The stresses of single parenting can be daunting enough on their own, but when you add a professional career to the mix, it becomes even tougher.

According to an article from IEI Police Intern Brodie Smith at the NC State Institute for Emerging Issues, the U.S. was home to about 10.7 million single-parent households with children under the age of 18 years, with these single parents having an unemployment rate of 8.3%.

Diana Davis has first-hand experience with managing her personal and professional lives.

“It’s easily one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do in my life,” she said.

Davis has been the primary news anchor for K8 News in Jonesboro, AR for 36 years, and for 30 of those years, she’s been raising at least one child, with her two children being 10 years apart.

She was successful enough in her life, that her daughter, Destiny Quinn followed in her footsteps and is now a morning news anchor at WKYT in Lexington, KY.

Davis said it wasn’t always easy because a single parent has no “backup.”

“Single parents must set the bar and not depart from it. Your children will try to talk you down, but you have to have your reasoning firmly in your head,” she said.

The differences in your personal and professional life don’t always have to be so obvious.

Davis was able to mesh both sides of her life to better equip herself to care for her children and her career.

She asked for and embraced flexibility and was able to change her schedule to better accommodate dropping off and picking up her children from school and extracurricular activities.

Asking for flexibility is one of the seven tips listed in an article from Lake Point Recovery and Wellness, along with 1. Prioritize and organize, 2. Set boundaries, 3. Prioritize self-care, 4. Ask for help when needed, 5. Focus on quality, not quantity, and 6. Create a routine for your children.

Utilizing these tips can make the process of raising your children while remaining committed to your professional career much smoother. Find what works for you, take advantage of it, and you’ll be more likely to be successful in balancing your personal and professional lives.