"She came back from work, threw the keys with a pale sigh of relief, sunk into the couch while staring at the emptiness of her home. Was working for 12 hours or more everyday the value of her life? Was it worth letting go a relationship, all for a plush view of her career and heavy digits on her paycheck? She stared and waited for an answer, and fell asleep. Sure there was growth in her career, but in the emptiness of her life too..." With a modern view of life I can say, it is worth it, after all career is an important part of life. Very true, but guys, this 'part of life', seldom remains like a part, before most of us realize we are all drenched in long term career goals and success, and career becomes all that life is about. In case of marriage and a family these issues become even more complicated. Expectations increase and every one in the family needs attention and time. We have endless stories of how managing a family and career is a task for most working spouses. Right from allotting time to each other, to spending time on household work, managing work, kids, and their demands, life seems like a busy platform of never ending chores and responsibilities. There are times when you just don't seem to give enough to work, or when you cannot be there for your loved one. These are the seeds of frustration and they keep growing with each time there is an imbalance in your personal and professional life, sometimes which result in serious marital problems. We don't mean to underestimate the dedication to building a strong career, but we also do not support the thought of sacrificing the whole purpose of living for it. Ideally giving up on your career for family or vice versa is not a fair solution. What we fail to realize is that, striking a good balance in your career and marriage is important to be content with life. To help you attain this balance, we have listed few tips on how to balance career and marriage. Read on... Finding Balance for Marriage and Career Many times you will find yourself biased on either of the aspects, or you may feel you are pushing too hard to make the most of both marriage and career. An important fact to remember is that though both these factors may sound interlinked, especially considering the financial importance, your job should not take control of your life. It is important for you to stream your time carefully between these two things.

• Communication is the key to all problems, so is it in this case. Sit and discuss with your partner. Know what you expect from each other, and keep realistic expectations. Chalk down your priorities, long and short term goals, which should include business and family both.
• Plan to distribute the workload, to make it easy for both the partners to give time in the family. Plan the budget together every month, so that there is no hassle when it comes to bills and expenses.
• Do not mix work and family together. Try to dedicate time well, for work and for the family too. Your work worries should not intrude the time when you are at home. This should also be followed at work, family and other matters should not disturb you, unless urgent.
• Work is meant for supporting life, let it not control your life. Work should strictly be limited to your working hours, do not get it home. Talk to your employer if required. If your job demands traveling a lot, limit that to a certain number of times. Plan your work as much possible in the week days, so that your weekends are not affected.
• Relax and de-stress once in a while. Exercise is the best way to keep up with the work and stress. Remember to give time to yourself, go for a soothing massage, meditate or simply relax for a day. This will rejuvenate you mentally and physically.
• Give time for your relationship, even if you have a family, once a week give quality time to your spouse. It can be a romantic date or a weekend get-away. It can also be a simple walk in the park or a short date over coffee. It will strengthen your relation while also strengthening your balance of work and marriage.
• Try to spend as much time with kids. Take them out once in a while and let them know you are there as a friend and a support. Include the complete family when making important decisions and plans. Respect the inputs and then draw conclusions.
• Family always comes first, with the support of all, balancing life will not be tough. Learn to appreciate life the way it comes. Do not fog your life with regrets, you may miss the happiness that is in store.

With these tips, and more additions, you can attain an effective balance between work and marriage. Marriages are made in heaven, but balancing them is a task executed on earth, for real. So, get going, stay positive, once you embrace a balanced life, all that is sour will slowly melt away. All the best!