To Balance Work and Family, Make Small Changes to Your Schedule

When working parents struggle to balance work and home, they often feel the need to make drastic changes to get the flexibility they want.

But finding a new job or going part-time isn’t always necessary (and won’t always solve the problem).

Instead, try to make small tweaks to your schedule or working arrangements.

For example, you might leave the office early once every other week, duck out for the occasional soccer game, or go straight home from any flight that lands after 2 PM.

These measures sound small but can provide you with enough freedom to stick with your current job. Plus, they won’t be significant enough to hurt your performance — and your boss might not even notice them.

This kind of self-directed, informal flexibility can sometimes work better than a concrete arrangement.

Adapted from “Balancing Parenting and Work Stress: A Guide,” by Daisy Wademan Dowling