This article features in Balance Your Life and Work from the series of everywoman Simple Approach to Business guides.

Whether you are part of a couple or not, as soon as you have children, many aspects are brought into sharper focus and some important decisions have to be made. You need to know how to move forward and you have to be sure that your work–life balance will allow you to enjoy your time at work and at home too.

Working out who is responsible for childcare, household chores, and earning income are the three most obvious decisions required, but they are not necessarily the easiest or most clear cut ones to take. This chapter takes you through the steps required.

Identify the advantages and the demands of work

Start by thinking about your current or most recent work role. Make a list of what the benefits are for you and your family, such as:

• income
• social interaction
• feeling valued for a worthwhile role outside the home
• keeping career progression or your business going
• keeping skills up-to-date

Next, identify the demands of having such a role. For example:

• requirement to be at work 40 hours per week minimum
• an understanding that you will be prepared to work 60 hours per week when it is busy (sometimes this is an expectation that is inherent in a company’s work culture, rather than a written element of your contract)
• paying for childcare
• giving the job all your attention and energy during working hours
• a certain amount of socialising with clients outside office hours
• weekend preparation time
• commuting: depending on where you live, this may be up to as much as three or four hours per day. 
• making sure you are completely up-to-date with current trends and markets

TOP TIP

Although it is easiest to start with current or recent roles, try to think more broadly now about other work roles that you could consider with your current skills and strengths. Most people will stick with what they know, but if the demands outweigh the benefits it would be worth considering other possibilities that are open to you, rather than feeling trapped. Are the demands and advantages broadly the same for other roles or are some quite different?

Thinking over these issues may help you find a new work area or business opportunity where you could have many of the same advantages that you have now, but with fewer or more manageable constraints.

“Every single weekend is time I spend with my children. I’m home by 7.30 every night and I turn off. In the early days, I would still be bringing home work with me, but now when I’m at home, it’s totally home life, and when I’m at work, it’s totally work. I don’t let the two mix. When I’m with the kids, of course, it’s quality time. We go out and we’re active: we go ice skating or horse riding. These are the sort of activities that require your full attention, they don’t allow your mind to drift, so it’s a great de-stressing technique.” Sharon Hilditch, Crystal Clear International

“I think parents make very dedicated, committed members of staff. I expect my team to do what I do. So if an employee wants to work at home because a child is ill, we have systems in place to allow them to continue working.”Laura Tenison, JoJo Maman Bébé

This article features in Balance Your Life and Work from the series of everywoman Simple Approach to Business guides.