This article was written by Kelly Austin from HigherSalary.com.

Finding ways to conquer the work-life balance challenge is difficult for most people who are working full time and caring for a family and home. There are some ways that you can make the most of your time to ensure you cover all the basics while still having some quality time left over for the people and activities that are most important to you.

Planning Your Days

One of the simplest ways to ensure you are spending your time the way that you really want to spend it is to make plans and stick to them. Scheduling play dates, important meetings and even romantic evenings with your spouse gives you a realistic look at how much time you really have and prevents you from over-committing to projects and events that you really don’t have time for.

Planning where you will spend your free time may be especially important if you have trouble saying no to others. It is easy to become overwhelmed when you commit to an event or outing that you really don’t feel you have the time for. Remember that every event that you say yes to takes the time away from something that you may value more.

Self Care

One of the main problems that people experience when juggling home and career responsibilities it taking time for themselves to recharge and rejuvenate. Spending a day at the museum, getting a manicure or even sleeping in on a weekend can make a huge difference in the way that you feel. Learning ways to conquer the work-life balance challenge doesn’t just include caring for others, but yourself, as well.

Valuing work and meeting your responsibilities is a valuable belief that many hold, but caring for yourself can actually make it simpler to care for others. Not only does taking time away from work and other responsibilities make you more mentally able to care for others, it can also benefit your physical health by reducing stress.

Your Expectations

With some planning and a dedication to your own health and well-being you can be successful at balancing work and your life. Your expectations of yourself, and of others, can be one obstacle to living the life you dream of. Stress can be a good motivator, but too much and you will begin to suffer physically and mentally.

Taking on more work or home responsibilities than you can successfully manage can make finding a balance between work and life impossible. Know your limits and stick to what you know you can accomplish at any given time. While challenges can be exciting and rewarding too many challenges at the same time will simply be frustrating and draining. With some experience you can successful determine which expectations to let go of for a more fulfilling life.

This article was written by Kelly Austin from HigherSalary.com. Visit her site for information about the average project manager salary and pay information for other popular careers.