Five Fantastic Guidelines For Managing Work And Family Simultaneously

Posted on February 2, 2010
Filed Under Time Management |

They say that the best laid plans of mice and men are doomed to fail. Not sure how complicated a life a mouse might lead when we’re not watching, but it appears well nigh impossible to plan our busy lives around work and family, without any of those additional “days off” devoted to teacher training, weather or illness!

Wouldn’t it be nice if everyone and everything were flexible, schedules included and you could simply drop your work commitments at a moment’s notice to substitute care for a sickening child?!

1. Where you can – plan. It’s true that some of these days are unpredictable, but others may be scheduled ahead of time. The weather is always unpredictable of course, but snow days will only be expected during certain months of the year and inset days are almost always planned in advance, so with a bit of work, they can be placed in a schedule.

The biggest problem of all revolves around sick days, of course. Prepare and plan as best you can, as you know that these days will surely come! If planning really is a problem for you, consider professional coaching to help you get on that track.

2. Hoard your personal days. If both parents or adults in the household have regular work commitments, it’s important to try and reserve some personal days for the inevitable sick calling. Many employers these days grant a certain amount of personal days and you should talk to your Human Resources department and your line manager as you try to anticipate these scenarios.

In many cases you will not have any advance notice, so you need to look at this from every perspective and try and be fair all around.

Whichever way you look at it, there’s no denying that it helps matters if you and your partner have a sympathetic employer. It is very important that you do not use personal or sick standby days for any reasons other than they’re intended for.

3. Line up favours. If you have several children to take care of, you should come up with a backup plan as well. See if you can get some additional emergency care-giving help lined up among good neighbours or friends. Always repay these favours in any way you can. With a number of emergency backup plans in place, you’ll be able to cope when a sick child or three comes to you.

4. Stock up on vitamins. When you are coping with sick children, remember that you should pay attention to prevention as it is a lot easier than the cure. Teach your children good personal hygiene, that they should eat well, should rest well and be in good health at all times, as they will be less likely to fall victim to those annoying, smaller viruses.

5. Be a good forecaster. Keep an eye on the weather forecast during the winter months. Weather forecasting has improved much over the years and if they say there is a threat of a blizzard a couple of days ahead, you can be pretty sure and start making contingency plans now. When a school district is closed, you may well not be able to get to your work either, but if the office is open try and set-up a personal day or plan to work from home if allowed.

You might think you have to wear so many different hats, that you never know which one to put on.

These days, online life coaching is available to really help you understand this part of your “wardrobe selection!” And thankfully, coaching for women can make all the difference between managing and panicking!

Amanda Alexander is Director of Coaching Mums and a highly acclaimed ICF-accredited coach who delivers professional coaching programmes to working mums who yearn for success, balance and fulfilment. Are you a juggling mom? Download our free eBook for working moms that will give you 5 simple and instant ways to balance your life right now!

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