Tips for working parents to manage their time and stress.

Raising kids when you both are working can be like juggling multiple responsibilities at one time. Most parents are still struggling with finding balance in their work life and home care and child care.

I am a mother of two daughters, working professional for 15 years, and looking after a personal venture for 5 years. I had been in the caretaking role of my daughters since the beginning, It was not a single day that I thought to quit everything and become a full-time homemaker. It was difficult But I managed my hurdles bit by bit. So this is me finding satisfaction in what I do, I don’t want to be a superpower in my profession nor do I want to be a supermom. I just want to maintain my physical and mental health while being a mediocre working parent.

Here I would like to share some of the tips that work for me in managing my time, efforts, and stress.

1.  A Structured routine: A routine with structure helps to have equal dedicated time for work, child care, self-care, and home care. This routine helps gain stability and consistency.
2. Make a priority list: focus on categorizing tasks into high priority and low priority. Try doing essential things like food prep, laundry, and childcare on daily basis. Tasks that can be suspended or done later, park them in the waiting list.
3. Utilize childcare and support systems: Well having these privileges like support staff, nannies or family members living next to you is quite difficult. But if possible we should explore these options like hiring someone for few hours at home, day care or sending children to some relatives house.
4. Communicate about this concern in the office: As these concerns are so sensitive, it can be discussed with higher officials, so that some work arrangements like work from the office, and night shifts can be done.
5. Share responsibilities with partner- Caretaking roles can be divided among the partners so that stress on one person can be reduced.
6. Ask for help: Don't be afraid to reach out to friends, family, or community resources for support. Accepting help can go a long way in reducing stress.
7. Put your home chores on automation mode- develop a self-help skill “less is more”. Like getting ready to cook meals, getting some sauces ready for easy meal preps, Use lot of automatic equipment like washing machines, food processors, dishwashers, vacuum cleaners to reduce time.
8.  Set boundaries and learn to say no: It's okay to decline non-essential commitments or responsibilities that add to your workload.
9. Carve out self-care time: Make sure to schedule time for yourself, even if it's just a few minutes a day. This can include activities like exercise, meditation, or simply taking a break.
10. Practice stress management techniques: Engage in stress-reducing activities, such as deep breathing, journaling, or talking to a therapist, to help manage your mental and emotional well-being.

The key is to find a balance that works for your family and to be willing to adjust your approach as your children's needs change over time.