Many people think that being a company leader and parenting their kids are mutually exclusive, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Being in a position of leadership does take time, but you can be excellent at both things. There are a few things you can do to better balance these roles.
Think About the Future
It’s easy to get caught up in the here and now and only manage to take it one day at a time. But think about the future and consider how you will prepare your kids to be successful adults. This might require you to evaluate how your family is spending time. As they get older, you may need to spend time with them as they make decisions about college. You might cosign on a student loan to help move the approval process along in order to help them pay for their education.
Make Sure You Have Your Support System
Having a support system at home can make all the difference when you need someone to help more when work gets difficult. If you have a spouse, they may be willing to take on more responsibility when you are home so you can focus on being with your kids when you have time off work. Finding the right support system can reduce the challenges you face.
Know That Work Can Wait
One hesitation many have with balancing both roles is whether they would be able to put their families first. Much of the time, however, work can wait. Allowing work to take over your life entirely means you won’t have enough time to be there for your kids. This is unhealthy because having worries at home can prevent you from performing well at work. No matter what your role is currently, making sure you put away your phone and other devices allows you to focus more fully on your kids. If you must respond to messages at home, do so after you have had family time. If there is an emergency, make sure your team knows how they can reach you. You might give a few trusted staff members your personal phone and set it so you will hear it only if they contact you.
Give Others the Same Flexibility You Give Yourself
If you want your team to understand where you are coming from, you must make sure you aren’t giving yourself extra privileges just because you are a leader, and they are not. Whatever privileges you allow yourself need to apply to others as well, especially because you are likely not the only one with responsibilities outside of work. If you need to come to work late some days because you take your kids to school or need to take them to the doctor, extend that same understanding to others on your team. Make sure your employees know that they have flexibility in their schedules, if they are still meeting goals and getting work done. Giving this type of understanding can help you create a more positive company culture, and it also helps retain great employees.
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