Top Tips To Achieve A Work-Life Balance As A New Parent

Becoming a new parent is both a great joy and a great responsibility, and for most of us the key to a happy and fulfilling family life is a good work-life balance. This may not fall easily into place straight away, and in reality probably not many new parents get in right all of the time. 

However, it can be made easier with a few smaller steps that add up to make a real difference. It’s important to remember that there's no magic formula or right or wrong way of doing things, but these  tips and suggestions may be helpful.

Stick to a regular routine

Children thrive on routine and predictability, so try to keep to the same schedule everyday. This includes getting up and eating breakfast at the same time, and having your evening meal and going to bed at the same time each day. Keep an organiser such as a wall planner or a digital app on the go to keep track of events such as dental appointments.

Young children don’t require elaborate entertainment everyday, but if you are there to bathe them and read them a short story at bedtime most evenings, it can help them to feel content and secure.

Set clear boundaries

If you work outside of the home, try not to bring your work issues home with you. Leave it all behind at your desk for the next day, and take some time to wind down and mentally switch to family mode on your way home. If you need to, take ten minutes to meditate or freshen up when you get in, so you are ready to interact with your children in a more relaxed state.

If you get home too late to share a meal with your children, try to spend ten or fifteen minutes chatting with them or doing a shared activity. Keep it light and fun whenever possible, and avoid complaining about how busy or tired you are, even if that’s how you may feel.

Share responsibilities

If you are sharing parenthood with a partner, discuss the chores that need to be done and how often, and if necessary get a rota in place to make sure that you are both doing your fair share. This may not seem very romantic, but in the long run it can avoid hidden resentments building up if one of you feels that they are doing more than their half of the work.

If you can’t reach a good compromise, outsource tasks such as cleaning to a third party, and arrange to have your shopping delivered rather than doing a supermarket run when your batteries are empty after a long day at work.

If you are a single parent, reach out to family members, friends, or community groups for help with tasks such as collecting children from nursery or taking them for a dentist appointment.

Focus on quality time

It’s often not the amount of time we spend with our children that counts, but what we do with the time available to us. Don’t feel guilty about having limited time during the working week, but do try to set aside some quality time at the weekend for some shared activities with your children.

This can be as simple as going for a walk in the park or reading a new book together. It will help you notice all those little milestones and keep in touch with their development and emerging personalities. Make sure that your children know you enjoy and value this time, even if you are tired.

Make time for you

It’s all important to have some quality time with yourself to refresh your mental and physical batteries. This may be through exercise, meditation, a pampering session, or doing something you enjoy such as baking or gardening. Don’t feel guilty, because if you are not feeling your best and looking after yourself, you can’t be at your best for the children.

Accept that it won’t always be easy

There will always be times when your schedule is up the wall and your kids seem fractious and unappreciative of your efforts. Remember that this is not evidence of your incompetence as a parent, but it happens to the best of us sometimes! Try to see the lighter side and not let hiccups get you down.

Ultimately, these don’t matter in the long run, and the effort you put into developing a good work-life balance will be rewarded with a stronger and happier family unit.