It can be extremely difficult to manage a work-life balance as a parent,let alone working from home on the school holidays. It is totally normal to feel overwhelmed when trying to find the balance between producing solid work and caring for your kids. Being a parent often feels in conflict with getting your job done and is not something you should feel obliged to put on the back burner. As the longest school holidays of the year are underway, we have some quick helpful tips to better manage working from home and spending time with your kids…
Speak to your manager
Have a friendly conversation with your manager regarding flexible hours. You might be surprised, but most businesses are willing to offer flexibility especially when their employees have worked with the company for a substantial amount of time. Asking for reduced hours and taking time off all together could be negotiated for working longer hours during the school term or taking leave without pay. Working from home can also offer the flexibility to choose your start and end time. In the case where you may want to eat dinner with your kids or go for a walk with them in the morning, it could prove to be beneficial to ask your manager if you could start earlier and finish later, or vice versa.
Establish healthy boundaries
Establishing boundaries with both your family and your manager is essential. If you don’t necessarily work a traditional 9-5, it can be difficult for your children to differentiate between when you are working and when you are on parent duty.
Therefore, it is recommended to create ‘work’ and ‘play’ areas in your home. Your children are more likely to understand that you are working when you create a workspace and thus are less likely to disturb you. On the other hand, it can be beneficial to hold your ground with your manager regarding the workload during the school holidays. Don’t overload yourself with jobs that will burden you with overtime hours – be transparent and say no when you have to.
Plan ahead
Planning for the school holidays ahead of time can save you stress in the long run. The holidays are an important time for you and your family to bond, so there is nothing worse than a grumpy and overwhelmed parent during this time. Start ahead of the holidays by finalising your most important work tasks and create a realistic schedule that maps out your time with the kids. Avoid committing to too many things, and remember that you do not have to say yes to everything. If plans do change, make sure you communicate effectively with both your manager and children.
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Striking a balance during the holidays can be achieved, it just takes the right approach. At Majer Recruitment, we foster a collaborative, transparent, and flexible approach to work environments which enables a positive culture. Contact us – we’d love to help guide you on finding the ideal work-life balance during school holidays that benefits your business and your employees.
