Focusing on career transitions and upward mobility can be stressful for anyone, regardless of where you are in your career. The fear of change, imposter syndrome, workload and time management, financial stability, and job security can feel overwhelming at every step of your career journey. However, for most parents, this level of anxiety pales in comparison to the emotions involved when career decision-making collides with prioritizing family needs. Trying to balance career and family can feel impossible.
Whether both parents are working toward bigger and better things or considering if one should stay at home, the internal turmoil can impact daily life.
Early in my career, I was managing a demanding travel schedule while raising two young children. My husband and I made the extremely difficult decision for him to stay at home as my career progressed — so few men stayed home when we were weighing our options 25 years ago.
Although Pew Research indicates that the number of stay-at-home dads has increased to 18%, up from 11% in 1989, the decision for any parent to put their career on hold and serve as the primary caregiver can be tough.
As Mother’s Day draws near, I find myself reflecting on the choices my husband and I made to advance my career while prioritizing what was best for our children. I also find myself thinking about working parents, and in particular working moms, who might be struggling to balance family and career.
A myriad of emotions come with being a working parent, especially if you are the breadwinner. These may include:
- Sadness and guilt when missing sports and special occasions due to work
- Income concerns of being the sole earner
- Isolation in feeling perceived as an outsider when attending school events
- Concern of judgment at work that might impact upward mobility
- Lack of self-care and taking time for yourself
I still remember the first day I left my son (now 30) at daycare. It was heart-wrenching. Absolutely nothing prepared me for the emptiness of returning to work and leaving my child behind. However, I did not want to lose the upward momentum of my career.
While I know I am not alone in those feelings of guilt, some women are tremendously successful at furthering careers and setting boundaries to ensure family comes first. But, for many of us, there is never a feeling of balance.
The Power of a Professional Coaching in Gaining Balance
To help me process my feelings, realign my perspective, and give myself some grace, I got a professional coach. It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, empowering me to find happiness as I advanced my career.
Professional coaches help us prioritize goals to achieve both personal and professional success. Regardless of industry, company culture, or personal belief systems, an expert coach serves as an unbiased partner in navigating obstacles and propelling future success.
One cannot always see how the stress of trying to balance career and family can impact every aspect of life. To drive our success, we must first identify what weighs us down and gets in the way of our goals. In my experience — now serving as a professional coach — working mothers need to learn how to be kind to themselves. Honoring what matters in our hearts frees us to become more creative, to set healthier boundaries, and to focus on what is most important in our careers.
In addition, we begin to understand others more deeply and with empathy, which hones our capabilities of leading dynamic and diverse teams.
Life is constantly throwing us curve balls. The book “Life Launch: A Passionate Guide to the Rest of Your Life” says, “The Secret to a resilient life is in knowing how to recycle yourself, over and over, letting go of what is no longer you, taking on new strengths, and shaping new chapters for your life, guided by your own emerging vision.” Yet so many women do not take the time needed to truly understand their vision and the gaps they have in achieving that vision. Likewise, so many companies do not understand the power of supporting their female talent in this process.
You are the author of your own story. You deserve to find your power within to write your future and to know your worth.
Navigating this process can be incredibly freeing and powerful. Whatever your situation, helping women leaders focus on short-term solutions can improve your long-term life. As Stephen Covey says, we should “start with the end in mind.”
As a special Mother’s Day invite, I encourage working women to call me and discuss your challenges and goals. Throughout May and June, the first session is free. Please share this opportunity with the powerful women in your office, home, and community.