Balancing work and family can be a difficult situation. Both work and family command our attention, and it is hard to separate the two of them when it is time to prioritize our lives. When fathers have young children at home, they may often feel guilty that they are not spending as much time with them as possible. Children grow up quickly, and it is important to make memories with them which will last a lifetime. At the same time, work requires our dedication. Supporting a family with a rigorous full-time job is stressful.
Seth Whitmer, a leader in the healthcare industry, gives 7 tips on how fathers can balance home and work for a more fulfilled life.
1. Shift Work Hours
If possible, it is a good idea to shift your working hours so that you are home more in the evenings with your children. Getting up and going to work early is hard at first, but as your schedule resets itself, you will become accustomed to it. When you come home at an earlier hour, you will have more time to spend with your children before they go to bed. If you are at home and fully present, you will be able to enjoy such special activities as reading to your children at bedtime. You will also be there to eat dinner with your children, which is a vital bonding activity for families.
2. Create Clear Boundaries
If you can, create clear boundaries between home and work. Set specific hours when you will not respond to work texts or emails. Ideally, these should overlap with the dinner hour and with the children’s bedtime. If you are in a position to do so, restrict the amount of work you and your coworkers take home. Too many fathers find themselves fielding business emails in off-hours, giving their spouses and children the impression that they are less important than work.
3. Watch Out for Device Use
Too many parents are glued to their electronic devices like phones, laptops, and tablets, causing them to miss out on spending time with their children. When young children see their parents on their devices constantly, they model this behavior and want to spend more time using electronics on their own. By the time the children are older, the whole family gathers around their devices rather than enjoying a special time together.
Discourage this trend by creating a central charging hub in your home. Have specific times when everyone plugs in their electronics and spends time playing games and make-believe or doing homework. When children see that parents are putting their devices aside in favor of spending time with them, they will feel better about themselves. It will also help to model healthy habits for relaxation and stress relief.
4. Do Hobbies Together
Whether your family likes to hike, bike, or play board games, it is a great idea to spend time together on a favorite activity. Children and adults will look forward to these activities each weekend, giving them ways to build positive memories.
5. Take Time to Volunteer
When you spend time volunteering in your children’s activities, you will have a closer bond with your children and also enjoy the satisfaction of giving back to the community. If you coach your daughter’s soccer team or help with your son’s Scout troop, you will be able to spend more time with your kids and build memories with them. You can also make adult friends through these activities, giving you a valuable resource.
6. Take Time for Yourself
When you feel like you are constantly being pulled apart by the demands of home and work, you will need to take some time for yourself. Spend time with your adult friends. Do a hobby by yourself such as woodworking. This will help you to center yourself and feel less stressed overall. When you have a more balanced worldview, you will be able to meet home and work challenges alike.
7. Bond with Your Spouse
Spending one-on-one time with your spouse will make you a better husband and father. Make your relationship a priority and you will be happier, leading to better parenting. It is also healthy for children to see that their parents are happy together. Spending time together on date nights or doing a hobby together will help you bond with your spouse. It is likely that your spouse needs help with their work-life balance as well.
Adjust Your Priorities
When you are looking for a positive balance between work and family, it is vital that you prioritize your activities. You may regret spending less time with your family, but you will never regret spending less time at the office. Seth Whitmer recommends that all fathers make home life the most important thing in their lives.
