Balancing Work with Fun Time in Your Family

by dorians_s at www.sxc.hu

One of the struggles we have with family life is balancing work with fun time.  This is tough.

There are so many house chores that need to be done.   There are inside and outside chores.  There are financial chores, home repair needs, family obligations, cleaning responsibilities, and on-and-on the list goes.  How do you keep all of your obligations met, yet still have time for fun, relaxation, and rest?

Grandparents are better at “in-the-moment” living than parents.  This is why kids love going to grand-parents home!  This is one of the blessings of grandparents.

This is a struggle that we are constantly trying to manage in our home.  Here are some tips we try to use, I am looking for other suggestion you might have as well. 

1. Seek to make regular time for “free time.”  We try not to schedule our life with appointments.  So this means limiting extra academic, sports, and social activities.  Some of our most fun time is just hanging out in the yard. 
2. Jay Lockhart told us yesterday at the “Better Conference” to give your kids 5 minutes when you don’t have it!  You often need to push the other obligation till later and give some undivided attention to a child for a short time.
3. Set aside projects and chores till you have the energy and time.  Block out time on Saturday morning, Sunday afternoon, or one evening to get a project done, rather than trying to piece meal it for several days.  Projects done late at night or that interrupt the flow of your family’s day typically just add stress and lead to arguments.
4. Work together on projects so you can be together.  Amanda has taught me this one over the years.  We will work together on cleaning the house, yard work, taxes, laundry, cooking, church projects, etc.  This allows us to be together and it allows us to get work done faster so we can then do something we enjoy more. Put the kids to work too, they need to be taught to pull their load.
5. Recognize that you will never be caught up!  We cannot be satisfied with apathy and laziness, but we must not succumb to the pressure of busyness either.  You have to put a stop on your production and work.  It can wait!  You need time to rest, relax, and just be together without focusing on productive chores.
6. Learn to say “no.”    Enough said!

 How do you balance work with fun time in your family?