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What helps you juggle work and family? What's your favorite quick stress reducer? Have you found a way to squeeze in some 'me' time into your busy schedule? Share your tips!

I am the kind of a person who would pre-plan crazily and try to go by it as much as possible.I tend to get irritated and disturbed if things dont fall the way I intend to and strangely my life has somehow supported them:) Right through my pregnancy,I had been planning on how to switch between baby and work all at the same time.. Barely 2 weeks after my child was born,I logged onto my laptop and started keeping myself updated with what's happening at work.I even started doing a couple of reports and attending a few conference calls when the baby would sleep to swing into the work mood assuming life would be easier when I actually resumed work.Initially it was really tough but gradually I could manage it(my long stay at my parents' place really helped here) When I joined back work after 3 months,I could really sense a bit of relief when my pre-planning worked out to a large extent. Things to keep handy that could help: 1.A diary to note down plans.I usually attach a time to each task..For e.g. Getting up - 8:30 AM,Feeding and taking bath - 8:30-9:00 AM,etc. and try to stick to it. 2.Invest in a multi-rack stand for keeping baby clothes(tshirts,pants,cloth diapers,etc) to pick up things fast. 3.Multi-tasking is the key(A word of caution : Dont try to be a superwoman:) 4.Get a domestic help/cook (Cooking and cleaning take up a huge chunk of time that could be utilised to attend to your baby. 5.Try and convince your boss to agree on work from home for sometime.This will ensure some good quality bonding time with your baby in the initial few months. 6.Look out for a quality day care centre in the proximity of your office so that you can attend to the baby whenever required.. 7.Stay in touch with your day care caregiver over phone regularly.Volunteer to help if time permits like partnering to take care of other children in the day care at times. 8.In case the baby is sick,split the day and responsibilities with your husband,work from home if possible,get external help from family or relatives or save some leaves to take care of the baby yourself if nothing else works out. 9.Save the weekends to spend most of the time with your baby ,to unwind and relax 6..Try to keep an alternate plan if all your pre-planning fails (We are all human beings and can not predict the future)”

Posted by madhurima on 18th December 2011

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Showing 190-198 of 218 Lifesavers

To juggle work and family the Main thing I have is my organizer......and a Mini van..:-) ...Still its not fool proof but working on it for sure!!!! Quick stress reducer is giving myself a time out (when possible) or sitting in the rocking chair on my front porch just to catch my breath! Me time....still far in betweeen.....Will def take advice on this one.

by Stacey on 10th May 2011

323
Vote!
Be aware of your own emotions and energy levels. It's nigh on impossible for many of us to take a day or even a whole hour to ourselves so make of list of small activities you can do in 10 minutes that recharge you. It could be you sit for 10 minutes reading before going into the office, go for a walk around the block at lunchtime, schedule a 10 minute chat with a friend - whatever it is that sustains and rejuvenates you. Then when you can feel yourself in need of a quick pick me up - do one of your 10 minute recharges. try and work up to fitting in 3 per day - that's 30 minutes to yourself! Find creative ways to do it - come on, we can all find 10 minutes!

by Jo Casey on 1st July 2012

476
Vote!
I have 2 year old triplets and a three year old all boys and I was about to go crazy. I was frustrated with my weight this long after having the babies and totally stressed about doing the same thing everyday (wake up, dress, breakfast, work, come home, screaming kids, dinner, bath, bed, flop on couch...). We joined our local YMCA and now go EVERYDAY! It was only $59 a month with free kidzone and classes so everyone gets a break. The kids get to play with other kids and get out of the house and my husband and I do our own thing for an hour. LIFESAVER!! (Lost 27 lbs so far since Nov.)

by Alexplustrips on 28th February 2012

282
Vote!
Making small rounds at my baby's day care in between work and catching glimpses of beautiful smiles of the children there and being around my baby whenever I want to see him..

by madhurima on 27th December 2011

280
Vote!
I am fortunate enough to have a best friend who's been in my life since I was five. Our mothers went to nursing school together, we attended the same small neighborhood church and went to the same school from Kindergarten through high school graduation, and were in each other's weddings. She knows me better than anyone else on the planet and vice versa. The kind of soul mates who can abbreviate an entire explanation using a single word or name from the past. But she lives 90 minutes away. So, every six months we meet in the middle for dinner to celebrate our respective birthdays. Just the two of us...no husbands, no kids, no interruptions...just two best friends laughing about the good times, crying about the tough ones, and swapping secrets. No matter how broke we are or how busy we get, we make this night happen twice a year. When I know I've got that on my calendar, I can get through just about anything!

by Valerie on 15th May 2012

257
Vote!
It's not a "lifesaver" in that it doesn't save me time, but I wanted to say that I still just LOVE the "my day snapshot" here on WIM. It's such a great way to stay motivated, and then go back later and see little snippets of my life as a working mom. LOVE IT.

by el-e-e on 13th October 2011

310
Vote!
I see my son part-time so I prioritize, especially when he is around. He is older now, so I let him know ahead of time if he needs to make plans while I am working or at an important function. I spend quality time with him every other Sunday when I make a nice breakfast and/or dinner. He is quiet, but I make sure to engage him in conversation for at least twenty minutes to keep up with his life, and let him know how important he is to me. I de-stress with music I enjoy, seeing live bands play out, laughing with friends, dancing around the house, a hot bath once in a while, incense, candles, meditation, yoga, etc.

by phoenixmama on 4th March 2011

278
Vote!
Toenail polish was my lifesaver after my second daughter was born six months ago. As simple as it sounds, toenail polish made me feel like a normal person and realize that, after three months of no sleep and a Cesarean scar, my life WOULD get better. I would once again be able to stay up late and watch NCIS ;) www.themamalady.com

by SusanPM on 9th March 2010

454
Vote!
I am the kind of a person who would pre-plan crazily and try to go by it as much as possible.I tend to get irritated and disturbed if things dont fall the way I intend to and strangely my life has somehow supported them:) Right through my pregnancy,I had been planning on how to switch between baby and work all at the same time.. Barely 2 weeks after my child was born,I logged onto my laptop and started keeping myself updated with what's happening at work.I even started doing a couple of reports and attending a few conference calls when the baby would sleep to swing into the work mood assuming life would be easier when I actually resumed work.Initially it was really tough but gradually I could manage it(my long stay at my parents' place really helped here) When I joined back work after 3 months,I could really sense a bit of relief when my pre-planning worked out to a large extent. Things to keep handy that could help: 1.A diary to note down plans.I usually attach a time to each task..For e.g. Getting up - 8:30 AM,Feeding and taking bath - 8:30-9:00 AM,etc. and try to stick to it. 2.Invest in a multi-rack stand for keeping baby clothes(tshirts,pants,cloth diapers,etc) to pick up things fast. 3.Multi-tasking is the key(A word of caution : Dont try to be a superwoman:) 4.Get a domestic help/cook (Cooking and cleaning take up a huge chunk of time that could be utilised to attend to your baby. 5.Try and convince your boss to agree on work from home for sometime.This will ensure some good quality bonding time with your baby in the initial few months. 6.Look out for a quality day care centre in the proximity of your office so that you can attend to the baby whenever required.. 7.Stay in touch with your day care caregiver over phone regularly.Volunteer to help if time permits like partnering to take care of other children in the day care at times. 8.In case the baby is sick,split the day and responsibilities with your husband,work from home if possible,get external help from family or relatives or save some leaves to take care of the baby yourself if nothing else works out. 9.Save the weekends to spend most of the time with your baby ,to unwind and relax 6..Try to keep an alternate plan if all your pre-planning fails (We are all human beings and can not predict the future)

by madhurima on 18th December 2011

310
Vote!