9 Work-Life Balance Tips For Women

May 30

Can working women have a work-life balance?

Of course, they can! Regardless, women struggle to find that perfect sweet spot between a successful career and a happy home life. A study by Gender and the Economy found that women often feel “trapped between the demands of their work and family” and feel they have to choose one or the other.

Why is work-life balance important for women?

It’s no secret that women have been the primary homemakers for hundreds of years. Generally speaking, women are more nurturing than men and have a self-inflicted sense of duty to their homes and families.

But many women also want careers, and managing a family, full-time job, and the house is no easy feat. At the end of the day, women are tired and laugh at the idea of finding time for themselves.

Poor work-life balance doesn’t just happen randomly. It’s a slow fade that catches up to us until we are too stressed. Let’s take a look at some of the causes of why work-life balance begins to fail.

What are the Causes of Poor Work-Life Balance?

Poor work-life balance can be caused by any of the following:

Increased workload at home
Increased responsibilities at work
Higher expenses with lower pay
Longer working hours
Dramatic changes at home, like having children
Lack of self-care
Lack of career fulfillment

When these causes are left unaddressed, we feel hopeless and sometimes have a complete meltdown. We don’t focus, are tired, and inevitably feel trapped.

But it seems like some women know the secret formula to have an amazing career and healthy family. So how do they do it? How do women find the time to feel fulfilled in their career, have dinner on the table, and not feel exhausted to play with their kids afterward?

Let’s walk through 9 tips that can help you find your perfect sweet spot with your career and home life.

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9 Work-Life Balance Tips For Women

1. Prioritize

Take as much time as you need to decide what is important to you. Is walking your daughter to school important? Is getting your email inbox down to zero a must in your schedule? What about exercise? Think about what is a priority and make it a priority.

2. Ignore

The truth is, not everything is as important as we think it is. What can be ignored at work or home? Does your business need to be on Pinterest, or can that wait a couple more months? Whatever is taking up real estate in your mind and doesn’t need to be, ignore it. Another time will come.

3. Set boundaries

You’ve prioritized sections of your schedule and you’re ignoring what isn’t important. Now, it’s time to set boundaries and stick to them. When a client asks you to do a Zoom meeting during the time you want to walk your daughter to school, you say no. When you’re having dinner with your family and you’re itching to hop on the computer and answer a few emails, you say no.

The word “no” has power and achieving a work-life balance means knowing how and when to use it.

4. Delegate

Each of us has talents that we are dying to share with the world. Why not delegate the tasks that you don’t love doing? Hire a housekeeper. Hire a virtual assistant to manage your emails. Take your children to daycare so you can have time to finish work. There are countless ways you can delegate. Delegation is not limited to just the office.

5. Automate

Automation is one of the best tools to help you manage your time. Set up a direct deposit for your bills. Automate your calendar for repeating monthly events. Enable your vacation email responder so colleagues know you’re away from your desk and when they can expect a response. Automate your life so you can spend more time doing the work that matters to you.

6. Have a routine

Establishing a routine does two things at once: it builds good habits and sets boundaries. Include your workout in your morning routine so you never miss a day. Listen to an audiobook during your commute. Whatever you feel is causing poor work-life balance, evaluate a routine and see if you notice improvement.

7. Self-care

Self-care isn’t an opportunity, it’s a responsibility. We are better employees, bosses, business owners, and parents when we make serving ourselves a priority. Practicing self-care relieves stress and improves our creativity. We think better when our minds are clear.

8. Chat with your employer

Don’t disregard discussing with your employer your concerns about your work-life balance. Many people assume their boss won’t care but are surprised to learn that employers are more flexible than they seem. An empathetic leader listens, and a well-balanced individual is a productive employee.

9. Ask for help

Asking for help is not always the same as delegating. Maybe you need to seek the help of a counselor or business coach to discuss your future. Your personal life is a part of your career and it should be discussed as a whole. You don’t need to do it alone.

Can working women have a work-life balance?

Women want careers to be proud of and families to come home and enjoy. Women want to feel empowered, not like their drowning in responsibilities.

The truth is that you don’t find the time. You have to make time.

All of us have the same 24 hours each day. But we do live different lives. Find the recipe that works for you and apply it. And if it doesn’t work, try something else. Be creative. Be bold. Be triumphant.

This is your life. This is your career. Shouldn’t you at least enjoy it?

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Alexandra Elinsky