In order to reduce stress and enjoy a fulfilled life, you need to balance work time and family time. This may be difficult if you work from home or work on-call, but there are solutions for every situation. At our family counseling centers in Michigan, we have helped many working parents create a manageable schedule for their busy lives. Here are some tips to find harmony between work and home.
Make The Most Of Family Bonding Moments
When you’re spending time with the family, your focus should be entirely on the family. For instance, if you eat dinner as a family, there should be no cell phones at the table. If you are watching a movie together, it should be a movie for everyone. Find new hobbies to do together as a family, like board game nights or outdoor activities. You can adjust these hobbies as your kid’s age so you always have a chance to bond as a family.
Take Vacations When Possible
Family vacations are great bonding opportunities. You can escape from the stress of work and school and focus on making memories as a family. You don’t have to spend a fortune to have a family vacation. You could spend a weekend at a nearby city or stay with family members in other states. The time you spend together is what matters most of all.
Leave Work at Work
It’s important to set boundaries between your work life and personal life. You may have to bring a project home every once and a while, but most of your work needs to stay at work. Once you leave the office, try to forget about work until the following day. Postpone email replies and other work-related activities until you’re back in the office.
If you work in your house, you can still leave work a work. Set a schedule for yourself, and don’t do any extra work past a certain point in the day. If you have a special office you do your work in, you can close it off when it’s not in use. The goal here is to do everything you can to get your mind off work when you’re with the family.
Maintain A Separate Work Phone
If you have one cell phone for work and one for personal use, you can leave the work on in the car when you aren’t working. That way you won’t be tempted to check your emails or talk to a client when you are with your family. You can simply focus on your alone time with the children and then respond to your phone when you get back to work. Cell phones are incredibly distracting, and you may not even notice that your smartphone is a problem. If your employer can provide you with a work phone, take up the opportunity to balance your work and family time.
Give Your Children Undivided Attention
One of the biggest sources of family conflicts is poor communication. If your children are willing to open up about their problems, you have to be willing to listen. What they’re going through may not seem significant to you, but it is important to them. Take the time to truly listen to what your child has to say, and provide valuable feedback that shows your support. Not only will this ease their worries, but it will also show them how to respond to conflicts in the future.
If you are interested in our family counseling services in Michigan, contact Perspectives Of Troy Counseling Centers. We have specialists in many areas of family therapy, including blended family counseling and divorce prevention. Contact one of our locations in Metro Detroit, MI to schedule an appointment.