How to Juggle Family and Career

Trying to do a juggling act between being a dad and maintaining a successful career can turn your home life into a three-ring circus. On the one hand, you want to be a good father and spend as much time with your children as you can. On the other hand, you have responsibilities at work and you want to continue to excel at your job to make a great living for your family. But there will undoubtedly be times when you are so tired that you simply feel like you can't even function. Here are some tips to help you continue to excel at your job even when you feel like all you want to do is take a nap.

1. Don't sweat the small stuff - Yes, that's the name of a best-selling book. But the reason it was a bestseller is because it's true. Too often, we tend to place importance on things that really don't matter in life. But when you have a career and children, you have to start prioritizing the issues in your life and only dealing with the things that really matter. The other things will simply take care of themselves with time.
   
   
2. Accept help - When you're working long hours and trying to raise children, there's no shame in accepting help. In fact, there's no shame in asking for help, either. If you're going to be held up at work, ask your neighbor or a close family member to be at your house when your children come home. If somebody offers to make a meal for you, don't refuse it. People enjoy helping and they sometimes get offended when they are told "no." When life gets really hectic, it might even be a good idea to hire a housekeeper or some other help to do the things that you simply can't find time to do anymore.
   
   
3. Get organized - There's no easy way to get organized. Organization takes time and maybe even some supplies. But once you get organized, you'll save so much time in the future. Even your daily activities will be easier when you have a system of organization in place. Also, create written schedules for the household so everybody knows their responsibilities with a simply glance. You'll be amazed how much easier life will be when you do this.
   
   
4. Don't be afraid to order out - Does anybody actually like coming home and cooking after a long day at work? If you do, that's fine. But there's nothing wrong with ordering dinner a couple nights each week. Make it the same night and your family will look forward to it. Try different places and you'll expand your family's food horizons. And on the nights you do cook, don't worry about cooking a meal fit for a king. With all of the prepared meals on the supermarket shelves, you can have an entire meal in minutes.
   
   
5. Don't forget about yourself - In the chaos that is your home life, sometimes you might forget to take time out for yourself. But this can only make you more tired and create more stress. It's extremely important to take some time each night to do something you enjoy. Even if it means taking the back roads home from work and listening to your favorite Barry Manilow CD, taking some time for yourself can be refreshing and it can even make you feel less tired.
   
   
6. Create routines - The more routine you have at home, the less hectic things will seem. And when things are less hectic, the more time you have because you're not trying constantly figure out what's happening. If it helps, create written routines so everybody is on the same page about household chores, mealtimes and everything else. Take some time every week or every couple weeks to break the routine, though, or else you'll feel like you're in a rut. And a rut can be even more tiring than a routine.
   
   
7. Leave work at 5 - Nobody ever says that they wish they would have worked more when they're on their deathbed. There's always another day to work, but you can't make up that time with your family. Also, make sure you leave your work at the office. When you bring it home, you tend to work longer hours and get less sleep, too.

There's nothing wrong with working hard at your career and having a family, too. But you're not doing anybody any favors if you do either one halfway. That's why it's important to learn how to be successful at both of them while still maintaining your health and sanity. Following the above suggestions is a great start to juggle a demanding job and an even more demanding family life without getting burned out on a daily basis.