Tips for Maintaining a Healthy Work/Family Life:

Balance For Road Warrior Parents

by Barbara Hemphill

Establish family time and work time. Minimize the intrusion of personal matters on your work time and business matters on your family.

Teach your family to respect your space when you are working, and discipline yourself to be respectful of family time.

Communicate with your family regularly about your travel schedule. Consider posting your itinerary in a prominent place such as the refrigerator.

If your spouse also travels, exchange itineraries. Create a method for a daily "check-in."

Whenever possible, establish a regular "Check-in" time with the family so they can expect your call. Encourage every family member to have a file folder and/or checklist for "things to discuss" when you call.

If you have small children, send a postcard from the airport when you depart so it will arrive the day after you leave.

Make arrangements to participate in your children's education. It's not so much what you do that makes the difference, but what you believe. In other words, letting your child know you think school, education and achievement are important is the best thing you can do to help your child succeed.

One way to stay in touch with your children when you're on the road is to send postcards to their class at school. The teachers appreciate the opportunity for a geography lesson.

Ask your children to give you a photo you can carry with you - and leave one for them.

Simplify your life in as many ways as possible. More is often not better!

Create checklists to avoid having to reinvent the wheel. Streamline housekeeping, yard maintenance, and shopping. Consider using outside services for some routine tasks.

Commit to an annual non-optional vacation. Put official holidays on the calendar and make a commitment to yourself and your family to take them.