7 Tips for Balancing Parenthood and Medical Practice Management
7 Tips for Balancing Parenthood and Medical Practice Management
You already know how to manage a medical practice, but how do you go about managing your home life? It isn't that different. The skills you use at work organizing, planning, and coordinating staff can be just as useful when managing your family.
Master your morning ritual. Getting yourself and your children ready for work can be a daunting task, but it doesn't have to be.
Prepare. The night before, set out your clothes and your children's clothes for the next day. Pack lunches, and prepare backpacks and purses. Have everything you need on your way out waiting near the front door.
Ready yourself first. Get up an hour before your children do. Eat breakfast, take a shower, and get dressed. Be 100% prepared to walk out the door for work. That way, you can just focus on your children and their needs.
Be consistent. If you follow the same routine, it will be easier for everyone to follow, and things will run smoother. But even the best-laid plans go awry every now and then, so don't panic if you have to make adjustments.
Teach. Like you delegate responsibilities at the practice, you can delegate them at home. Once your child is old enough, help him or her to learn the steps of the morning ritual they can handle, such as dressing, preparing a simple breakfast, and putting dishes away in the dishwasher. Showing them how may take more time now, but it will save you time in the long run. If it's slowing you down too much, consider having lessons after work until your child gets the hang of it.
Re-organize. If you're consistently having trouble locating your keys or last night's homework, it may be time to institute a new system. Stock up on baskets, storage bins, and shelves, just like you would at the practice. Decide what goes where, and consider labeling the various spots. Enlist the whole family to help out to make sure everyone understands the new order.
Schedule. And not just for baseball games and dance recitals, set aside specific times for chores, such as laundry and paying the bills, and errands like grocery shopping and trips to the post office. Knowing when you plan to get things done can help you relax and enjoy your downtime.
Ask for help. If you're feeling overwhelmed, don't try to be superwoman. Find a babysitter to take a day off. Enlist a neighbor whose kids go to the same school as a back-up ride home when needed. Hire a maid service to come in once a week to keep things tidy. Take a personal day to get to that errand list that keeps growing. And request that your spouse take on a larger part of the responsibilities. If you're both working, it's only fair to share the workload at home.
Don't feel guilty. According to a Pew Research Center survey, only 10 percent of mothers working full-time give themselves the highest rating for their parenting, but this may have more to do with our perceptions than reality. Adjust your expectations and the standards you set for yourself. Don't put so much pressure on yourself to be perfect. You may not be able to make it to every special event, all the meals might not be home-cooked, and the house may not always be pristine. What matters most is the love you give and the relationship you share with your family.
Talk to other working moms. Not only will venting about your experiences help you to unload and feel less alone, they may be able to share tips and tricks that worked for them, and you may also find ways that you can help each other out!
Still overwhelmed? Consider communicating to your work if you need more flexibility. Discuss whether you can telecommute for part of the week. There are many tasks you can do from the comfort of your home, and you can even attend meetings via video conference technology. Another option is to cut your hours from a full 40 to 35; it can make a big difference. It may be useful to ask for a little extra time in the morning to get yourself and your family together, or maybe your child's afterschool care ends just a little before your work does. If you are a valuable asset to the practice, they may be willing to work with you.
Regaining control of your home life can be rewarding, but don't take it too far. Remember to step back, change the plan, and just enjoy your family!
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