Find Personal and Relationship Time

Even with your railroader’s hectic schedule and need to balance sleep with family life, it’s important that you also find time to take care of yourself, in order to best support and manage household responsibilities.

Here are some ideas to consider:

• Swap babysitting services with a neighbor, friends, or family members to get a little time to yourself.
• Hire a teenager in your neighborhood to mow the lawn, shovel the snow, or help with other chores.
• Take a break in your own home. Make popcorn, and enjoy it while watching your favorite TV show or movie. Read a new magazine or book. Text an old friend to catch-up. Take an online class. Spend time outdoors.
• Shop online. Use a grocery store delivery service.
• Set reasonable expectations for yourself. Trying to do more than you can manage comfortably causes stress. You don’t have to say yes to every request from your children, their schools, and other friends and family members.
• Turn to other railroader spouses, partners, and families in your area for support. Find helpful advice from your railroader’s union Auxiliary, and from the family support network of your spouse’s or partner’s employer.
• Your railroader may be tired and cranky upon returning home from work. Sleep deficiency can promote adverse emotional conditions. Consider how this may impract discussion of important topics.
• Make time for “dates” with your spouse or partner, even if you simply watch a favorite TV show together.
• Stay in touch when you’re apart. Make a ritual of sending a text message to each other before you go to bed, whenever that is.