If you’re anything like me, juggling school holidays, running a business, not to mention – managing the school term and balancing it all in general can feel like spinning plates while riding a unicycle. It’s a crazy balancing act, but somehow, we manage to keep everything from crashing to the ground (most of the time, anyway).
In all of this, I personally believe that you need to think of your situation as a pyramid (think about the principles behind Maslow’s hierarchy of needs) putting your basic, essential needs first. So in my example / scenario here I am going to suggest that you put your physical and mental health first, equally as important that of your kids. Schedule these aspects in advance into your schedule every week and stay committed to attempting to force your remaining working hours to work for you. This may not happen at first, however by approaching your situation in this way you are focussing on working towards making it all click together optimally.
Where I go wrong if I don’t plan ahead: Example
I drop the kids to school, and head back home ready for another flat-chat day of tax season. I grab my coffee, set up camp at my desk telling myself, I will take a break at some point to exercise and go for a walk. Hours pass, Uber eats lunch eaten and suddenly it’s 2.45pm time to collect the girls and I basically haven’t left my desk. Having made a decent dent in my work-load, it was not all finished (it never is at this time of year); I head off to collect the girls – which ultimately only involves a short break before I am back at it, in the living room on my lap top next to them while they play. If I do not plan ahead, this is very often my scenario at this time of year, and, if I continue down this path – I ultimately end up exhausted, unfit, and worse still – not getting quality time with my kids, and really just not having a work-life balance in general. So here’s what I do…
The benefit of planning in advance
Honestly, as OCD as this sounds (it is really), I plan down to the minute. On a Sunday night, or sometimes even on a weekend for a full month in advance, I will plot out, when I need to exercise, (if possible I will actually book and pre-pay for classes so that I have to go), when I will spend quality time with the girls, when I will attend to any personal appointments and so on. I will literally plot and book it all in. I will then slot work in around it all, ensuring that overall – it appears as though there is enough hours for me to work.
I’ll tell you the biggest thing that I find when I approach my schedule in this way: while I am basically go go go all day 4-5 days week (and my day is LONG) – all those small pockets of time where I might be scrolling, or even just moving a bit slowly in general; add up to grab me an hour that I can do something productive for myself.
What I then find that works for me (personally) is operating like this 4-5 days a week (long hours / full on), but then relaxing totally 1-3 days a week. Ultimately, what I find is that when I plan in advance I simply get far more out of the day, and, because I am scheduling in time with my kids and my mental and physical health – I am far more productive in the time I have left to work. Not only this, but I notice I am calmer and can manage busy situations that do arise at this time of year more methodically without getting into a blind panic!
If you happened to read my blog post on taking your profit first, I’d like to think of my suggestion as above, as a version of this logic. Let’s face it, if we don’t prioritise our daily health and mental wellbeing when we are flat chat, burnout is just around the corner.
Here are a few more specific tips of mine for managing the juggle by applying the above principle…
Embrace the Flexibility of Being Your Own Boss
One of the greatest perks of running your own business is the flexibility it offers- make sure you’re embracing this! During school holidays, I tweak my schedule to spend quality time with my kids. Mornings might be for work, but afternoons are reserved for park adventures, beach trips, or just lounging around watching movies.
Pro Tip: Block out chunks of time in your calendar for family activities, just like you would for important business meetings. This helps you stay committed to both your work and your family.
Set Clear Boundaries
When you’re working from home and the kids are off school, boundaries can blur. Make it clear to your kids when it’s work time and when it’s playtime. I’ve found that setting up a dedicated workspace and explaining to my children that when I’m there, it’s serious business time, works wonders.
Pro Tip: Use visual cues, like a “Do Not Disturb” sign, when you need focused work time. And stick to those boundaries yourself – no sneaking off to check emails during playtime!
Delegate and Outsource
You can’t do it all, and that’s okay. Whether it’s hiring a virtual assistant for your business tasks or getting a babysitter for a few hours, don’t hesitate to delegate. It’s worth every penny to have some uninterrupted time to focus on what needs to be done.
Pro Tip: Create a list of tasks that can be outsourced and start with the ones that take up the most time but can easily be handled by someone else.
Leverage Technology
There are tons of apps and tools out there designed to make your life easier. From project management tools to family calendar apps, leverage technology to keep everything organised. I’m a huge fan of colour-coding my google calendar in order to do my extreme OCD advanced planning.
Involve Your Kids
Sometimes, combining work and play can be a win-win. Involving your kids in your business, even in small ways, can be a fun learning experience for them and a bonding opportunity for you. My kids love helping out with simple tasks like organising my desk or brainstorming fun ideas for our social media posts.
Pro Tip: Turn it into a game or a mini project. Kids love feeling like they’re part of something important.
Plan Ahead for the School Term
As the school holidays wind down, start planning for the school term. Set up a routine that balances school drop-offs, pick-ups, and your work schedule. Having a plan in place helps transition smoothly back into the school routine.
Pro Tip: Use the last week of holidays to gradually ease into the school routine. It makes the first week back much less chaotic.
Balancing school holidays and running a business isn’t always easy, but by prioritising yourself and your family FIRST and setting clear priorities, I truely believe you can manage both worlds with grace and a smile (most of the time). Remember, it’s all about finding what works best for you and your family.
