Working and busy parents are always looking for life hacks to make their challenging lives a bit less exhausting.  Your kids, your house, your cars, your jobs, your long term plans can be overwhelming and expectations seemingly impossible.  At work, we still face the normal working persons concerns, not to mention the worry of how our “parent” status will impact our wages and career opportunities.  Once we get home, we often manage more than our fair share of housework, childcare and in general feel torn in all directions.

Tips For Busy Parents

1. Call it a day. After a certain time try to avoid work emails or calls. Not just so you have time to focus on the kids, but for your own piece of mind.  Worst case, check after the kids are in bed and make a plan for the next day.
2. Be the first one up.  Get your needs and chores met before the chaos everyone else brings tears threw your home.  If you’ve showered, had breakfast, organized your belongings it’s makes you more available to assist the smaller people getting ready in your home.
3. Stop Comparing.  Comparing yourself to other parents is a fruitless labor.  Each home is unique, each parent different, along with each child.  Everyone has their own challenges and no one is perfect.  You included.
4. Make One Dinner.  If the kids turn their noses up at the healthier dinner you’ve prepared, make some other options, but keep it one meal.  Perhaps they can pass on the steamed broccoli, but maybe they’ll be excited to try the skinless chicken breasts you’ve prepared.
5. Exercise. It’s important for your own health, but exercise will help aid you in the extra energy you need for a long day at the office and chasing the kids around at home.  Have fun with it and do family activities.
6. Make time for your significant other.  It’s important you have your own time together.  Each of you will find it easier to support each other and work as a team with the kids if you stay bonded.  There’s a reason you started a family together.  Keep that reason alive.
7. Unplug.  This is great for everyone and you should do it at least once a week.  Remember there is a world alive and happening outside of social media and video games.  Have a board game night, or do a family activity on the weekend, but make sure you take some time away from the virtual world and focus on your real life experiences together.
8. Give the kids chores.  Let the kids help in the activities around the house.  It teaches them responsibility, but it can also give you a much needed break.
9. Eat healthier.  Find a diet or a food plan that works for the whole family and start making better choices.

Despite it’s extra levels of responsibility and stress being a working or busy parent can still be one of the most rewarding lifestyles a person can choose. Both family life and the satisfaction from pursuing professional goals are in our grasp. However, finding that balance is not easy, and being the best at everything isn’t a reasonable expectation.  Finding a balance and making things more manageable is something we can do!