Game-Changing Tips for Balancing Work, Family, Health, and Remote Learning
Dr. Elizabeth Jennings, OTD, OTR, c/NDT
Occupational Therapist, Mindfulness and Integrative Wellness Life Coach, Empowerment Coach, Executive Coach, Organizational Development Leadership Coach, Master Intuitive Grief Coach
www.rememberyoumattercoaching.com
Who doesn’t have a lot going on? In recent months, parents’ responsibilities have increased tremendously. From juggling work, home responsibilities, and personal health, plus the added task of remote learning, it’s enough to overwhelm anyone. 21% of parents said that they had to reduce work hours to adjust to changes in school or childcare as a result of the coronavirus crisis, according to a new report from Country Financial. Not all working parents are able to change their work hours due to financial reasons, so parents need help learning how to balance it all and still stay sane and healthy to keep up with increasing life demands.
Check out these 6 practical day-to-day tips for balancing Work, Family, Health, and Remote Learning
#1 Game changer: Create a weekly/daily schedule:
Carve out time to create a weekly/daily schedule- Parents must know themselves well enough to know if a written planner or schedule book, large visible wall write-on calendar, or if an electronic spreadsheet type schedule will work best for their lifestyle. The weekly schedule should include a balanced routine and items that address tasks for the morning, midday, and nighttime that sets everyone up for success Don't stop there. The key is to also create a schedule that is visible for children in the household based on the age of the child. The schedule can vary by age for children. For younger children- have schedules with magnets of picture tasks for daily routines that need to be completed. For older children- a simple printed schedule that is placed in a sheet protector and hung on a wall in their room, on the child's door, or on the bathroom mirror or door, where they will see it often is a great visual reminder.
The Benefits of creating a weekly schedule and daily task list include decreasing the need to have to give multiple verbal reminders because everyone can reference their balanced schedule and task list. Parents should be sure to put the task and time slot that will be allotted on the schedule. Some suggestions of what parents should include for a balanced routine and schedule: Morning activities or routines that can help set up for a balanced day: prayer, meditation, reading, and exercise, and breakfast. Then, dress, work or school, lunch, list any errands or extra tasks that need to be completed on the schedule. Followed by nighttime routines- dinner, prep for the next day, and bedtime. The benefit of planning for using a weekly vs daily schedule allows time for parents to include downtime and allow flexibility in schedule also can be done by leaving some space in the 168 hour week (parents if you notice during weekend schedule planning that some time is wasted or open on your or the kid’s schedule; if you are not able to complete a task on one day parents can shift it to another spot on schedule at another day and time. Completing this schedule also gives parents the visibility to see if their day is overtasked and understand why they are feeling overwhelmed in one week. This gives parents insight on if they need to shift items to another week to not feel so overwhelmed.
#2 Game changer: Prioritizing and creating a checklist.
This second tip is vital for success. Part 2 of the scheduled task requires creating a prioritized daily task list from that schedule for both the parent and child (visual checklist). From the schedule created the night before, create a “must-do” to-do checklist. It is recommended that parents take time to brainstorm the night before all the things that must get done that day. Here is a really great way to learn to truly prioritize what is important because many parents believe everything is important. Eliminate the less important tasks that fill the day but that can be put off for another day. A great question to ask is “What do I need to include in my day that will set me up to be successful and feel a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day?” When we are able to do this type of mental pre-planning, planning, and creating a to-do task checklist the night before, then parents are less pressured or rushed throughout the day.
#3 Game changer for Mental Well-Being while balancing life: Affirmations are a must.
Everyone needs to have a personal cheerleader or encouragement squad but when people are not available words of affirmations can empower, refresh, and encourage stressed-out parents to push a little further when they feel like giving up. The key to affirmations is picking ones that really have meaning and connection to what parents are needing at various moments in life or during the day. Parents can download an affirmation app on the phone to request and receive daily ones to their phone or email. Parents can print off an affirmation list that really resonates with what they are needing most in their life. Creative parents can write and personalize their own affirmations to fit their needs. I highly suggest doing the same for kids. For younger kids, there is an empowerment affirmation list of words that parents can print and place on their bathroom mirror or refrigerator and every morning have the child pick a word and say “I am X...” and state why they feel that way. For older kids, a daily affirmation app is perfect to have sent to their phone if they have a phone. Also, an affirmation book or journal for teens can be purchased or printed. Kids can read affirmations at the beginning of the day, middle of the day, or have them sent at different times throughout the day based on need.
#4 Game changer for Mental Well-Being is to take Mental Mini breaks.
The hardest thing for many overworked and stressed out parents to do is to take a break. But that is the most essential thing to do in order to reset, refresh, and refuel the mind to think better, make wiser choices, and more strategic decisions that best serve to complete tasks and balancing time for work, family, health, and remote learning. With so much virtual work and learning, not taking a break could lead to additional health and mental problems or challenges to face: dizziness, frustration, physical body strains in the neck, shoulder, wrist, and legs from sitting too long and working overextended hours at one time on the computer.
By taking mental breaks such as 20-minute power naps, doing midday breathing or stretching exercises, intentionally taking time to step away from the computer screen for family time (having dinner together, going for quick power walks around the block, talking to kids about how their day went, watching a quick comedy clip to bring laughter and humor into parent’s life). These ideas can bring a sense of well-being and balance back to life
#5 Game changer: Setting boundaries and learning to say no will preserve parent’s time and energy.
Parents struggle with setting boundaries. Parents strive to meet everyone’s needs and tend to pour themselves into work demands and tending to children, but they neglect themselves. When parents neglect themselves and their own needs, they feel burnt out, fatigued, and develop health and medical problems from lack of time spent tending to their own vital and basic needs.
Parents who learn to set boundaries with their time and say “No” also learn to preserve the time that is necessary for essential needs such as getting a solid 7-8 hours sleep, eating healthier by scheduling simple meal preps into the schedule or weekly routine, or taking time to plan a grocery list that they can order online and pick up instead of having to do the shopping in a rushed limited amount of time or eating out regularly.
This will lead to a pattern of developing structure, discipline, and consistency for balancing the things that really matter in life while allowing parents to get the necessary work done. By saying No to optional overtime, allows parents to say yes to health (not canceling or putting off scheduling their regular check-up or routines) saying no to requests by others that impede on family time that has been scheduled or pre-planned out previously, allows parents to say yes to making quality time with family a priority and making memories that matter most, allowing time for online learning but setting boundaries on the weekend of limited work or screen time if possible to allow time for the family to get outdoors and enjoy nature to reset and renew. Setting boundaries and saying “No” develops structure/discipline/consistency in the long run.
#6 Game changer- Streamline and automate with family organizer apps;
Modern families who find it challenging to cope with the increasing demands and coordinating tasks, appointments, and due dates, could benefit from using a family organizer app to help keep them organized. As much as parents are having to be on technology more with social distancing and COVID changes, the benefits of technology are still evident. From tracking when kids have future vaccinations are due, to parents’ personal dental appointments, when to pick kids up from sports or music practices,or when virtual school assignments are due. A family organization app for smartphones helps parents to manage life easier without feeling so much pressure to remember or keep track of everything in their heads.. As a bonus, kids with smartphones can use the family organization app also. (Cozi, TimeTree, and Flayk are top 3 rated family organization apps for smartphones).
For parents who are more old school, another tip to improve productivity is to use an excel spreadsheet or put simple reminder alerts on their calendar. Parents can pre-set alerts and reminders on calendars and phones for clocks to remind them of tasks: 1 week out, 3 days prior, 1 day prior, and 1 hour prior can be helpful. This will help to organize parent’s minds to allow less for them to mentally store and remember. Setting these same alerts and automation for kids on their shared spreadsheet, phone, or calendar can also be helpful so they can be reminded of things that are coming up and prepare for them as needed without last minute notice or stress of rushing or forgetting things.