Thrive as a Working Parent: Simple Systems for Home and Work

In this lecture, you'll learn about the limits of control and how adopting a healthy mindset about control is crucial for success as a working parent. We'll guide you through a reality check on your current mindset and help you get clear on what you actually control so that you can focus your energy and time where it really matters.

In this lecture, you'll learn about the things you control in your life as a working parent. While you may not be able to control your child's behavior, you can decide on the systems, routines, and environment you create at home. You'll hear examples of how to set up systems and boundaries that work for you and your family, and how to focus on your own actions and reactions. Plus, you'll discover how much influence you actually have in the workplace, even if you don't outright control everything.

In this lecture, you'll learn how to shift your parenting mindset from controlling your child's behavior to influencing it. You'll discover that you don't control your child's temperament, developmental stage, needs or desires. Instead, you'll learn how to work with your child's wants and needs to become a more effective parent. The lecture also provides strategies for influencing others in the workplace, including pushing back, negotiating and prioritizing.

In this activity, you'll learn how to identify and reflect on what you can control in your life using the Control Reflections PDF. This tool will help you pinpoint areas for improvement and give you a clearer understanding of where you can have the most influence.

In the lecture, you'll learn key strategies for effectively influencing others at work and at home including how to understand your audience and their values to create persuasive arguments. You'll learn how to get true buy-in and how to use collaborative language to show respect and build trust.  Finally, you'll learn how and why to use the language of experimentation.

In this lecture, you'll learn to accept that time is a finite resource and then learn how to use that limited resource in a way that aligns with your goals and values. You'll also discover that you might be holding onto more than you need to, and we'll work on letting go of the false idea that you can "do it all". So get ready to shift your perspective and start making meaningful changes.

In this lecture, you'll learn why, and how, to fix the system instead of trying to "fix" your kids. Children are never broken, but the systems we have in place for them can be. Thriving as a working parent requires that we give up the expectation of perfection and instead focus on communication, curiosity, and adjusting our expectations of ourselves and others.

In this lecture, you'll learn about the pitfalls of striving for perfection and the benefits of aiming for "good enough".  By letting go of the (false) idea of perfection, you'll be able to prioritize what's important and optimize your time and energy. You'll also complete an activity to help you identify areas where you're striving for perfection and how to implement a good enough approach instead.

In this lecture, we'll guide you through identifying areas of productivity and parenting where you're already doing well and where you can focus on growth. Rather than getting discouraged when you falter, you'll learn to celebrate even the smallest wins and focus on the gain, not the gap.  When you complete the survey provided in the resources, you'll reflect on your areas of improvement so you can gain a better understanding of yourself and your goals.

In this lecture and those following in this section, you'll learn how to handle challenging behavior from your child and why you don't want to sacrifice your long-term goal of a loving relationship with your child for the short-term goal of obedience.

Are you tired of using the traditional approach of behavior management, only to find that your children are still not behaving the way you want them to? In this lecture, you'll learn how your child's behavior is just the tip of the iceberg, and there's often an underlying message or reason for it.  By connecting with your child and understanding the message behind their behavior, you can improve your relationship with them and encourage better cooperation over time.

In this lecture, you'll learn how to prioritize your relationship with your child while still getting them to cooperate. The key is to prepare scripts in advance that invite connection rather than break it. You will explore common phrases that can damage your relationship with your child and replace them with new scripts that give your child the benefit of the doubt and focus on connection. By doing this, you will create a cooperative environment and avoid relying on rewards or punishments. You'll also complete an exercise designed to help you write your own scripts to improve your relationship with your child.

In this lecture, you'll learn how to build morale at home using workplace principles. The lesson is divided into three parts: Motivation, Satisfaction, and Engagement. You will discover how to increase intrinsic motivation by increasing feelings of relatedness, competence, and autonomy in your kids. You will also explore the importance of being playful and silly to build morale and reduce stress. And you'll learn how to increase satisfaction by making your kids feel like important members of the family, as well as how to boost engagement by teaching problem-solving as a family. You will come away with practical ideas and tips for building morale in your home.

In this lecture, you'll reflect on each family member's unique needs in areas such as adaptability, daily hours, structure, and independence. By doing so, you'll gain insights on how to create systems and routines that work for everyone, ensuring that all needs are met. By the end of this lecture, you'll have a better understanding of your family's needs and be ready for the next lesson on creating blocks and benchmarks in your day.

In this lecture, you'll learn how to identify and solve recurring problems in your family's daily routine by creating a system of blocks and benchmarks. By dividing your day into sections and determining who is responsible for each task, you can establish clear communication and prevent breakdowns. The lesson provides real-life examples of benchmarks and offers an activity to help you create your own schedule. With this knowledge, you'll be able to streamline your family's routine and enjoy a smoother, less stressful day-to-day experience.  Don't miss the opportunity to learn how to optimize your family's daily routine!

In this lecture, you'll learn how to design your physical space to set you up for success at home. You'll discover how to make your life easier with location association and posting schedules, agreements, and systems on your walls. You'll also learn about "The Prepared Environment," a Montessori technique that helps create an environment that is developmentally appropriate and promotes success for your children.

In this lecture, you will be invited to work with your family to create new systems that solve recurring problems and prevent conflict. Inside you'll find a variety of examples to inspire you and you'll have a chance to brainstorm recurring problems so you can create solutions as a family. The lesson emphasizes the importance of regularly revisiting and iterating on systems to ensure they are effective and flexible. By approaching the creation of systems from a place of empowerment rather than control, the whole family can benefit.

In this lecture, you'll discover how to mentally disconnect from work and reduce stress by spending just 10 minutes at the end of your workday planning for the next day. Planning today, for tomorrow, as benefits that morning planning doesn't as it allows you to have genuine downtime in the evenings and weekends. By scheduling time on your calendar, reviewing your notes, doing a quick brain dump, and reprioritizing your tasks, you can leave work with a clear head and be present with your family. Don't forget to download the end-of-day planning checklist in the resources. 

In this lecture, you'll learn about end-of-week planning and how it can help you take a broader view of your schedule and workload for the week ahead, allowing you to set yourself up for success next week AND fully enjoy your weekends without being bogged down by the "Sunday Scaries."  We'll also cover weekly planning for your household.  Planning ahead will help you feel like a genius, thanking your past self for setting your future self up for success.  Don't forget to download the end-of-week planning checklist in the resources!

Do you find it difficult to transition from work mode to home mode? In this lecture, you'll learn how a transition ritual can help you decompress and recharge before engaging with your personal life.  By committing to a consistent activity for just 10 to 15 minutes after work, you'll be able to gently shut the door on one world before opening it to the other. Whether it's exercise, meditation, or simply reading a book, this ritual can make a world of difference in your daily life.  Give it a try and see the positive impact it has on your productivity and relationships.

In this activity, you'll learn how to free up time in your life by removing obligations that don't serve you. You'll start by identifying obligations that make you feel overwhelmed or unhappy and then create an action plan to remove them. You'll explore three ways to remove obligations - extracting yourself, delegating, or outsourcing - and put a realistic timeline around it. By the end of this activity, you'll have an actionable plan to free up time so you can spend it on what you really want to do. Plus, there's an attached article to help you say no without feeling guilty! Make sure to check it out.

In this lecture, you'll learn about the powerful productivity strategy of time blocking. Time blocking involves pre-deciding what you'll work on and when, and putting those tasks on your calendar. You'll discover how time blocking can help you stick to your priorities, gently redirect yourself back to focus, and combat the feeling of being unproductive.  This lecture is a must-watch for anyone who wants to get more done and stay focused on their goals.

In this lecture, you'll learn how to create a family culture that fosters great problem solvers, effective communicators, and strong leaders by implementing regular check-ins and opportunities to collaborate. Family meetings are an excellent way to increase connection, decrease friction, and teach collaborative problem-solving skills.  Give it a try and see how much it can benefit your family!

In this lecture, you'll learn about the importance of having a family calendar as a single source of truth for everyone to access. By putting all important events and schedules in one place, you'll streamline communication and reduce stress for the entire family. You'll discover what belongs on the family calendar and how to make sure everyone has access, whether it's through digital means or a physical calendar. Download the attached resource guide and get started on creating your family calendar today.

In this lecture, you will learn about the One Touch Rule, a technique for managing the firehose of messages you get daily and that will save you time while reducing stress and anxiety. Don't waste any more time rereading and rereading emails and letting your inboxes get the best of you!

Are you tired of feeling overwhelmed by the constant changes in your life, whether it be at work or at home?  Well, there’s good news! In this lecture, you’ll learn a simple yet powerful formula that will help you adjust and improve as you go. By communicating openly, experimenting with solutions, iterating on what works, and repeating the process, you’ll be able to embrace change and reduce stress. This strategy works with the reality that life is always in flux, so if you’re ready to keep improving your circumstances, this lesson is a must-watch.

Are you doing more (or less) of your fair share of the household labor? In this lecture, you'll learn a simple method to accurately catalog and equitably distribute the work required to run your household. This includes physical, mental, and emotional labor, all of which are essential to keep your household running smoothly. By the end of this lesson, you'll have a clear understanding of how to list, sort, evaluate, and reallocate responsibilities.

In this lecture, you'll learn why you should be delegating more, and how to actually do it.  You'll explore questions to help you determine what tasks to delegate in the first place and the step-by-step strategy to help you delegate them effectively. By the end of this lesson, you will have the tools to delegate efficiently and empower your team to take on more responsibility.  And if you have no one to delegate to?  Well, we've got some tips for you too!

In this lesson, you'll discover how to delegate household chores to your kids so that they learn valuable skills and you can reduce your own workload. Studies show that kids who do more chores are more successful in life, and teaching them valuable life skills at a young age will benefit them in the long run. You'll learn what tasks are age-appropriate for your children, from putting away toys to cleaning bathrooms, and how to make the delegation process feel more manageable. By the end of this lesson, you'll have the tools you need to help your kids take on more responsibility and achieve independence.

In this lesson, you'll learn another powerful strategy to lighten your workload: outsourcing. You'll discover how to trade responsibilities with those around you and how to buy back your time from external sources. You'll explore various outsourcing options, from hiring a house cleaner to using a grocery delivery service, and you'll be encouraged to think about what tasks you can outsource to reclaim your time. Plus, you'll receive a handy guide to help you get started with outsourcing; don't forget to download it from the resources!

In this lecture, you’ll learn why distractions can seriously impact productivity. You'll also identify your primary distractors and learn how to address them to save time, reduce stress, and avoid burnout. Inside you'll get practical strategies for reducing the three main sources of distractions: other people, ourselves, and technology.

In this lecture, you'll learn a few tricks to fit exercise into your life even on the busiest of days.  Rather than an all-or-nothing approach, you'll learn how to embody the truth that any movement is better than no movement. If exercise is always the first thing to go when things get busy, this lecture will help you reframe that mindset and make room for you.

One thing parents often tell us is that they don't spend nearly as much time with friends, extended family or even their partners (if they have them) than they would like.  In this lecture, you'll learn simple strategies to maintain your relationships with friends and family, even when time feels scarce.  Plus, discover creative and budget-friendly ways to enjoy quality time together without breaking the bank. Don't let the busyness of life rob you of your precious relationships - watch this video to find out how to keep those connections strong.

You shouldn't always come last on your to do list!  In this lecture, you'll discover how to make time for yourself. You will learn that there is a sweet spot for free time, and, surprisingly, it's not "all the time." The lecture provides practical techniques to make time for yourself as well as an activity to help you brainstorm the things that fill your cup.

Congratulations on completing this course! In this final lesson, you'll review the skills and tools you have acquired throughout the course.  Remember, it takes practice to implement these tools effectively, so take it one step at a time. With the strategies you have learned, you will be empowered to be more emotionally attuned to your family's needs and feel more confident in your ability to navigate life's challenges.

It's bonus time!  If you want to continue learning, implementing and growing, check out all the resources below.  You can follow us on social media, join our helpful newsletters and even reach out to us for a free consultation if you're interested in coaching with either Alexis or Rachel, or in bringing us into your workplace to support your whole team.