How can I better Balance my Career with my Parenting Role?
Have you ever rushed home from a highly stressful day at work, only to find yourself snapping at your kids, drowning in guilt as you juggle the demands of your corporate career with parenthood?
This is something that is topical in my coaching sessions of late, especially as a return to the office, at least a couple of days per week, is part and parcel of many senior corporate roles.
Women are particularly prone to suffering from ‘human giver syndrome’ where we feel we need to give, give, give and when we are not being all things to all people, the guilt creeps in, fuelling feelings of self-doubt, negatively impacting on performance in all areas of life.
If this resonates, here are a few simple tips to work on:
1.🤔 Self-Awareness
Snapping at our kids is a natural reaction when we arrive home in a state of fight or flight as it is a highly emotive state. Start to notice patterns, specific days or meetings where you are most triggered.
2. 🧘♀️ Choose what works for you.
Staying on top your stress in the workplace is ultimately where you want to be, however that can be challenging in the current climate but you do not want to be coming in the door to a busy household in a highly stressed state. Prioritise a calming technique that works for you in those moments where you transition from your corporate role, to your role as a parent.
This could be a brisk walk, short meditation, or a deep breathing technique. Whatever you choose, make it a non-negotiable, helping you arrive home in a calmer state of mind. It can take as little as 5 minutes.
3.🙊 . Communicate with Your Children
Children are much more clued in and resilient than we give them credit for. Explain that your role is stressful, and sometimes you snap unintentionally. Put your hand up and own it when it happens.
Allow them to help. For many years I used the green zone (calm) and the red zone (definitely not calm) metaphors with my kids. They were very prompt in informing me when I needed to go back out the door, get out of red zone and come back in, in the green zone. It turned into a great game where I could also ask them to move zones when they were about to explode.
4 ❕ Create Boundaries
Establish clear boundaries between work and home life. When you're with your family, be fully present. Close away your work devices and avoid checking emails or taking calls unless it's absolutely necessary. Children (and spouses) are very quick to notice whether or not you are fully present. Remember that quality trumps quantity, so make sure the time you do spend with family is meaningful.
5. 💗 Embrace imperfection
None of us get it right all of the time. Embrace the imperfection, and instead of defaulting to your inner critic at a perceived failure, try curiosity instead - What did I learn from that experience? What could I do differently the next time? Isn’t is interesting that it was today with that particular meeting last in my diary that I came home frazzled.
The balancing act is challenging, but not impossible. By introducing these tips you can take a step towards being the best version of you both in your professional and personal life.
Interested in learning more about how a coaching programme could help you to rise and thrive at the top without compromising on all other areas of your life? Why not reach out and book in your complimentary discovery call here