Stay informed! Visit the SA Department of Health's website for COVID-19 updates: www.sacoronavirus.co.za

Juggling Parenthood and Careers

My Career
My Career

So you’re a young professional, your career is on the up-and-up … and you have a baby. Can you juggle parenthood with a career successfully and still be good at both?

Well, yes, of course you can. But it’s going to take a fair bit of planning and organisation to find the balance that lets you get the best of both worlds.

Get organised

If you want to give your all during work hours, you need to know that things are under control at home. Be prepared as much as possible and stick to the plan to avoid last-minute rushing and stress. Use life hacks like shopping in bulk once a week and planning meals ahead.

Ask for flexibility

As attitudes change, more and more companies are open to employees working flexible hours. Ask what the options are at your company and then take advantage of them. But don’t be a jerk and abuse these privileges, miss deadlines or skip important meetings while blaming family commitments.

Ditch the guilt

Yes, we know – easy to say, hard to do. You work to help support your family and feeling bad about that helps no one, least of all you.

If you need to leave work at a certain time to pick up your child on time, don’t feel that you need to apologise for it. You’ve likely worked hard all day to make sure you leave on time.

Have a backup plan

One of these days your kid is gonna be sick on a workday that really matters, like the day you present your new project to the board. Do you have a plan B? Can your mom or mother-in-law help out for the day? Is there a babysitter on speed dial, or does your partner have enough flexibility that they can work from home? Whatever your plan is, make sure you have one – before you need it!

Manage your time like a boss

Don’t feel that you need to do it all. Outsource those time suck tasks where you can – cleaning and ironing, gardening and home maintenance can all be done by someone else. Join a lift club, do your shopping online and pick up all the hacks that will help you manage your time effectively.

Stay informed! Visit the SA Department of Health's website for COVID-19 updates: www.sacoronavirus.co.za