Work-Life Balance for ParentsSýnishorn

Work has been with us since the beginning of creation. So has rest. Finding a balance between the two, especially when we have spouses and children, is difficult. But leaving work at work, particularly in our thoughts, is so important for our parenting and home life.

John Brandon, the author of the 7 Minute Productivity Solution, offers a story of feeling overstressed and overworked. He writes, “Joy is a decision we have to make. We choose joy or we choose sorrow.” His way of finding joy was to wrestle with his four kids, the youngest only three at the time. He continues, “What happened next is quite revealing. Joy filled me up. I was remarkably productive the next day, and then the next.”

Whatever it is for you, make sure you do it on a regular basis. Find something to do with your kids that fills you with joy and distracts you from work, and you will carry that joy into the next day at work. Not only does focusing on our children after work makes us better parents, but it also creates a routine of joy in our lives that we carry into our workplaces as well.

Perhaps that sounds too simple. Perhaps you already do this with your children and still carry the stress you experienced at work throughout the day-long after your kids are in bed.

My brother-in-law was working in such a stressful, competitive work environment that he noticed he carried that “efficiency” into his home life too. Fast, efficient, orderly -- that doesn’t work with a 3 and 1-year-old. So he quit his job. But maybe quitting your job isn’t an option for you.

One can get distracted by the nuances of an unhealthy work environment, but everyone can also make small steps to make such work environments more bearable. Doing joyful things with your kids each day can be one thing. Creating a routine of family devotions is another. Creating routines that free you to have periods of time when you don’t use your phone or check email is essential. Talking through the day’s stresses with your spouse or friend is another good habit to develop.

Choosing joy isn’t easy, in fact. In his book, Brandon mentions we are wired toward negativity. Evaluating our lives and creating joy-focused routines is a great way to start separating our work and home life. It naturally allows us to focus on the joy of our kids and distracts us from the stress that work often brings.