night. Then, you can return the favor next month!

3. Create a Central Family Calendar

Today, there are more scheduling resources than ever before. You can have a separate calendar in your smartphone, work desk, home kitchen and everywhere in between.

Thus, it’s no surprise to find that you feel pulled in a million different directions, only able to give a fraction of your time and attention to the task in front of you. This also explains why important milestones get missed and deadlines pass by uncompleted.

One way to simplify your life and mind? Put it all on a calendar app.

You can create separate calendars for work, home and family, then share access to any or all of them with anyone on your contacts list. Use these to make a note of every important date and enable push notifications for reminders.

This way, everything is in the same spot and you only have to check one location!

4. Reduce Digital Distractions

How many times have you started on a household chore or work endeavor just to get sidetracked by the ding on your phone?

Whether it’s social media, emails, blogs or texting, it’s easy to get wrapped up in that alluring blue screen.

The only problem?

What begins as an innocent five-minute diversion quickly snowballs into a 30-minute scrolling session and suddenly, it’s time to pick up the kids from daycare and you’re still 20 emails away from a clean inbox.

One way to maintain your focus?

Consider installing distraction-blocking apps on your phone! From social media and email to the entire internet, these tools will block out as much or as little as you need.

That way, the temptation is temporarily squashed and you have no choice but to keep chugging along at that research report or growing pile of laundry!

5. Indulge in “Me” Time

Much of the time, our feelings of hurriedness and ill-preparedness stem from the fact that as working moms, we don’t give ourselves a break, literally and figuratively.

While no one is suggesting that you have the time to jet-set to Bali to drink Mai Tais with tiny umbrellas, you can press the “reset” button every now and again.

When you’re refreshed and well-rested, even the most jam-packed day will run smoother. 

Run a warm bath, sprinkling in Epsom salts and lavender essential oil. Pop in a Disney DVD and let the kids get lost in Wonderland while you do an at-home mani/pedi. Take a walk outside during your lunch break at work.

These little indulgences don’t have to be elaborate but use them as an opportunity to pour back into yourself so you can pour into others when you get back home. And, if you ever do get the chance to sip a fancy drink beachside in Bali, take it!

How to Balance Work and Family? Start Today

As #mombosses, we’re no stranger to doing it all. 

However, you can’t go anywhere when you’re sprinting in place. Instead of spinning your wheels trying to shoulder it all, use this list to help achieve a stronger sense of calm.

Still wondering how to balance work and family? We’d love to connect.

We’re dedicated to helping moms around the world thrive. This includes sharing how Young Living essential oils can be a welcome addition to your normal routine, helping you feel and look your best from the inside out.

Click here to learn more about how the program works, along with the ways you can use YL oils to restore your sanity, one skipped headache at a time.