Fourteen months later my daughter was born. That’s right, two babies under two years old. It was overwhelming again having to manage two little ones, a corporate job, a husband, and a house. Now, there’s no simple magic formula to be successful at balancing life and work, and that’s why it gets so messy.

I would like to say that with time comes wisdom in figuring it all out; however, with time comes more work at work and at home. Even though the kids get older, each stage of life has different ups and downs. In the end, you have to find some simple

Here are 5 tips that have helped guide me:

1.       Leave work at work: Although it might seem like you have to finish everything, it can wait until tomorrow.

2.       Communicate: Dedicate at least 20 minutes each evening to spend time with your spouse/partner. You could watch TV, take a bath, or just sit in bed and reconnect.

3.       Make lists: keep track of weekly and monthly activities and to-dos. There is a great sense of accomplishment when I can literally take a pen and cross out something on my list.

4.       Put your kids to sleep: Read a book with them, kiss them, sing to them, and tell him how good they are.

5.       Make time for yourself: Set up a weekly date with yourself each week. While it may sound silly, go see a movie, talk a walk around the block, take a nap, or a bath. Just make the time for yourself.

While I don’t always follow these tips on a consistent basis, they do help stabilize me when I feel things are getting out of hand. Helps me be a better employee, better wife, and a better mom.