In today’s corporate world, it is obviously more difficult than ever to unplug from your corporate position and focus just on your family at night. Longer hours and more connected devices means more distractions. Not only are you dealing with your mangers expectations but even worse, you are dealing with your own internal dialogue about what your manager might be thinking about you.

You know what I’m taking about. All the pressure mounts and you end up being consumed by the thought of your job, 24/7. 

Your kids and wife are the ones that suffer. They only get half your attention with the hour a day they have with you. 

How is that fair to you or them? There is something you can do about it.

Here are the 5 ways you can cope with being a parent in today’s corporate world:

1. Commit to a specific time frame where it’s all about the family, no matter what!

2. Put the cell phone on airplane mode. If you don’t receive communications, you won’t be distracted by communications.

3. Catch the thoughts creeping in about work, acknowledge them, and picture them blowing away in the wind.

4. Realize that these precious moments will never happen again.

5. Have a vision. Is this a place you want to be at for the rest of your life or is it a means to an end? Do you enjoy spending majority of your week with colleagues or would you prefer to spend it with your family? Create what your future is going to look like so you know what you are working towards.

The most valuable things we have in life is time, use it wisely.

I hope you found these tips on being a parent while working corporate to be helpful. Please share in the comments below techniques or tools that are working for you. Your input matters!

Peace out!

Brandon