Balancing Work and Family (1501)

Employed parents and their children lead busy lives, with many sources of stress. Although stress is normal and can be an excellent motivator, it can get out of hand. Despite your best intentions, the struggles of balancing work and family life can be overwhelming. Becoming aware of the sources of your stress is the first step toward removing or adjusting to them.

- Monitor any increase in minor illness, sleeping problems, constant fatigue, irritability, continual complaining, tension, and pessimism. When you are overstressed, stop and find a quiet hour to yourself. Look at your schedule for the next few weeks. What tasks could you give up, delegate, or simplify?

- When you’ve collected yourself, discuss the situation with your family. Be realistic. You could say “I’m getting to the end of my rope. I don’t want to get sick or blow up. Do you have any ideas for taking the pressure off for the next few weeks?” Then, listen to their ideas; they may be very creative.

Once you’ve gotten some “breathing room,” take an honest look at your daily habits. Some ways to reduce unwanted stress include:

- Strive for a balance between personal, couple, family, community, and career goals.

- Reduce consumption of sugar, coffee, tea, cola, and chocolate.

- Schedule quiet time for yourself each day.

- Limit alcohol consumption.

- Exercise vigorously three times a week.

- Develop and spend time with a network of friends.

- Share affection.

- Stay flexible—look at unexpected changes as opportunities instead of threats.

- Laugh at yourself and with others.

These suggestions are not surprising, yet many people have difficulty incorporating them into their daily lives. Each parent and his or her family have to decide what is most important and what they are willing to trade off.

For more information on this subject, Please visit the College of Agricultural Sciences Publications Web site.

Feel free to forward, post or reprint any of the "Solutions" in their entirely, but please credit http://www.solutions.psu.edu/ as the original source of information, and please do not change the content.