19 Jul Summer Holidays Tips for Working parents
This week marks the start of the school summer holidays for most in the UK.
🤯 It often brings about mixed feelings – a chance to spend extra quality time with the family whilst also raising huge challenges in terms of managing work and childcare.
Flexibility is probably the main reason you decided to be your own boss! Try to enjoy the extra time with your children as much as you can.
Here are a few tips below, shared recently by some of the wonderful parents that we work with:
1) Plan in advance your work schedule and don’t be tempted to take on too much additional work. Prioritise – what must be done and what can wait.
2) Manage expectations – be clear with customers and colleagues that timescales may be a little longer than usual if that’s the case. Your out of office message should clearly state when a response can be expected.
3) Build in flexibility to your work schedule to allow for unforeseen events.
4) Work from home when you can to decrease travelling time and to increase ‘working’ time. Set up a workspace area where you can work without distractions if you don’t have one.
5) Enlist the help of friends and family to share childcare where you can, helping each other out wherever possible. Set up play dates. If you have a partner, divide the responsibility wherever possible.
6) Make use of school summer clubs and other local clubs where needed – booking in advance is usually essential.
7) Book weekly grocery deliveries to keep the cupboards stocked (we all know how much children can eat!) and consider subscriptions for everyday items such as pet food that you’re constantly re-ordering. This can save time and is also one less thing to think about over the holidays!
8) Schedule in all the back-to-school stuff – uniform fittings, school shoes etc
9) Keep all the usual household chores to the necessary minimum – get the basics done and don’t worry too much about anything else.
10) Take time for yourself when you can as it should be a break for you as well!