When you have raised 3 children and have been married for over 40 years, you learn a few tricks of the trade. Particularly, when you have to work while your kids are at school and later run your family's retail business. So, I have seen most of it all. I could say... I've seen it all...But nobody has really seen it all.

With all the demands of work and family, it is important to strike the right balance.  The key is to put the right ingredients together to bring stability to your life.  So here is a quick recipe to follow:

• It begins with organization. It does not matter whether your life is running smoothly or in constant chaos. Take a step back and organize your day. Decide what you want to accomplish, write it down and work from the list.
• Please add in a time constraint. Successful people value their time. That's why you should set time limits on your schedule to help you accomplish your goals.
• It is important to make sure you cut out distractions. Distractions take away time. It is far more important to take time out and correspond with your child's teacher than to spend 15 to 30 minutes with your co-worker discussing non-work related topics.
• Be direct, not rude, just direct. Don't allow misunderstandings or a lack of clarity to cause you to lose time. 
• Finally, take care of the little things. How many of us have lost time trying to locate an insignificant item. It is the little things that hurt us sometimes.

In closing, please REMEMBER this; you are not a superhero so relax. The expectations of work and family are weights we usually put on ourselves. So, only do what you can do. After you have followed the recipe, enjoy what you have accomplished and take time to benefit from each day.