10 Realities About Creating a Work-Life Balance 

Most people struggle to find a balance between work and their personal lives. There is so much popular wisdom out there that can make you feel like you’re failing when, in reality, your situation is completely normal. Here are 10 truths about the elusive work-live balance, especially while parenting.

1. There’s No Such Thing as Balance

It’s impossible to not bring work home sometimes or to never have your kids’ needs come into play while you’re at work. 

2. Good Time Management Means Prioritizing

Rather than trying to always devote the same amount of time to each part of your life, find your balance by setting appropriate priorities.

3. You Can’t Have Everything

Sometimes you have to let something go in order to reach your goals. Today it might be working out, tomorrow it might be your friend’s barbecue.

4. Flexibility is Key

Even if you’ve set time aside for your health, parenting, or a vacation, you may have to take a call or answer an email during it.

5. You Can’t Rely on Technology

Although you can get some help from automating certain processes, you will still need to actually talk to people from time to time.

6. Balance Isn’t Everything

Just finding time for family and work isn’t enough, it’s important to feel engaged and appreciated on the job while you’re there.

7. Early Hours Mean Longer Days

Getting up early doesn’t work for everyone’s internal clock, and may not be good for your health over time as it makes your days longer.

8. Work Time and Parenting Time Can Blur

Give yourself permission to keep working when you’re in the zone, but also let yourself spend more time hanging out with your family when it feels right.

9. Fewer Work Hours Isn’t the Answer

There’s a tendency to think that balance is achieved by restricting work hours, but this isn’t necessarily true. 

10. You Can’t Schedule it All

Scheduling your life to the minute is going to make you more stressed, not less. You need some time to be able to breathe, as well as for unexpected things come up, both for work and for pleasure.

If you’ve felt like finding a true balance between work and home life is impossible, don’t worry– it is! That’s not to say that you should ignore time management completely when trying to juggle the demands of your job, parenting, taking care of your health, and having fun. But it’s important to leave some space for the unexpected, and not to beat yourself up when things don’t go according to your original plan.