Creating a better work-life balance

Single-income households have decreased dramatically over the last several decades, and escalating costs of living have made it dif¿cult for many families to get by on just one income. In Arkansas, 53% of women aged 16 and older are in the civilian labor force, according to the Institute of Women’s Policy Research as of 2015. In Benton and Washington Counties, that rate is over 56%.

Women own 33% of businesses in the state of Arkansas. According to the 2015 Status of Women in Arkansas report card, 28% of families in the state are headed by single women. That’s above the national average.

Many women may be struggling to balance work and family. Even for women who don’t work outside the home, or working women who don’t have families, balancing their own needs and the needs of others—bosses, family members, coworkers, employees, neighbors—is vital to overall health and well-being.

)eelings of being pulled in too many directions can cause stress. According to Mental Health America, stress can compromise a person’s ability to concentrate, lead to feelings of irritability or depression, negatively affect personal relationships, and weaken immune systems, increasing a person’s susceptibility to a variety of ailments.

Women shouldn’t be afraid to tweak a routine, think outside the box and change things up if they are feeling overwhelmed by conÀicting responsibilities. The following strategies can make the job of balancing work, life and family a little less hectic.

- Establish your priorities. Make a list of the things that are most important to you. Having this list put on paper can make goals more attainable. Think about the main things you want to focus on in life and go from there.

‡ /earn to manage your time. 2ne of the keys to creating a work-life balance is to hone your time management skills, to ¿t more in without feeling rushed or anxious. Start by determining just how much time you need to perform certain tasks. Then divide up the day accordingly. You may ¿nd that by waking up an hour earlier each day, you achieve a lot more without affecting your well-being.

‡ 'on’t procrastinate. Stick to your schedule so you don’t feel stressed and as if you are constantly rushing around. Complete one item before you move on to the next.

‡ Communicate effectively with your bosses. A major concern many women have as they attempt to balance work and family is that they are not spending enough quality time with their children and spouses. Communicate honestly with your bosses or colleagues if you feel like work is negatively impacting your home life. Supervisors may be Àexible and receptive if it means keeping good employees happy and productive. Bosses may allow you to work from home or be willing to arrange a Àex schedule.

‡ 8se your vacation days. According to recent study from Project Time 2ff, 55 percent of Americans did not use their full allotment of vacation days in 2015. That translated to 658 million unused vacation days. Examine your vacation day usage and resolve to use them all. By taking vacation days on national holidays when schools are closed, you can squeeze in more family time.

‡ 8nplug at home. When spending time at home, disconnect from your devices, especially those that connect you to work. Making yourself too available for work can be a detriment to your health.

‡ 'ivide your responsibilities. Allow family members to tackle some household duties to free up more time to spend together.

‡ Schedule a mental break each day. Give yourself time to perform one activity per day that you really enjoy. This will help you recharge and manage stress even further.