Strategies to Balance Parenthood with Career
Help employees combat parental stress in the workplace.
The conversation about parental burnout recently took center stage when US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued an advisory on the mental health of parents, validating those 41% of parents who say that their stress is so intense, most days they can’t function.
For professional parents, juggling the demands of work with the needs of their children can be overwhelming. As Dr. Murthy notes in his advisory, this balancing act “can limit working memory capacity and negatively impact attentional resources, cognitive functioning, and psychological well-being.”
A large portion of the US population includes working parents, with over 70% of mothers and over 90% of fathers in the workforce having children under the age of 18. This means a vast number of working professionals in this country are facing epidemic levels of stress due in large part to balancing career with parenthood—both physical and emotional.
There are a few simple strategies that can help relieve some of that stress and allow working parents to find more balance in their lives:
■ Communicate Your Purpose: What we do as working parents is one way that we take care of our children, but they may not always understand that. Communicate with them openly and honestly why it’s important to the household, and what your career also means to you. That will help them understand your motivations and that your work has a profound positive impact on the quality of their lives.
■ Involve Them in Business Trips: Business trips can be an opportunity to spend quality family time, so when appropriate, take your kids on business trips. You can find some time to break away for adventure—or even share a dinner together—and they can also see your work in action.
■ Quality Time Over Quantity: When you are with your kids, be with them. That might mean putting your phone away and giving them your full, undivided attention—even if it’s just for 10 minutes. Showing them that they are your priority at that moment is more impactful than sitting next to them for 30 minutes while you are on your phone.
■ Lead by Example: Isn’t it fun to sit at the kitchen table and hear about your child’s day at the end of the day? It’s important that you share the same about your day. Make your work a part of your daily conversations, whether that’s explaining how you overcame an obstacle, how you challenged yourself, or an accolade you received. Have your kids experience the pride in you that you have in them. Doing so will develop a strong work ethic and passion for your career, showing your children the value of enjoying and finding purpose in their work.
■ Leverage Support Systems: “It takes a village” might be the most accurate parenting phrase I’ve ever heard. Don’t be afraid to lean on others—it doesn’t make you weak. It makes you human! Building that support system will make you a better professional and a better parent. Because the more you and your family/friends rely on one another, the less stressed you will be and the happier your children will be.
Being a parent has made me a better professional, and continuing in my career has made me a better mother. We can find a way to allow these two parts of ourselves to complement one another, and simple strategies are a great way to start.
