I had a boss who would bring her kids to work…every week. Friday’s were all about ordering pizza, kids running around the hallways screaming and interrupted/canceled meetings. Sounds like fun, right? I’m a mom who loves my child, but I never thought it was a good idea to bring my daughter to that office beyond maybe a five minute visit. My boss didn’t exactly have it figured out, but there’s a way to balance family and business. So, with the help of Katherine Reynolds Lewis, the founder of CurrentMom.com, here are some tips.
1. Set aside some time for yourself. It’s easy to forget about taking care of you. So try to take one day off every week; on that day, don’t answer the phone, don’t do work, and I try not to worry about things that usually bother you.
2. Learn to say no. You say no to your kids all the time but you find it harder to say no when it comes to your business. It’s mandatory to say no. If you said yes to every request or opportunity or avenue of work you would be busy 24-7 with no time for your family. No doesn’t always mean no. No could mean not today or not this week but some other time that works for everyone.
3. Get help around the house. If you can afford it, outsource as much of the household work as possible so you can spend your home and family time focusing on your children and spouse or significant other, or dating life and activities that relax you and enrich your non-worklife.
