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Balancing Home & Work

Today, more and more, people are struggling with demanding schedules that can make their personal and professional lives more stressful and overwhelming than ever before. Many of us are struggling to balance full-time jobs with full-time responsibilities at home, and these often competing demands of work and family are not easy. If your laundry basket is as full as your "in" basket, then you are not alone. In the struggle to meet the demands of an increasingly complex world we all need to develop strategies for maintaining balance in our lives.

Here are some practical tips for balancing home and work.

Prioritize

Determine what tasks you need to accomplish, and then rank them according to importance. Consider your own needs, as well as those of loved ones. If you must work on a Saturday, for example, you might plan a recreational activity with your family or friends for Sunday.

Establish Realistic Goals

Be flexible and realistic in planning your schedule. Focus on things you know you can accomplish. At the same time, learn to expect the unexpected. Have a plan for dealing with those surprise visits from relatives and unannounced meetings at work. By taking steps like these, you'll be better prepared to handle life's challenges.

Be Efficient

Develop ways to work smarter at home and at work, and encourage others in your household to save time as well. Combining or consolidating tasks may be more effective than trying to squeeze as many tasks as possible into the least amount of time.

Think Positively

Look on the bright side and try to have a sense of humor. While everyone feels sad, angry or frustrated sometimes, laughing can help ease difficult situations.

LEARN MORE!  

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