Working Parents: Making Time for Loved Ones

When you and your partner both work demanding jobs, it can be difficult to stay in touch, even when you live in the same house. Long days at work, hectic family time at home and exhaustion can all make it hard to connect to those you love the most. But it doesn't have to be a lost cause; it is possible to reconnect to your spouse and children when life- and work-demands are crazy. Let's take a look at a few ways to stay in touch.

Embrace Technology

Since we live in a technological age, it is possible now to connect in more ways than one. Rather than only reserving face-to-face time as quality time, we can take opportunities to connect on a daily basis through multiple avenues. Here are some technological advances that can help you stay in touch more frequently with those you love.

• Social Media: Facebook and other social networks now welcome both the young and the young-at-heart. Using media like these networks can help you stay in touch with far-flung family members through pictures and videos, but it can also be a place to help you stay up-to-date on the status of your immediate family in a time crunch. Check in if you'll be late, post on her wall if you want to make her day, or upload a funny picture to help stay connected.
• E-mail and Texting: A few more ways to keep in touch on a daily basis are through e-mail and texting. A quick e-mail or text can help show you care about your family members, and both can make their days better.
• Video Chat: When away from family on business, another great way to stay in touch is through video chat. Being able to see each other's faces can help keep you close, even if you're thousands of miles apart.

Schedule in Time Together

Technology is a great way to stay connected when it's impossible to be together face-to-face, but nothing can replace the closeness found by getting together in person. So how do you connect when everyone's lives are speeding by at a million miles per hour? One of the best ways to ensure you can remain close is to schedule dates.

Taking in the time to pencil in a date night with your husband can help you find some one-on-one, face-to-face time, which can help you each retain or rekindle romance. But it's also important to schedule in some family time and some one-on-one, face-to-face time with each child. In each case, the key to maintaining relationships with loved ones is making the time to connect and sticking with your scheduled date.

Work life and family time don't have to clash. Technology and scheduling can both help us all make time to stay close to the ones we love most. So take the time to video chat, pencil in a few dates and have fun with your family; your relationships may stay strong or grow, even while you work your way up the corporate ladder.

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