Make Your Work to Family Life Transition Easier with these Five Tips

This year has brought many changes to our lives. For many of us, it’s taken a toll on how we show up for ourselves and those we love most. With many parents and children spending time at home due to the office and school closures, finding new ways to transition from business to home life can be tricky. Fortunately, there are some tried and true ways to make that transition easy, effective, and most of all, enjoyable.

With so much uncertainty surrounding our everyday lives, being able to enjoy quality family time at the end of a long day can be the breath of fresh air we all need. Below are three ways to make your work to family life transition easier.

Put away the electronics

With so much of our lives revolving around screen time, the last thing we need more of at the end of the day is even more electronics. I know how tempting social media, email, and news updates can be, but now more than ever, shutting off the phone, laptop, or television can help you clear out time and energy and spend it with your family.

While checking updates might make you feel productive, it’s only distracting you from the thing you should be focusing on. If personal screen time is important to you, try time blocking it into your schedule. This can be 30 minutes in the morning, during lunch, or before bed. Scheduling time and setting limits can keep you from endlessly scrolling your feeds.

Practice being present

If you’re anything like me, your mind is constantly racing with thoughts about your to-do lists, upcoming events, and important projects. Not only does this weigh heavily on you, but it can also make family time overwhelming and sometimes even dreadful. Being present means not thinking about work while you’re spending quality time with family. It might sound impossible, but the more you actively try, the easier it becomes.

If there’s something that’s keeping you distracted while you should be present, try writing it down. This could be in your calendar, reminder apps, or even a sticky note you can refer to in the future. Transferring it from your head to paper can help clear your mind and make being present a lot easier.

Change your mindset

If you’re constantly stressed, overwhelmed, and pessimistic, chances are, you’re also behaving this way around your family. Changing your mindset (even if it’s for a few hours a day) can drastically improve the transition between work and family. For me, practicing gratitude and being aware of the privilege it is to enjoy quality family time helps me shift my mood and attitude.