According to a 2015 Pew Research Center survey, the most common stressors faced by working parents include:
- Always feeling rushed
- Not spending enough time with their children
- Difficulty balancing work and family
It might be unpleasant to admit, but if you’re a working parent, you should expect to sometimes feel stressed, incompetent, or burnt out.
And that’s okay.
It’s normal to occasionally feel that way.
What’s important to know is that you can do something about it.
You can find healthy work-life integration.
So what are the traits of healthy work-life integration?
First, it’s authentic — built on the fact that you’re both a parent and professional.
Your identity as a parent should be part of your work identity.
That’s who you are.
And being honest about that with colleagues will help you, not hurt you.
Second, healthy work-life integration is flexible.
Structure your work schedule for flexibility.
As long as you do good work, you can and should work hours that make the most sense for you.
Finally, work-life integration is disciplined.
Discipline here simply means you’re diligent about setting boundaries both at work and at home.
Healthy work-life integration is:
- Authentic
- Flexible
- Disciplined
Strive for healthy work-life integration.
The more you embrace it, the less daunting the demands of work and parenthood will feel.
