There are two monumental areas of our lives that are also the most demanding– our careers and our families. It can be a delicate and sometimes difficult balance, especially if your child has special needs and requires more attentive care. With just a few tips, you can make balancing parenting with your high-level career feel a little more level.
1. Set Boundaries
Setting clear boundaries between work and home life is imperative. While life happens, you'll want to try and stick to them as much as possible. If you're constantly tied to your emails, even on your days off– it can be hard to give your family and special needs child the attention they deserve. Consider setting specific times to check your emails or commit to limiting how often you check them.
2. Prioritize and Delegate
As a parent and high-level career person, time will be demanding, and sometimes, there won't be enough of it. Remember, you surround yourself with a team for a reason– utilize them. Know how and when to prioritize your tasks and delegate where possible.
3. Make the Most of Your Time
Focus on ensuring you spend your time as productively as possible while working. Think of ways your work can be streamlined to reduce distraction and wasting precious minutes of your time. Don't forget to take breaks and recharge.
4. Ask for Help
Reach out to your partner, family, and friends when you need support. Whether it's a listening ear or picking up your child from an after-school program– a strong support system can help offset some of the burden of balancing parenting and your career. If you have a child with special needs such as autism, Cerebral palsy or ADD/ADHD; you may consider bringing a qualified Care Professional into your home to help give your child the individualized care they need.
5. Self-care is More Than A Buzzword
It's hard to be a good parent and be successful in the workplace if you're not taking time for yourself. Self-care doesn't have to be spending an afternoon at the spa or embarking on a mini-vacation– it can be as simple as exercising, meditating or reading your favorite book.
6. Flexibility
Balancing family-life with a demanding career is an ongoing process, and it is inevitable that family-life and workplace demands will shift. Staying flexible and aware of this will keep you open to finding new ways to manage responsibilities as your career evolves and your family grows.