How to manage tight workloads in the summer holidays

by Stuart Miles
by Stuart Miles

Summer for most families means two things – a hectic work and home life. School is no longer taking up the majority of the children’s day and as a result of this; your work deadlines seem to get tighter.

Thankfully there are a number of ways to manage both a chaotic home and working schedule. One factor to consider involves enrolling the kids in an out-of-school club. There are a variety of different kid-friendly activities to choose from, all of which run throughout the holidays. Many of these clubs will last the entire working day which means you can continue to meet your deadlines knowing that the children are in safe hands.

Once they do return home however, it’s important to spend some quality time together as a family. Pick one night a week to indulge in an activity and stick to this. At this point you should leave your work head in the office and concentrate on family life instead.

If you do find that a particularly tight deadline runs over and you have to work into the evening, it’s still important to dine with the family. Instead of spending hours slaving over the stove, order a takeaway instead. Services like Just Eat allow you to order and pay for your delivery online. If you’re looking for delivery in Brighton, simply enter your postcode and search through the takeaway options in your area.

The summer holidays may also be a good time to consider taking a holiday from work. Not only will this allow you to recharge your batteries, it will also enable you to spend a week or more with the family. If you do decide to take a few weeks from work, it’s important to tie up all loose ends before leaving the office. If you’re working on an on-going contract, this particular project should be delivered to a colleague in advance.

Creating a healthy work-life balance is imperative and switching off as soon as you leave the office will allow you to achieve a number of professional goals when there. However, if you choose to burn the candle at both ends you may find that you are unable to concentrate whilst at work and when you do return home, you’ll still be in work mode. This isn’t fun for anyone, especially not for the children who demand your full attention.

image1

More from Family Friendly Working
Parents In Business: Emily, Founder of the ‘Me Helping Me’ App
Emily Papirnik, 56, is an entrepreneurial healer and mum from Pershore, Worcestershire,...
Read More