This post was contributed by DeAnna Troup is a mother of four kids who loves writing on work life balance on OurFamilyWorld
Having fun while you are a parent can be a tough thing to do. You have to deal with getting up at 2 am to feed your child and then get up at 6 am the next morning to go to work. You have to be home in the afternoon for homework madness.
When do you have time to have fun? You only have 24 hours in the day and you also have to do regular stuff like sleep, eat and shower. Many parents wonder if it is possible to have fun and still be a parent that works or runs a business. You can have fun if you plan your day correctly and use your imagination.
Here are five tips on how to schedule time in your day for fun so you can have a proper work life balance.
1-Find some fun activities that don’t require a lot of time.
You don’t have to do anything fancy to be having fun. Do you like to play cards? Invite some friends over to play cards once a week. Do you like to read? Join a book club. This allows you to meet with other adults and encourages you to do that reading you have been meaning to do.
2- Form a babysitting club with other working parents in your area.
Chances are you are not the only working parent that is trying to find a way to have fun and still be a good parent. Join other groups for parents (just Google play date or mom/dad group) and then see if you can set up some sort of schedule where each of you keeps the other one’s kids for a few hours each week. This way all of you get some time to yourself and you don’t have to spend that much on babysitting.
3- Take advantage of your waiting time to have some time to yourself.
Do you have a long ride on the subway on your way to work? You can use that time to crochet, read a book or work on a puzzle if that is your thing. Since you have to ride to work anyway, you might as well make that time enjoyable.
4- Do something that the whole family can do
Your fun thing does not necessarily have to mean time away from the family. There are lots of activities that the family can do together. Are you struggling to find time to exercise? Gather the family together to go walking in the park.
You could also take the family to a bowling alley. If you are a movie buff, take everyone to the movies. Got an amusement park nearby? Plan an outing at the amusement park for everyone to scream their heads off.
You can have fun with your family but you have to plan for it. You have to make sure that you don’t take on so much work that you can never spend any time with your family. Use some of the ideas I’ve given you to help you find ways to have fun and still take care of your responsibilities.
Photo credit: rankun76
