Effective work life routines
(First of a series)
When you are a working parent, things can turn toxic fast. Aside from working yourself to the bone in the office, you have to make sure that your children are well taken care of. It can get overwhelming to try to balance everything. Amidst looming deadlines and dealing with your boss or co-workers, you also have to worry about your kids’ safety, nutrition and homework.
With all the stress and pressures of working and parenting, how can you manage and keep your sanity?
One great solution I have learned is establishing effective routines.
I must admit, I was never fond of routines. I used to think that it cramped my creative flair so I live a free- wheeling life with not much rules and no strict schedules to worry about. But now that I am a mom to two growing preschoolers, with a career and several staff to manage, I have learned the following:
Routines lessen the need for decision-making. Everyday, we face so many decisions that we have to make. It can be as small as what to eat for breakfast or as big as whether you should move to a home that is closer to your kids’ school or your office. Imagine if you have to make decisions about all the little things every minute of the day, you’d easily lose your sanity. But having a routine—a regular set of things to do—will allow you to lessen the little decisions you have to make daily so that you can focus on the more important ones.
Routines give you a sense of
order. Having a set routine gives you a daily schedule that you can follow. It allows you to have a sequence of things to do that will give you, your kid or staff a sense of order. The sense of order that comes with having a routine will help your kid know what to do daily when they come home from school. For instance, if your kids want to watch TV, a good routine will set in their minds that they should do their homework first. They will be trained to follow your
rules and schedule because their mind and body clock will be used it. This will lessen the pleading, whining and negotiating that comes with parenting wilful children.
Routines show an image of
reliability. When you have a routine, it makes you a bit predictable. This is not necessarily a bad thing for everyday business operations. Having a set routine allows your staff to know what to expect from you at work so that they are ready when it is time to check their progress on projects. It lessens the guessing game and allows people to be prepared. When people know what to expect from you, they will see you as reliable. They will get a basic sense that you can be counted on to be there at the time and place you are expected to be.
Routines provide you time for important things. When you have a set schedule, you will inadvertently give yourself time to do the things that you need to prioritize. If your
concentration gets thrown off because of a work interruption, a quick review of your routine will help you reset and stay on track. It will keep away timewasters because you will be able to sort through what is important and what is not. It will allow you to do your own work and mind your own responsibilities first before getting dragged to help out your co- workers. Although it is good to assist your colleagues, it may be counter-productive when you have to sacrifice your own job to do so. A routine will remind you of this.
Routines allow you to balance
your work life. Knowing when and how to do things will allow you to allot sufficient time to do your work, but also save the much needed time to take care of your family. If you develop a good routine for both areas of your life, it will help you balance your life. When things get toxic or overwhelming, a routine will keep you sane. It will help you manage your work life better because you, your family, and your work team will have something to guide you that you can all rely on.
The question is: How can you develop an effective work-life routine that you, your kids, and your staff can follow? Wait for the next article for some tips and practical advice.
JHOANNA O. GAN-SO is the president of Businessmaker Academy, HR Club Philippines and Teach It Forward Organization. Her organization offers business, finance, human resource seminars and corporate training. For more information, visit www.businessmaker-academy.com and www.hrclubphilippines.com. You may also call (2)687-4645. E-mail your comments and questions to mbworklife@gmail.com.