The still difficult economic situation and the related stress caused by uncertainty make it impossible for fathers to achieve the balance between their work and family. That is the conclusion of a survey by CareerBuilder.com realized on the occasion of the recent Father's Day. 729 working fathers mainly from the USA took part in the survey. 43% of those who had a baby in the past three years did not take any parental leave.
Since 2008, the number of fathers bringing their work home increased from 27% to 36%. On the contrary, there was a decrease in the number of fathers who would choose parental leave in the case of their wives' higher earnings (from 37% to 35%) and the number of fathers willing to accept a lower salary for more time spent with their children (from 37% to 33%).
Alex Green, a CareerBuilder.com counsellor and a father of three children, advises working fathers the following:
Talk about your work at home
Communication is a two-way process. Therefore, you should not only listen to what is happening at home but also actively speak about what is happening in your work. The people around you will better understand why you have to stay longer at work or bring your work home.
Plan your time together with your family
Install a big calendar for all members of your family to see what everyone has scheduled. Save your vacation for the days when the most important events for your family will take place.
Do not work until you put your children to sleep
From the time you get home to the time you put your children to sleep, keep your phone off and do not check e-mails.
Try to achieve flexible working hours
Talk to your supervisor about the possibility to gain a flexible work schedule. Prepare arguments why greater flexibility will be a strong benefit not only for you but for the entire organization in advance.
Learn to say no
Learn to distinguish necessary work activities from the less important and the unimportant ones. Do not waste your free time uselessly.
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