Work-Life Balance for Parents

Maintaining balance is easier said than done.

Maintaining equilibrium between work and the rest of life is hard to accomplish.

I am sure this is not news to you! It is a fluctuating and ever-changing balance.

But we do know when it is off. When there is a significant imbalance, problems often arise in your physical and mental health.

What are some of the indicators that things are not right with you?

Work receives priority over time with your family or friends, and you notice that you start bringing work “home” more frequently. Is there even a separation anymore, especially now that so many of us work from home?

Maybe you even start canceling plans to get your work done, and conflicts and issues arise between you and your partner, friends, or children. They are frustrated with how little time you give to your relationships and feel hurt, angry, and unimportant. You feel these emotions, too, but don’t know how to handle them or how to make a change.

Perhaps you notice that you have increased your usage of caffeine, alcohol, or other substances to get by or decompress. Other physical symptoms, such as insomnia, teeth grinding at night, or increased pain levels, worsen.

These alarm bells say, “Take notice, something is wrong!” They mean it’s time to talk with someone, address this imbalance, and bring back what is meaningful to you.

Acting on the alarm bells is a critical step.

Recognizing your suffering is the first step. By seeking out this page, you admit that you are aware of a problem. That is the most important and meaningful step, and the rest will flow from there.

Becoming aware of your actions, behaviors, decisions, and feelings allows you to observe yourself better. This awareness enables you to make the changes you want to see eventually. Willingness to make those changes is not easy, and it asks you to be honest with yourself.

But like all significant changes, transformations, and growth in your life, it can be too overwhelming to do this alone. And while making those changes, it is best to have an experienced, knowledgeable, and kind person by your side (Hint, Hint).

Therapy is about YOU finding YOUR balance.

Depending on your specific struggles, therapy helps you learn to reset or set limits and boundaries with yourself and others for the first time. Establishing limitations helps redistribute the burdens that keep you feeling lopsided.

Perhaps you don’t like to or have rarely asked for help. Why? What is the source of that mindset? And how can we get more comfortable with asking for help?

Purposefully making a weekly schedule or blocking out time for yourself helps you figure out things that matter to you and incorporate them into your routine. (I am sure you have told other people that same thing, but it’s harder to do for yourself. Right?)

Maybe there are slight shifts that we can set in place to make life feel more manageable, or perhaps it runs deeper than that and requires a reset or deep dive into career and life goals. Either way, making those changes starts with finding someone you can trust. Hopefully, we can create that trust together.

Once we establish trust, we can begin the work of better understanding your unique relationship to work and life and the areas that cause you to struggle.

Let’s work together to find your balance.

Whatever stage of life, I support parents striving and struggling with their work-life balance wherever they are. With curiosity and skill, I open space for you to honestly share your challenges while learning the tools to help you regulate and redistribute your strains and stress.

Our work together will allow you to feel more content and grounded to create the home life you have always wanted.

Call me at (510) 600-3734 for a 15-minute free consultation. Please leave your name, number, and good times to reach you, and I will return calls within 48 hours.

I look forward to hearing from you.